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Dogs – Dental Care Information

29 13:48:18

Taking care of your dog’s teeth and gums

Clean teeth and gums are very important to the overall health
of your dog. Here is some information on the most common dental
problems in dogs and ways of treating them.

Common dental problems

- Periodontitis

It is very common among dogs to have gum disease. At the age of
two or three, many dogs have either periodontitis or gingivitis.

The most common dental problem for canines is periodontitis,
also known as periodontal disease. The disease is caused by
various factors: plaque, food debris, cell mucus, and a mixture
of bacteria. This results in a film characterized by milky-white
on the dog’s teeth as well as the gums. When this film gets
combined with saliva, the plaque it causes becomes tartar, and
very hard to remove.

- Gingivitis

Gingivitis, also known as gum disease, happens when gum tissue
suffers from an inflammation. Without treatment, it can lead to
periodontitis, teeth loosening, bone loss, and ultimately, loss
of teeth.

- Tooth fractures

Tooth fractures occur when dogs chew hard substances, such as
hard rocks and cow hooves. The fractures result to infection
inside the broken tooth, which is known as the endodontic
disease. How to prevent dental problems

Your dog can fight off these dental problems by removing the
plaque before it actually develops as tartar. How to do it? The
most effective way is by brushing the teeth of your dog in a
mechanical fashion. The brushing would reduce much of the
bacteria presence in the mouth, not to mention making your dog’s
breath smell sweeter. Make it a habit of brushing your dogs’
teeth on a daily basis. Toothpaste. There are toothpaste
products made especially for dogs. Brush your pet’s teeth using
dog toothpaste. Human toothpaste is specifically designed for
humans to spit the paste washings out. Dogs cannot do that, so
pick a dog toothpaste that is safe enough for dogs to swallow.

Toothbrush. Using a toothbrush in its teeth will take some time
for the dog to get used to. Let your dog be acquainted and get
used to this is by putting some garlic salt, mix the salt with
water, and dip the solution in an old toothbrush. Hold the old
brush, and let your pet taste and chew it. Your dog will start
to realize that chewing a toothbrush is and tastes good. Make it
a habit a few times, until he feels comfortable brushing with
it.

Finger brush. You could also use a finger brush instead of a
toothbrush. A finger brush is a good alternative, although
nothing could replace the good ol’ toothbrush. The finger brush
just fits onto one’s fingertip and can let you brush the dog’s
teeth without the dog knowing it. Well, at least almost. The
disadvantage of getting a finger brush to clean your dog’s teeth
is that its bristles are quite large for the brush to go under
the gumline’s margin as effectively compared with regular
toothbrush.

Professional cleaning. If you don’t want to do the cleaning by
yourself, you could take your dog to a veterinarian and have his
teeth professionally cleaned. A good veterinarian will take
additional measures in ensuring your dog’s clean teeth by
anesthetizing your dog, scraping the buildup of plaque from all
over the gumline areas, and polishing the teeth for a sparkling
finish.

Home checkup. Try to make it a regular habit of checking the
teeth of your dog for any cracked or broken teeth. If you see
some problematic teeth, check promptly with the veterinarian.

Home safety. Of course, cleaning your dog’s teeth does not mean
you should disregard other areas of concern. Tough substances,
such as bones, rocks, hard nylon, or cow hooves should be
removed from areas where your dog could see. Buy your dog
chewing toys that are safer like rubber-made toys. You could
also provide bones that are soft enough for your dog to chew.

Mouthwash. There are some products in the market that deal very
well in helping to kill the bacteria in your dog’s mouth and
could actually help heal damaged gum tissues. Do not forget to
ask your veterinarian on the best products in the market.

Dental problems do not only happen to humans. Dogs also have
dental issues as well. It is up to the owners on how to help
their pet dogs overcome their dental problems.