Page 12 - Martin Downs Bulletin - October '22

Page 12, Martin Downs

tip of tHE taiL

Periodontal Disease Once the oral health exam has been performed, at-home consequences. If you have any questions or concerns or want

care becomes important to maintain a healthy mouth. Daily to discuss this further, your veterinarian can answer your
brushing is recommended, but studies have shown that even questions and help assist you in keeping your pet healthy
twice weekly brushing is enough to significantly reduce the for many years to come.
amount of plaque buildup in your pet’s mouth. In addition Established in 1981, Palm City Animal Medical Center
to brushing, there are dental wipes, rinses, and pads, as well is dedicated to providing the best possible care for your
as preventative gels, dental treats and diets that aid in oral pets. With focuses on compassionate care in surgery,
health. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (the VOHC) is an physical therapy and rehabilitation, preventative medicine,
organization that evaluates dental products and their website extensive diagnostics, and emergency service, Palm City
is a good resource to help guide you on available options. Animal Medical Center combines exceptional medical
Too often our pet’s dental health is overlooked and care with a caring philosophy for pets and their owners.
attributed to a normal amount of “stinky pet” breath and For more information, call (772) 283-0920, visit www.
nothing more. Unfortunately this can not only affect their palmcityanimalmedicalcenter.com or find us on Facebook
oral health, but it can also have serious systemic health at www.facebook.com/PalmCityAnimalClinic.
years of age. It is the leading health problem found in our pets cLEvELand cLinic martin
Eighty-five percent of pets have periodontal disease by 3

and can pose serious short- and long- term health concerns,
beyond just bad breath, oral pain, and a generalized decreased
quality of life. HEaLtH nEws
In a normal mouth, the teeth are clean, pearly white and
the gums attach smoothly to the tooth. There is no redness
or tartar and your breath smells great! The tooth is bathed
in saliva, bacteria, and food particles but if this is brushed Comprehensive Cancer Care
away, it never mineralizes into tartar. However, if we do not
regularly disinfect our mouths and brush away the plaque, the In Your Community
plaque will mineralize into tartar. Tartar is solid and gritty and
covers the crown of the tooth. This creates inflammation and After a century of caring for patients, including
blocks oxygen from bathing the outer tooth, which changes more than three decades in Florida, Cleveland Clinic
the nature of the bacteria in the mouth. This new bacteria knows what matters most to patients facing a cancer
eats away at the attachment of the tooth and surrounding diagnosis. Patients want to have access to high quality,
bone. The result is periodontal disease. Even worse, this new comprehensive cancer services close to home.
type of bacteria can seed to other areas of the body leading Cleveland Clinic Martin Health is part of a global,
to infection in the heart, liver, kidney or virtually anywhere physician-led organization that provides outstanding
the bloodstream carries it. The body is constantly fighting patient care guided by a “patients first” philosophy.
spread of the infection. The nonprofit, multispecialty, academic medical center
Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to prevent periodontal integrates clinical and hospital care with research and • Participation in clinical trials and cancer research
disease and the rules are ones we are all familiar with, education. under the direction of leading physician scientists
whether referring to us or our pets: professional cleaning and Commitment To Industry Standards Research-Driven, Personalized Breast Cancer Care
at-home care. You can generally expect once your pets reach Cleveland Clinic Martin Health’s Robert and Carol The introduction of targeted precision therapy and
3 to 4 years old, they will need a professional teeth cleaning Weissman Cancer Center is accredited by the Commission immunotherapy has led to a new era of tailored breast
every 12 months. General anesthesia will be necessary for on Cancer ; is an NAPBC -accredited breast center; and cancer therapies that considers a patient’s genetic
®
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each tooth to receive proper attention and care. Additionally, has been recognized as High Performing in Colon Cancer makeup; tumor composition at the detailed biological
home care is ideally a daily part of tooth maintenance but Surgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2022/23. The level; medical history; and response to therapy. Many
even brushing just twice a week can remove most plaque Stuart-based cancer center harnesses the full resources of drugs have been developed in the last decade that target
before it can mineralize into tartar. Clearly not every pet is the Cleveland Clinic enterprise, including collaboration specific types of breast cancer, including hormone
amenable to hands-on oral care though, nor is every person’s with the Taussig Cancer Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, receptor positive, HER2-positive or triple negative breast
schedule amenable to it, so for those cases, there are some which is one of the top cancer centers in the country and cancer with several subtypes within each group.
lower maintenance options as well. part of the NCI-designated case comprehensive cancer Cleveland Clinic is contributing to this new era of
It should not be surprising that dental health requires center. personalized medicine by focusing on several clinical
regular professional cleanings regardless of whether the Collaboration Across Specialties trials for breast cancer, including expanding the use
mouth in question belongs to a person, a dog, or a cat. Home Cleveland Clinic Martin Health’s multidisciplinary of immunotherapy. Florida-based researchers are
care of the tooth is never perfect and periodically tartar must team of cancer specialists works together to address participating in ongoing studies of novel drugs designed
be properly removed and the tooth surface properly polished malignancies in virtually every part of the body using to interrupt cancer cell growth, and identify less intensive
and disinfected. The professional cleaning performed at the evidenced-based modalities and the latest research. and toxic treatment options in early stages of specific
veterinarian’s office is similar to what a person receives at Specialists conduct weekly cancer conferences to review types of cancer and certain metastatic breast cancers.
their dentist’s office. Large tartar is removed with specific and discuss cases and develop personalized treatment Compassionate, Holistic Care
instruments, then the periodontal sockets are probed and plans that may include: Patients have access to an array of cancer support
measured to assess periodontal disease. The roots are planed, • Expert surgical care with access to minimally services that promote well-being during treatment and
meaning tartar is scraped from below the gumline until invasive and robot-assisted approaches beyond. These include patient navigator services, cancer
the roots are smooth again. Then the enamel is polished to • Chemotherapy or immunotherapy treatments support groups, virtual yoga and art classes.
remove any unevenness left by tartar removal. Finally, the delivered in infusion suites focused on patient safety and Cleveland Clinic Martin Health provides patients the
mouth is disinfected and possibly treated with a fluoride comfort compassionate, comprehensive care they deserve close
sealer or plaque repellent. After the cleaning, professional • Advanced radiation therapies using state-of-the-art to home. And that makes all the difference.
notes are taken on a dental chart, noting abnormalities on technology, including intensity modulated radiation Visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Cancer to learn more.
each of a dog’s 42 teeth or a cat’s 30 teeth. therapy and intraoperative radiation therapy

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Mary-Beth Zipsir
Agent in Charge

O: (772) 233-4444
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