Gingivitis

• Mostly in carnivores (also cats), may occur in horses.
• Gingival inflammation starts because of dental calculus (tartar) from diets high in minerals and diets consisting of soft rather than hard crunchy food.
• Dental plaque becomes calcified and whole crown may become covered in brown chalky material.
• Calculus gives brittle dirty brown covering to tooth.
• This may not affect enamel at all but may produce mild gingivitis round edge and the gum may start to recede.
• This exposes more of crown, may reach level of dentine and infection may enter the alveolus and loosen ligaments holding tooth in and ultimately the tooth will become loose and fall out.

• Pyorrhoea is unusual in sheep but, nonetheless, periodontal disease with “broken mouth” is a major cause of culling of ageing ewes.