Page 955 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

Periodontal Disease 989

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Figure 47-6. This illustration depicts the mechanical cleansing prop- Figure 47-7. The effects of commercial dog foods on plaque accu-
erties of commercial dog and cat foods. The top illustration demon- mulation and gingival health in dogs. These graphs compare plaque
strates what occurs when a dog or cat chews a typical dry food. The accumulation and gingival inflammation in dogs fed two different
kibble crumbles providing little to no mechanical cleansing. The bot- foods for six months. Each group of dogs began the study with a
tom illustration demonstrates what happens when a dog or cat plaque index of zero and clinically healthy gingivae. At all time points,
chews a dental food. The kibble stays together, maintaining contact the dogs consuming the test food (Prescription Diet t/d Canine) had
with the tooth surface and providing mechanical cleansing. significantly lower scores for plaque accumulation and gingival
inflammation than the dogs consuming the control food (Purina Dog
Chow).

through other measures, or in cases demanding adjunctive oxidant capacity than dogs with gingivitis or mild periodon-
plaque control, mechanical attenuation of plaque and calculus titis (Pavlica et al, 2004). The body synthesizes many antiox-
accumulation daily with a maintenance dental food is a reason- idants but relies on food for others. Vitamins E and C and
able alternative. Given the prevalence of periodontal disease in selenium are proposed as antioxidant key nutritional factors
dogs and cats, effective homecare products that improve owner for foods for periodontal disease because: 1) they are biologi-
compliance can be a valuable addition to an oral health main- cally important, 2) they act synergistically (e.g., vitamin C and
tenance regimen. selenium-containing glutathione peroxidase regenerate vita-
One way to assess whether the texture of a specific dog or cat min E after it has reacted with a free radical) and 3) much is
food is effective in preventing accumulation of dental plaque (or known about their safety.
calculus) is whether or not the product’s label carries the VOHC
Seal of Acceptance, specifically stating that the product is effec- VITAMIN E
tive in controlling plaque. Published Grade 1 or 2 evidence- Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is the main lipid-soluble antioxi-
based studies are also reliable indicators of product efficacy. dant in plasma, erythrocytes and tissues (NRC, 2006). It is one
of the most effective antioxidants for protecting cell membrane
Antioxidants constituent polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidation.Vitamin
Oxidative stress may be important in the etiology of peri- E inhibits lipid oxidation by scavenging lipid peroxyl radicals
odontal disease. In one study, dogs with severe periodontitis faster than these radicals can react with adjacent fatty acids or
had gingival crevicular fluid and serum with lower total anti- membrane proteins (Gutteridge and Halliwell, 1994).