Healthy Teeth
Your dog’s health is important to you, right? When was the last time you brushed your dog’s teeth? Recently I hope. Your dog’s dental health is just as important as any other aspect of your dog’s health. By ignoring this aspect of your dog’s health you could be making your dog susceptible to a number of oral diseases including: plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease. With a proper dental care program you can ensure your dog will avoid these ailments and continue a happy and healthy life.
Dental problems like plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease can be ugly and painful for your dog. Plaque is the buildup of tartar and other bacteria along your dog’s gum line. Dogs rarely get cavities, but they are prone to tartar buildup and gum disease. If your dog has excess plaque they could be in danger of gum disease. Plaque is also very ugly in appearance. If plaque is not removed it forms to the teeth with other bacteria and becomes tartar. Tartar can be very irritating to your dog’s gums and can cause inflammation and gingivitis. Gums become sensitive and as a result your dog may not want to eat. Periodontal disease occurs when tartar is not removed. As tartar adheres to the teeth it actually begins to grow beneath the teeth. This causes separation of teeth from the gums. More bacteria can now get in causing teeth to become loose, abscesses to form, and bone infections to spread. These infections can quickly spread to the liver or heart.
So how do you combat against these ailments? There are a few easy steps that you can follow to keep your dog healthy. Visit your veterinarian regularly. On each visit ask your veterinarian to make sure your dog’s teeth are in good shape. Then take it one step further by having them give dental care like a teeth cleaning. Third, as a parent/owner you should be taking care of your dog’s teeth each and every day.
As a parent/owner you can do the following each and every day to make sure your dog’s health is being well taken care of. Brush your dog’s teeth. I know it sounds silly but go out and buy your dog a doggie tooth brush. Take five minutes out of your day and brush your dog’s teeth. Make sure you get every tooth both inside and out. Start this when your dog is a puppy so when they are bigger and stronger they won’t fight you when you try. Also look for dog food that has the Veterinary Oral Health's Council seal of acceptance. This seal is usually found on dog food that has harder kibbles. Harder kibbles tend to do a little of the tooth brushing for you.
Making sure your dog’s teeth are clean and healthy is a quintessential part of being a good parent. Don’t ignore this part of your dog’s health, because it is a very important part of the daily care you should be giving your dog. Keep your dog healthy and happy – brush their teeth!