Every time your cat or dog eats, food deposits are left on the teeth. Within days, these deposits form a film called plaque, which rapidly hardens to scale or tartar. This tartar is a yellowy brown, and is clearly visible as it covers the teeth. It harbours hundreds of species of bacteria, which cause gum infection (gingivitis) and erosion. The smell of bad breath often gives the game away. The loss of gums eventually leads to perfectly healthy teeth falling out due to lack of support.
The continual low-grade infection pulls down the general health of the animal. In particular, the kidneys, heart and joints are believed to be damaged. As this process is so gradual, many people are unaware of the deterioration in health, assuming the animal is just getting old.
Scale tends to build up significantly in middle and old age, but can be serious in some animals as young as a year old.
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