Effect of feeding a daily oral care chew on the composition of plaque microbiota in dogs

Effect of dental chew on reducing dental plaque, dental calculus and halitosis in beagle dogs

Periodontosis is the most common clinical disease in adult dogs, which is mainly caused by plaque accumulation and seriously endangers the oral health of dogs and even cause kidney, myocardial, and liver problems in severe cases. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical efficacy of dental chew (Cature Brushing Treats product) with mechanical and chemical properties in beagles. The dogs in the experimental group were fed with a dental chew twice a day after meals; The control group had no treatment. Dental plaque was evaluated on the 14th day and 29th day, respectively. The concentration of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) in the breath and dental calculus were also evaluated on the 29th day. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the indexes of dental plaque on the 14th day. While they had significantly reduced accumulation of plaque (37.63%), calculus (37.61%), and VSC concentration (81.08%) compared to when receiving no chew on the 29th day.

Effectiveness of a Daily Honeycomb-Shaped Dental Chew in Reducing Calculus, Plaque, Gingivitis and Malodor in Dogs

Periodontal disease in dogs is common. Client compliance with oral hygiene and oral care for pets is low. The gold standard is annual dental prophylaxis under general anesthesia with imaging followed by home care including daily brushing. Clients should be offered methods to reduce calculus, plaque, gingivitis, and resulting halitosis that are time efficient, cost-effective, and easy to administer between annual preventative dental prophylaxis with the goal to move into maintenance phase of managing periodontal disease. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a honeycomb-shaped dental chew in reducing hardened calculus, plaque, gingivitis, and malodor in client-owned dogs in their normal home environment including various breeds, skull types, ages, and weights. Calculus, plaque, and gingival scores with volatile sulfur compounds readings were performed under sedation and evaluated under general anesthesia after 60 consecutive days of receiving a daily honeycomb-shaped dental chew treat. There was an overall statistically significant percentage reduction of calculus (26.6%), plaque (14.2%), and malodor (46.71%). Gingival scores did not demonstrate statistically significant reduction (0.99%). Use of this honeycomb-shaped daily dental chew significantly reduced calculus, plaque, and associated malodor in dogs when fed consecutively for 60 days.

Species-level characterization of saliva and dental plaque microbiota reveals putative bacterial and functional biomarkers of periodontal diseases in dogs

Periodontal diseases are among the most common bacterial-related pathologies affecting the oral cavity of dogs. Nevertheless, the canine oral ecosystem and its correlations with oral disease development are still far from being fully characterized. In this study, the species-level taxonomic composition of saliva and dental plaque microbiota of 30 healthy dogs was investigated through a shallow shotgun metagenomics approach. The obtained data allowed not only to define the most abundant and prevalent bacterial species of the oral microbiota in healthy dogs, including members of the genera Corynebacterium and Porphyromonas, but also to identify the presence of distinct compositional motifs in the two oral microniches as well as taxonomical differences between dental plaques collected from anterior and posterior teeth. Subsequently, the salivary and dental plaque microbiota of 18 dogs affected by chronic gingival inflammation and 18 dogs with periodontitis were compared to those obtained from the healthy dogs. This analysis allowed the identification of bacterial and metabolic biomarkers correlated with a specific clinical status, including members of the genera Porphyromonas and Fusobacterium as microbial biomarkers of a healthy and diseased oral status, respectively, and genes predicted to encode for metabolites with anti-inflammatory properties as metabolic biomarkers of a healthy status.

Effects of a novel dental chew on oral health outcomes, halitosis, and microbiota of adult dogs

Halitosis in dogs is an initial indication of periodontitis, highlighting its significance as a vital marker for underlying problems. Moreover, the oral microbial population has a significant influence on periodontal disease. Measuring the oral microbiota may be used in addition to breath odor, dental plaque, and gingivitis scoring to assess the impact of dental chews on oral health. In this study, we aimed to determine the differences in breath odor, oral health outcomes, and oral microbiota of adult dogs consuming a novel dental chew compared with control dogs consuming only a diet. Twelve healthy adult female beagle dogs were used in a crossover design study. Treatments (n = 12/group) included: diet only (control) or the diet + a novel dental chew. Each day, one chew was provided 4 h after mealtime. On days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 27, breath samples were analyzed for total volatile sulfur compound concentrations using a halimeter. On day 0 of each period, teeth were cleaned by a veterinary dentist blinded to treatments. Teeth were scored for plaque, calculus, and gingivitis by the same veterinary dentist on day 28 of each period. After scoring, subgingival and supragingival plaque samples were collected for microbiota analysis using Illumina MiSeq. All data were analyzed using SAS (version 9.4) using the Mixed Models procedure, with P < 0.05 being significant. Overall, the dental chews were well accepted. Dogs consuming the dental chews had lower calculus coverage, thickness, and scores, lower gingivitis scores, and less pocket bleeding than control dogs. Breath volatile sulfur compounds were lower in dogs consuming the dental chews. Bacterial alpha-diversity analysis demonstrated that control dogs had higher bacterial richness than dogs fed dental chews. Bacterial beta-diversity analysis demonstrated that samples clustered based on treatment. In subgingival and supragingival plaque, control dogs had higher relative abundances of potentially pathogenic bacteria (Pelistega, Desulfovibrio, Desulfomicrobium, Fretibacterium, Helcococcus, and Treponema) and lower relative abundances of genera associated with oral health (Neisseria, Actinomyces, and Corynebacterium). Our results suggest that the dental chew tested in this study may aid in reducing periodontal disease risk in dogs by beneficially shifting the microbiota population and inhabiting plaque buildup.

Strategies to improve the home care of periodontal disease in dogs: A systematic review

The expected contribution of this study is to have a complete view of the available products used in the prevention of periodontal disease in dogs. The related studies in databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus, from 1992 to 2021, were retrieved, and 36 studies were used in the systematic review. Among the continents researched, North America proved to have the most developed research relating to the subject. The active ingredients researched, isolated, or compared to each other, were polyphosphates > phytogenics > chlorhexidine > enzymes > vitamin C > xylitol = adelmidrol = and probiotics. The form of use of active products was chewable > solution via water = via food > biscuits > paste and gels > mucoadhesive. Gingivitis index was the most studied parameter used to assess oral health. According to the evidence recovered in the systematic review was possible to conclude that products with different active agents and forms of use demonstrated positive effects in the prevention of periodontal diseases. The results of this study summarize the most frequently used active ingredients and application forms for cleaning dogs' teeth and provide a roadmap for future research on the maintenance of oral health in dogs.

Oral Microbiota Populations of Adult Dogs Consuming Wet or Dry Foods

Oral microbiota play a prominent role in canine periodontal disease and wet foods are often blamed for poor oral health, but canine oral microbial communities have been poorly studied. We aimed to determine differences in oral health measures, breath odor, and oral microbiota populations of dogs fed wet or dry food. Twelve adult dogs fed either a commercial dry (extruded) or commercial wet (canned) food for 6 wk were studied. Breath samples were measured for sulfur compounds, teeth were scored for plaque, calculus, and gingivitis by a blinded veterinary dentist, salivary pH was measured, and supragingival (SUP) and subgingival (SUB) plaque samples were collected for microbiota analysis. Plaque DNA was extracted and Illumina sequencing conducted. Phylogenetic data were analyzed using the CosmosID bioinformatics platform and SAS 9.4, with P<0.05 being significant and P<0.10 being trends. Plaque coverage tended to be higher (P<0.10) in dogs fed wet vs. dry food, but other oral health scores were not different. Dogs fed dry food had higher (P<0.05) salivary pH and lower (P<0.05) breath sulfur concentrations than those consuming wet food. Bacterial alpha diversity was higher in SUP than SUB samples, and a clear separation in beta diversity was observed between sample sites on principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) plots. In SUP samples, dogs fed wet food had a higher alpha diversity than dogs fed dry food, with PCoA plots showing a separation between wet and dry food. Relative abundances of Firmicutes, Synergistetes, and 10 bacterial genera were different (P<0.05) in SUB samples of dogs fed wet vs. dry food. Relative abundances of Fusobacteria and over 20 bacterial genera were different (P<0.05) in SUP samples of dogs fed wet vs. dry food. In general, oral health-associated bacterial taxa (Pasteurella, Capnocytophaga, Corynebacterium) were higher, while bacteria associated with poor oral health (Fretibacterium fastidiosum, Filifactor alocis, Treponema medium, Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas canoris, Porphyromonas gingivalis) were lower in dogs fed dry food. Such shifts in the oral microbiota may impact periodontal disease risk, but longer dietary intervention studies are required to confirm their role in the disease process. Our results suggest that dogs fed dry extruded foods have lower breath odor and tooth plaque buildup and an oral microbiota population more closely associated with oral health than dogs fed wet canned foods.

Effectiveness of oral care interventions on malodour in dogs

BACKGROUND

Oral malodour is identified by pet owners as an unpleasant inconvenience, but they may not recognise this likely indicates underlying disease. The primary cause of oral malodour relates to the presence of bacteria in the oral cavity often associated with gingivitis and periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of feeding two oral care chews with different textural properties on oral malodour and the proportion of bacterial species involved in the production of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs).

METHODS

Fourteen dogs (9 Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGV) and 5 Beagle dogs) participated in the randomised cross-over study for a total of 14 weeks. The cohort was divided into four groups with each exposed to a different intervention per week: chew A, chew B, tooth brushing control or a no intervention control. An induced malodour method was used to assess VSCs in breath samples using a portable gas chromatograph (OralChroma™). Microbiological samples (supragingival plaque and tongue coating scrapes) were analysed for VSC-producing bacteria using Oral Hydrogen Sulfide agar with lead acetate.

RESULTS

VSCs were detected in the dogs' breath samples and levels of hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan were found to be reduced following an intervention. Chew B significantly reduced the levels of both hydrogen sulphide (p < 0.001) and methyl mercaptan (p < 0.05) compared to no intervention. Reductions in methyl mercaptan were also observed for chew A and tooth brushing but these were not statistically significant. When compared to no intervention, all interventions significantly reduced the total bacterial load and VSC producing bacterial load in plaque (p < 0.001). For tongue samples, only chew B significantly reduced the total bacterial load and VSC-producing bacterial load (p < 0.001) compared to no intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

By inducing oral malodour and subsequently applying the one-time interventions, significant reductions in the levels of VSCs were observed. The use of oral care chews texturally designed to deliver a deep, all-round cleaning action can be particularly effective at managing oral malodour in dogs, likely through an enhanced ability to remove bacteria.

Dogs' Microbiome From Tip to Toe

Microbiota and microbiome, which refers, respectively, to the microorganisms and conjoint of microorganisms and genes are known to live in symbiosis with hosts, being implicated in health and disease. The advancements and cost reduction associated with high-throughput sequencing techniques have allowed expanding the knowledge of microbial communities in several species, including dogs. Throughout their body, dogs harbor distinct microbial communities according to the location (e.g., skin, ear canal, conjunctiva, respiratory tract, genitourinary tract, gut), which have been a target of study mostly in the last couple of years. Although there might be a core microbiota for different body sites, shared by dogs, it is likely influenced by intrinsic factors such as age, breed, and sex, but also by extrinsic factors such as the environment (e.g., lifestyle, urban vs rural), and diet. It starts to become clear that some medical conditions are mediated by alterations in microbiota namely dysbiosis. Moreover, understanding microbial colonization and function can be used to prevent medical conditions, for instance, modulation of gut microbiota of puppies is more effective to ensure a healthy gut than interventions in adults. This paper gathers current knowledge of dogs' microbial communities, exploring their function, implications in the development of diseases, and potential interactions among communities while providing hints for further research.

Dental chews positively shift the oral microbiota of adult dogs

Microbiota plays a prominent role in periodontal disease, but the canine oral microbiota and how dental chews may affect these populations have been poorly studied. We aimed to determine the differences in oral microbiota of adult dogs consuming dental chews compared with control dogs consuming only a diet. Twelve adult female beagle dogs (mean age = 5.31 ± 1.08 yr) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design consisting of 28-d periods. Treatments (n = 12/group) included: diet only (CT); diet + Bones & Chews Dental Treats (BC; Chewy, Inc., Dania Beach, FL); diet + Dr. Lyon's Grain-Free Dental Treats (DL; Dr. Lyon's, LLC, Dania Beach, FL); and diet + Greenies Dental Treats (GR; Mars Petcare US, Franklin, TN). Each day, one chew was provided 4 h after mealtime. On day 27, breath samples were analyzed for total volatile sulfur compound concentrations using a Halimeter. On day 0 of each period, teeth were cleaned by a veterinary dentist blinded to treatments. Teeth were scored for plaque, calculus, and gingivitis by the same veterinary dentist on day 28 of each period. After scoring, salivary (SAL), subgingival (SUB), and supragingival (SUP) samples were collected for microbiota analysis using Illumina MiSeq. All data were analyzed using SAS (version 9.4) using the Mixed Models procedure, with P < 0.05 considered significant. All dogs consuming chews had lower calculus coverage and thickness, pocket depth and bleeding, plaque thickness, and halitosis compared with CT. In all sites of collection, CT dogs had a higher relative abundance of one or more potentially pathogenic bacteria (Porphyromonas, Anaerovorax, Desulfomicrobium, Tannerella, and Treponema) and lower relative abundance of one or more genera associated with oral health (Neisseria, Corynebacterium, Capnocytophaga, Actinomyces, Lautropia, Bergeyella, and Moraxella) than those fed chews. DL reduced Porphyromonas in SUP and SUB samples. DL and GR reduced Treponema in SUP samples. DL increased Corynebacterium in all sites of collection. BC increased Corynebacterium in SAL samples. DL and GR increased Neisseria in SAL samples. DL increased Actinomyces in the SUB sample. GR increased Actinomyces in SAL samples. Our results suggest that the dental chews tested in this study may aid in reducing periodontal disease risk in dogs by beneficially shifting the microbiota inhabiting plaque and saliva of a dog's oral cavity. These shifts occurred over a short period of time and were correlated with improved oral health scores.