Taking care of your
dog's teeth and gums
Clean teeth and gums are
very important of the
overall health of your dog.
Here are some information
on the most common dental
problems of dogs and ways
in treating them.
Dog's 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 to 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 less,
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 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
would 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 it
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 its
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.
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