Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: The Boxer Finale

Attrition:

• What is attrition?
• The wearing away of a tooth as a result of tooth-to-tooth contact
• What causes attrition?
• Malocclusions or “bad bites” which cause teeth to rub against other teeth
• In Boxers the maxillary incisors usually rub on the inner surface of the mandibular canines or incisors
• Is attrition the only cause of tooth wear?
• Tooth abrasion is the pathologic wearing away of the tooth by rubbing
•  Aggressive tooth brushing, bruxism (grinding teeth), excessive gnawing on fur, tennis balls and kennel doors can cause tooth abrasion

Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: The Boxer Part 5 Epulides

Epulides:

• What are epulides?
• Epulis is a term that means: any benign lesion on the gingiva.
• A veterinary dentist usually means: a noncancerous growth coming from the ligaments that anchor a tooth in the jaw bone.
• Epulides may be fibromatous (mostly soft tissue), ossifying (contains some bone) or acanthomatous (causes soft tissue and bone to break down).
• What causes epulides?
• No one really knows why epulides grow.
• Boxers seem to be predisposed to developing fibromatous epulides.

Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: The Boxer Part 4

 

Gingival hyperplasia:

• What is gingival hyperplasia?
• An increase in size and thickness of the soft tissue which surrounds a tooth results in overgrowth of the gums (gingiva).
• Frequently, the gums grow large enough to completely cover the teeth.
• What causes gingival hyperplasia?
• An exaggerated reaction by the gingiva to bacteria and tartar on the teeth.  Usually periodontal diseases cause gingiva to recede. Boxers have the opposite reaction.
• Certain medications used to treat seizures, allergies, infection or high blood pressure can cause gingival hyperplasia. This is usually reversible if the medications can be stopped.

Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: The Boxer Part 3

Dentigerous cysts:

• What are dentigerous cysts?
• A closed sac of serous fluid surrounding an impacted or partially erupted tooth.
• What causes dentigerous cysts?
• When a tooth does not erupt normally, the pressure it puts on

Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: The Boxer Part 2

Impacted teeth:

• What are impacted teeth?
• Impacted teeth remain below the surface and not exposed in the mouth.
• The most common impacted teeth are the mandibular first premolars.

Breed Predisposition to Oral Disease: Spotlight on The Boxer

The Boxer currently ranks as one of the most popular dogs in the United States. They are instinctive guardians that love to be with their people.  They are also well known for multiple oral health problems.  The most common oral health concerns for Boxers are: supernumerary teeth, impacted teeth, dentigerous cyst, gingival hyperplasia, fibromatous epulis and attrition.  Some of these conditions are genetic in nature and cannot be prevented.  Treatment depends on the severity of the problem.

Supernumerary teeth:

• What are supernumerary teeth?