Dental erosion refers to the loss of the outmost crown surface due to acquired factors. In humans, it most frequently occurs with acidic exposure, which weaken the teeth, increased sensitivity, and may lead to fracture in severe cases. However, as saliva generally acts as a buffer, not all individuals exposed to acidic foods or agents develop erosion. There have been few reports of dental erosion in dogs. This presentation aimed to report medications that may cause dental erosion in dogs.

A 10-year-old castrated male Chihuahua presented with progressive reduction in the size of the left maxillary third incisor and canine over two months. Based on the medical history, acidic oral medication (clopidogrel) mixed with honey as a delivery vehicle was suspected as the cause.
To evaluate whether the medication directly caused dental erosion, teeth extracted from another dog due to periodontal disease were immersed in a mixture of honey and clopidogrel for three weeks. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed a roughened enamel surface, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed a reduction in the Ca/C ratio compared to control tooth.

To further investigate, another experiment was conducted using anti-asthma drugs, which have been reported to reduce the hardness of dental hard tissue due to low pH. Teeth extracted due to periodontitis were sectioned and divided into three groups: salbutamol, budesonide and control. The enamel surfaces of tooth fragment were treated daily for two weeks according to group assignment. FE-SEM revealed marked surface erosion in the salbutamol-treated group, an EDS showed a significant reduction in the Ca/C ratio compared to the control group.

These studies suggeste that prolonged exposure of tooth surfaces to acidic medications can cause clinically relevant dental erosion in dogs. Monitoring for dental erosion should be considered when administering low-pH oral or Inhaled drugs in dogs. Further research is warranted to develop preventive and therapeutic interventions that can minimize the unfavorable dental effects associated with these pharmacological agents.