Many owners ask me how they can best care for their pet’s teeth. A healthy mouth not only means fresher breath, it can also minimise the risk of infection and prevent future dental treatments.
While brushing our dog’s teeth every day is the best way of caring for them, this may not be possible for a range of reasons. We should persist with trying the toothbrush and, at the same time, can offer regular dental sticks to help prevent plaque build up.
The important of Good Dental Hygiene
When food cakes on to teeth, bacteria proliferate. This leads to red gums, visible calculus build up, a foul smell and oral pain. A large proportion of adult dogs have dental disease and may be suffering in silence.
It is often presumed a dog will stop eating when their teeth are hurting but this is rarely the case. Most dogs will soldier on, eating their meals and acting normal despite severe dental disease and chronic pain.
The Knock on Effect
Dental disease can lead to a range of issues, not least a poorer quality of life. The bacteria burden can mean that infections spread around the body, affecting organs including the liver and heart.
If teeth aren’t kept clean, calculus builds up and the gums become swollen and inflamed. The teeth loosen in their socket and become wobbly, eventually requiring extraction.
Signs of dental disease
It is not always easy to tell if your dog has dental disease but signs can include:
