## Overview Buccal food packing is the accumulation of partially chewed feed between the cheek and the cheek teeth. It most often results from diastemata (abnormal gaps between teeth), reduced cheek tone, sharp enamel points, or painful dental disease that prevents normal mastication. Trapped feed ferments, produces foul odor, and leads to painful periodontal pockets and oral ulceration. ## Causes Diastemata, displaced or rotated cheek teeth, wave mouth, and sharp points are the primary dental causes. Neurologic reduction in buccinator muscle tone can also allow food to pack. Pain from any oral lesion discourages normal chewing and worsens the cycle. ## Diagnosis Oral examination under sedation reveals packed feed, gingival recession, and periodontal pockets. Dental mirrors, picks, and sometimes radiographs or computed tomography characterize the gaps and any associated bone loss. ## Treatment Remove packed feed, widen or smooth diastemata (odontoplasty), reduce sharp points, and treat periodontal infection. Dietary modification to softer feeds reduces further packing while tissues heal. In selected cases packing materials or bridging may be used, although evidence for long-term benefit is still evolving. ## Recovery and Prognosis Prognosis is good when the underlying dental abnormality can be corrected and the owner maintains regular floating and oral hygiene. Advanced periodontal bone loss carries a more guarded outlook for the affected teeth. ## Prevention Regular dental examinations and timely correction of diastemata or overgrowths prevent most cases.
cheek bulging after eating; feed falling from the mouth; foul oral odor; packed feed visible on oral exam; quidding or slow eating
## Overview Buccal food packing is the accumulation of partially chewed feed between the cheek and the cheek teeth. It most often results from diastemata (abnormal gaps between teeth), reduced cheek tone, sharp enamel points, or painful dental disease that prevents normal mastication. Trapped feed ferments, produces foul odor, and leads to painful periodontal pockets and oral ulceration. ## Causes Diastemata, displaced or rotated cheek teeth, wave mouth, and sharp points are the primary dental causes. Neurologic reduction in buccinator muscle tone can also allow food to pack. Pain from any oral lesion discourages normal chewing and worsens the cycle. ## Diagnosis Oral examination under sedation reveals packed feed, gingival recession, and periodontal pockets. Dental mirrors, picks, and sometimes radiographs or computed tomography characterize the gaps and any associated bone loss. ## Treatment Remove packed feed, widen or smooth diastemata (odontoplasty), reduce sharp points, and treat periodontal infection. Dietary modification to softer feeds reduces further packing while tissues heal. In selected cases packing materials or bridging may be used, although evidence for long-term benefit is still evolving. ## Recovery and Prognosis Prognosis is good when the underlying dental abnormality can be corrected and the owner maintains regular floating and oral hygiene. Advanced periodontal bone loss carries a more guarded outlook for the affected teeth. ## Prevention Regular dental examinations and timely correction of diastemata or overgrowths prevent most cases.
cheek bulging after eating; feed falling from the mouth; foul oral odor; packed feed visible on oral exam; quidding or slow eating