Taking Care of Your Dog’s Teeth

If you are like most other pet owners, you feel that your dog is a member of your family. He sticks by your side and keeps you company without asking for anything back. You surely want your dog to have a long, happy life, so you need to make sure you don’t neglect his health.

Many people take care of their dog’s overall health, but they don’t always think of his teeth. We know that wild dogs keep their teeth free from plaque because they chew on raw bones, which are a natural scraper of the plaque that also helps to remove any soft meat that may get stuck in their teeth that would normally cause bacteria to grow rapidly.

But, since your dog is not wild, it is up to you to keep his teeth clean and healthy. The soft canned food and the small hard chunks of food just don’t work all that well when it comes to cleaning teeth.

If your dog is special to you, help him out and take care of his teeth for him. One of the first things you should do is to get your dogs some raw bones to chew on, at least a few times per week.

It doesn’t have to be your soup bone – it could be a rawhide bone you can find in your local pet store. Chewing on the bone will scrape off the plaque from the teeth, and loosen any bit of meat stuck in between them.

If they aren’t interested in chewing bones, then you can brush their teeth with toothbrush and toothpaste. Don’t give him the same toothbrush and toothpaste that you would use.

Pet stores sell toothpaste and toothbrushes specifically made for dogs. If you can’t brush them every day, try to do it at least 3-4 times a week.

Make sure you also scrub the gums and not just the teeth, since gum scrubbing helps circulation in the gum. If there are any bits of food stuck in his teeth, make sure you remove them. The hard, dry food is always better than soft food when it comes to cleaning his teeth.

It’s not a substitute for proper cleaning, but it does help to some degree, so make sure he gets to ingest dry food as well as soft, canned versions. Even dog biscuits can help since they’re hard and dry and can help remove any plaque.

The vet should check your dog’s teeth at every visit. They can spot anything that you may have missed and they can offer advice on how to clean the teeth better or what foods you could give to your dog to naturally help clean the teeth and keep bacteria at bay.

It’s better to treat the teeth before things get out of hand and get more expensive for your pocketbook. Help your friend live a long, healthy life and make sure you don’t forget his teeth.

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