2013 Volume 18 Issue 4 Pages 125-128
54 raccoons (Procyon lotor) with dental caries-like lesions (hereafter referred as “dental caries”) were caught in Chitose City, Hokkaido, and their age estimation and dental caries diagnosis were performed. Dental caries were observed with high frequency on the posterior teeth, and those of the molar teeth were particularly serious. Dental calculus was observed for 49 raccoons, mainly on the molar teeth as was the case for the dental caries. About 60% of the individuals with dental caries were observed with the age between 2.5 and 4.5, and the proportions of the younger (<1.5) and the elder (>5.5) individuals were low. Furthermore, the dental caries of the raccoons tended to be more rampant with increase of age.
