Dental emergencies are not commonly thought of as emergency situations, but when they happen, they can be a cause of great concern. Now, let’s discuss some common types of pet dental emergencies.
Common Pet Dental Emergencies
- Tooth Fractures. A fractured tooth most commonly occurs secondarily to chewing on hard objects, aggressive pulling, or blunt force trauma. A fractured tooth that exposes the pulp cavity is painful and can lead to infection.
- Oral and Facial Trauma: Injuries from vehicular accidents, altercations with other animals, and biting at moving objects are common causes that lead to maxillofacial trauma. Clinical signs of trauma include lacerations, fractures, or facial swellings.
- Tooth Root Abscesses: Teeth can become infected either due to periodontal disease or secondary to a fracture. A tooth root abscess is a painful infection that may cause acute facial swelling which is responsive to antibiotic therapy.
- Foreign Objects: Items like sticks or bones can get lodged in the mouth, causing discomfort or injury. Clinical signs can include pawing at the face.
- Oral Bleeding: Excessive bleeding from the mouth can result from injuries or dental disease, oral tumors, or coagulation abnormalities.
- Inability to Open the Mouth. This can be due to structural changes such as coronoid impingement, which occurs more frequently in dogs and cats with brachycephalic skull conformation. Prior trauma to the TMJ can lead to fibrous tissue and bone forming around the joint, preventing the mouth from being able to open fully. Masticatory muscle myositis is an immune-mediated condition that affects chewing muscles, also known as the muscles of mastication.
- Inability to Close the Mouth: An inability to close the mouth can be very uncomfortable. Common causes may include TMJ luxation, jaw fractures, coronoid entrapment, and varying forms of a malocclusion.
- Poor Dental Hygiene: Lack of consistent oral care can lead to acute-on-chronic infection, oral abscess, oral bleeding, and jaw fracture(s).
- Infections or Systemic Illnesses: Pre-existing health conditions can affect oral health and exacerbate dental emergencies.
Tips to Remember for Pet Dental Emergencies
If your pet has a dental emergency, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Do your best to remain calm. Look for signs like excessive drooling, bleeding, swelling, or difficulty eating. Write these down, as memory can be faulty during a stressful situation.
- Handle Your Pet Safely: Approach your pet gently, as pain might make them more defensive. Call your veterinarian if you would like tips on how to help handle your pet.
- Food
- For a broken tooth, avoid feeding hard food
- Seek Veterinary Care: Contact your primary care veterinarian, Montana Pet Dentistry, or a local pet ER.
Veterinary Dentist in Bozeman, MT
Dental and oral pain can be significant and necessitate an urgent care visit. If you are concerned about your pet’s oral health, call us to schedule a consultation appointment. We are happy to discuss any oral health concerns that you may have, ranging from bad breath, fractured teeth, periodontal disease, malocclusions, oral tumors, and maxillofacial trauma.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (03/20/2025) Photo by Martin Krchnacek on Unsplash