The 4 Stages of Dental Disease in Pets Explained

Your pet’s dental health is vital for their quality of life. Pets use their mouths a lot, not just for eating, but also for grooming, playing, carrying things, and more. Dental disease often causes pain in the mouth and gums, making it hard for pets to chew their food or use their mouths at all, leading to severe discomfort and potential health issues.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through the impact each stage of dental disease in pets can have on their lives, including the symptoms to watch for and the treatment options available. 

What is Dental Disease in Pets?

Dental disease (also called periodontal disease, periodontitis, or gum disease) in pets is a health condition that impacts your pet’s teeth and gums. It occurs due to bacterial buildup, leading to infection and inflammation of the gums, the ligaments anchoring the tooth, and the surrounding bone.  

Without treatment, periodontal disease in dogs and cats can continue to develop, leading to more sever symtpoms and increasing the need for dental extractions. 

How Common is Dental Disease in Pets?

According to the Royal Veterinary College's study of dental disease in cats,  “15.2% of cats are diagnosed annually (estimated 1.8 million cats affected every year in the UK), with many more likely going undiagnosed,” and another study by the Royal Veterinary College revealed “one in every 8 dogs (12.5%) overall suffers from dental disease every year.” 

Periodontal disease is one of the most common health conditions in pets, with a large majority of pets  over three years old suffering from some stage of periodontal disease.  

Symptoms of Dental Disease in Pets

Pets with dental disease can display a range of symptoms depending on the stage of their periodontitis.  

Some of the key signs of dental disease in pets include:  

• Bad breath (halitosis) 

• Reluctance to chew food or toys 

• Pawing at the mouth 

• Red, swollen gums 

• Flinching away from having their mouth or teeth touched 

• And more  

If your pet displays any of the above signs of periodontal disease in pets, it's essential you book a consultation with your vet to assess the severity. Pets hide pain by nature, so the only way to understand how they're feeling and how to help is with a professional diagnosis.

What Pets Can Get Dental Disease?

Any pet with teeth can develop dental disease without proper maintenance, but it's most often seen in dogs, cats, and rabbits. 

While there are many factors that can contribute to a pets liklihood of devloping dental disease (such as age or not having an at home dental routine), some pets can be more predisposed to periodontal disease, including:  

• Small breed dogs (including, but not limited to: Toy Poodles, Dachshunds, Yorkies, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Italian Greyhounds, and Chihuahuas)

• Certain cat breeds (including Maine Coone, Siamese, and British Short Hair)

• Brachycephalic dogs (flat-faced dogs) 

• Pets with mouth or jaw abnormalities (such as an overbite, crowded teeth, or fractured teeth) 

The Four Stages of Dental Disease in Pets

Dental disease in pets is a developing condition with four key stages. These stages outline the development of untreated periodontitis to help tailor treatment.

While some of the early stages of periodontitis can be reversed with the appropriate veterinary intervention and home dental care, later stages may result in the removal of the affected teeth.  

Below, we explore each of these four stages in detail, so you can have a better idea of what dental disease in pets can lead to and the importance of your pet’s dental health.  

Stage One: Gingivitis

The first stage of dental disease is gingivitis. In this stage, your pet’s gums become mildly inflamed due to plaque build-up on the teeth. Gingivitis typically displays a slight reddening of the gums from their natural, healthy pink colour, particularly as a thin red line along the gum line.  

There may not be any visible plaque or tartar on your pet’s teeth in this stage, but your pet’s gums may bleed slightly when you try to brush their teeth. Bad breath (halitosis) is also a common sign in the early stages of periodontitis, but your pet is unlikely to show other signs of discomfort at this stage.  

With proper treatment and routine teeth brushing, Gingivitis in pets can be reversed. However, if not treated, Gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. 

Gingivitis in Pets Treatment

Thankfully, the early stages of dental disease, like gingivitis, can be reversed with the appropriate intervention. To treat gingivitis in pets, your vet will likely recommend:  

• Improving your home dental routine by brushing your pet’s teeth or using suitable vet-recommended dental alternatives.  

• Feeding your pet a healthy diet  

• Professional dental cleaning at the vet 

To check if your pet has signs of Gingivitis at home, you can gently lift their upper lip to reveal their teeth and look at their gums. If you notice a thin line of red along the gumline, they may have gingivitis. Book a consultation with your vet to be sure. 

Stage Two: Early Periondontitis

If left untreated, Gingivitis can quickly progress to the early stages of periodontitis (gum disease in pets).  

Pets experiencing early periodontitis will have a noticeable increase in gum inflammation and swelling, with the gums likely to bleed when touched. By this stage, there will also be visible plaque and tartar buildup on your pet’s teeth, particularly along the gumline.  

By this stage, pets may be displaying more symptoms of discomfort, such as:  

• Trouble chewing or reluctance to chew food  

• Reluctance or refusal to play with chew toys 

If your pet reaches stage two of dental disease, your vet may recommend dental x-rays to check the damage to the tooth below the gumline. Pets with up to 25% loss of the teeth’s supporting structure are a clear indicator of early periodontitis and will typically require veterinary intervention to reverse.  

Early Periodontitis in Pets Treatment

As with gingivitis, early periodontitis can be reversed with the appropriate care, including:  

• Brushing your pet’s teeth at home more regularly  

• Using vet-recommended brushless dental alternatives to manage plaque build-up without causing further irritation to the gums  

• Professional dental cleaning at the vets

Stage Three: Moderate Periodontitis

Once pets reach stage three of periodontitis, vet intervention is crucial.  Symptoms from stages two and three will be present, but more severe. The gums will be red, swollen, bleed easily when touched, and may show signs of receding to expose the roots of the tooth. 

Other symptoms of moderate periodontitis in pets include:  

• Changes in behaviour to avoid chewing or putting pressure on their gums 

• Consistently awful breath  

• Flinching when their face or mouth is touched 

• Difficulty eating 

If you notice any of the above symptoms, you should book a consultation with your vet as soon as possible to have their teeth examined. 

Pets who reach stage three of periodontitis will require X-rays at the vet to ascertain how much bone loss has occurred. In stage three of dental disease, x-rays typically show 25-50% attachment loss.  

Moderate Periodontitis in Pets Treatment

Once pets reach moderate periodontitis, reversal is not likely, and treatment will focus on preventing further damage to the animal’s teeth.  

Treatment for moderate periodontitis includes:  

• Thorough scale and polish (under anaesthesia) to remove plaque and tartar buildup both above and beneath the gumline 

• Daily at home brushing to prevent further plaque buildup  

• Potential extraction of the most damaged teeth 

Stage Four: Advanced Periodontitis

The fourth and final stage of gum disease in pets is called Advanced Periodontitis.  

By this point, your pet will suffer from a constant bacterial infection that is slowly destroying their gums, teeth, and bone. Some pets may have already lost some teeth, or have damaged, decayed, or loose teeth. The gums in pets with advanced periodontitis will be incredibly red, inflamed, and unable to support the teeth. 

Pets with advanced periodontitis are in a lot of pain, and will not be able to hide it as with earlier stages, displaying symptoms like:  

• Refusal or obvious struggle to eat or play 

• Constant drooling 

• Extremely bad breath 

• Pus around the teeth 

Dental x-rays will be imperative for diagnosing advanced periodontitis and to determine just how much damage has been done. In typical cases of advanced periodontitis, X-rays show an attachment loss of more than 50%.  

Even worse, pets that reach this stage of gum disease are at risk of other health conditions as the bacteria from the mouth may begin to spread through the bloodstream to essential organs like the liver, heart, or kidneys. 

Treatment for Advanced Periodontitis in Pets 

By this stage of dental disease, surgical intervention is a necessity to remove the damaged teeth, and it could easily be several teeth that your pet has removed. Post-op care for pets after having teeth removed is essential to ensure their recovery and will likely involve:  

• Antibiotics to prevent or treat infection.  

• Pain management 

• A strict dental care routine at home 

• Regular follow-up appointments. 

Treatment for the final stage of periodontitis is less about saving your pet’s teeth and more about preventing further damage to their health if the infection or bacteria have spread.  

Pets who have undergone oral surgery will need adjustments to their diet to help them recover as best as possible, starting with a nutrient-rich, soft wet food that’s easy for them to eat. 

How to Prevent Dental Disease in Pets

Caring for your pet’s teeth is essential to prevent dental disease from developing. Most vets recommend you brush your pet’s teeth a minimum of three times a week to remove debris and plaque buildup. You can learn more about how to care for your pet’s teeth in the guides below:

• How to Care for your Dog’s Teeth 

• How to Care for Your Cat’s Teeth 

Some pets, however, don’t take kindly to having their teeth brushed, especially older pets who aren’t used to it.

Introducing dental care to your pet doesn’t need to be a chore with our great range of brushless pet dental essentials, including water additives that fight plaque and tartar build-up, like this Vet Aquadent or by introducing dental chews or supplements like those from the Proden Plaque-Off range. 

While dental alternatives are not as effective as brushing your pet teeth, they are a great way to manage plaque build-up while you get your pet used to having their teeth brushed.  

Dental Disease in Pets FAQs

Does pet insurance cover dental disease?

Whether dental procedures and care are covered by your pet, insurance will depend on your policy.  

Cheaper pet insurance plans may not provide cover for dental illness or injury or may only provide coverage for one of the two.  

Some insurers, however, may cover some dental illness or injury, but usually only if the condition wasn’t diagnosed prior to the policy being taken out.  

Pet insurance rarely covers the cost of routine or preventive dental care, including descaling. If you have a pet that’s prone to dental problems, or are thinking of getting a breed that is, make sure you shop around for a good, solid pet insurance plan that covers these costs.  

Can you reverse periodontal disease in dogs?  

The stage of periodontitis your dog has will impact whether it can be reversed.  

Stage One (gingivitis) and Stage Two (early periodontitis) can be reversed with appropriate dental care and veterinary intervention.  

For dogs with Stage Three (moderate periodontitis) or Stage Four (Advanced Periodontitis), the condition cannot be reversed, and treatment will instead focus on removing decayed or damaged teeth and ensuring their overall health.  

Is periodontal disease contagious in dogs?  

While periodontal disease itself is not contagious in the way other diseases, such as parvovirus or kennel cough, however, multi-dog households do have a higher risk of the periodontitis-causing bacteria spreading between dogs.

The transmission of periodontal disease was explored in a Japanese study that also focused on the risk of dogs transmitting periodontal disease to their owners through close, daily contact.  

Why is Periodontal Disease Common in Dogs and Cats?

The earlier mentioned studies by the Royal Veterinary College highlight multiple factors that contribute to such a high number of periodontal disease cases in cats and dogs, including:  

• Pet breed and anatomy 

• Pet age  

• Ignoring early warning signs (Stage One or Stage Two) 

• Lack of at home dental care routines (this study suggests “less than 4 % of all dog owners brushed their dog’s teeth daily”) 

Despite how common dental disease in dogs and cats may be, it is still preventable and even revesible (in the early stages) with appropriate 

Caring for you pet's dental health doesn't need to be a chore. Even if brushing your pet's teeth feels like an impossibility, there are a range of dental health alternatives that can help keep plaque at bay in the meantime.