Every owner knows that his four-legged friend has teeth. But few people think about what care is needed in order to maintain the health of teeth and gums. Meanwhile, diseases of the oral cavity in domestic animals are in first place in prevalence.
In dogs, as in humans, milk teeth erupt at an early age, which is then replaced by permanent teeth. At about 4 months, the change of teeth in puppies begins, ending in most individuals by 7-8 months of age. Adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth. Teeth are an important animal tool for fishing, chopping food, and playing. And although dogs do not chew food as thoroughly as humans, the process of grinding it plays an important role. Therefore, it is important to keep the dog’s gums and teeth healthy to avoid possible dog teeth health problems.
Why is dog dental health important? According to statistics, four out of five dogs over the age of 3 suffer from dental diseases. The owner of the pet can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing these ailments if he pays attention to prevention. You can take care of your dog’s teeth in different ways: brush them or give the animal a treat that takes care of everything.
What is the best thing for dog dental health? In general, the same thing- regular brushing, proper nutrition, and regular visits to the dentist. It will be easier for a dog to brush his teeth if you begin to accustom her to this from an early age, although it is never too late to start.
Are dogs supposed to brush their teeth?
Dog teeth health care is often forgotten when it comes to our four-legged companions, but this of course does not mean that it does not matter. Here is the first concern: is brushing your dog's teeth necessary? In fact, regular brushing of your dog’s teeth can reduce the risk of developing diseases of the oral cavity, as well as diseases associated with their respiratory, digestive, and even urinary systems.
To accustom a dog to brushing your teeth, you first need to calm and cheer her up. Put a little paste on your finger and gently massage her teeth so that she can get used to this sensation. Perhaps the dog will not like this at first, but be patient and achieve the desired result. Brush your teeth in a circular motion, paying particular attention to the edge of the teeth along the gum line. Before dog teeth cleaning, brush vertically towards the center of the mouth to remove all plaque that has been removed. The dog should brush his teeth at least once a week, or better every day.
Do not use toothpaste intended for humans; dogs experience stress from the appearance of foam, and in addition, it can cause indigestion. There are special kinds of toothpaste for pets that are safer and have a much better taste.
Depending on the size of the dog’s teeth and mouth, you can use a standard toothbrush. However, there are special toothbrushes that are worn on the finger and facilitate the cleaning process. Find out what your veterinarian recommends.
It will take some time for the pet to get used to the means of dental care and the procedure itself. To begin with, the animal must be given a taste of the pasta and run it through the mouth. The brush also requires gradual accustoming, and acquaintance with it should begin with the back teeth since the front of the dog is most sensitive.
It is important that the animal does not experience discomfort when cleaning. Otherwise, it will resist and may even bite the owner.
Choose a Healthy Dog Diet
A proper diet is one of the most important components of the health and longevity of the four-legged friend. Being an attentive owner, you should know which foods or feeds are absorbed by the body of the pet and which are not. Make sure that the dog receives all the nutrients necessary for its body.
There is a wealth of evidence that dry dog food and special dog treats for dental health can help reduce plaque formation and play a key role in any home pet care program. Without regular care, your pet’s teeth may become weak or damaged, and your gums will hurt and become inflamed. When this happens, the dog will not only have stinky breathing but potentially serious infections that can spread throughout the body.
Therefore, it is very important to keep the dog’s teeth pearly white and choose a balanced dog diet. Moreover, there are products that help to keep them clean in a natural way. What is the best dog food for dental health? Here is the list of beneficial products, let's consider them in more detail.
1) Crispy fruits and vegetables.
Try to give apples, carrots, celery, or even broccoli stalks as snacks in small pieces. Hard, abrasive textures help get rid of plaque on the dog’s teeth and prevent it from building up.
2) Raw bones: Chewing raw bones removes plaque and loads with calcium, which helps keep the pet's teeth healthy and strong.
Just watch your dog when she chews and never give cooked bones. Bones, especially cooked ones, can crack and break while the dog champs. And swallowing a broken part can cause a blockage in the dog’s intestines.
3) Yogurt: The beneficial bacteria of yogurt help fight bad bacteria in the dog’s mouth and reduce the risk of tooth decay. As an added bonus, yogurt delivers calcium and vitamin D to the dog's body, contributing to strong, healthy teeth.
4) Jerky: Whether it is beef, chicken, or salmon, all types of meat have one thing in common - a rough, abrasive texture that will help clean out the pet’s teeth.
5) Chlorella powder: Blue-green algae boasts antibacterial properties and really helps to cope with the bad breath from the dog's mouth. How does it work? Just add chlorella to your meal! 1/8 of a teaspoon of chlorella powder - per 9 kg of animal weight. This will color the animal’s mouth blue, do not be alarmed - this is temporary.
6) Fresh parsley and mint: These herbs will not do much to clean the animal’s teeth, but their clean, fresh smell will help make the smelly breath more muffled. Try chopping a few leaves and add them to the food. Your dog will appreciate the aroma, and you will not mind if he kisses you after eating.
Products that dogs should definitely not eat
1) Any sweets, sugar, sweeteners: All the dangers, like in humans, are also to an increased degree: obesity, tooth decay, often diabetes mellitus or other metabolic disorders
2) Chocolate, coffee, tea, and everything that contains caffeine: In addition to harmful sugar, these products contain theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine, which are dangerous for diarrhea, vomiting, and toxic to the nervous system and heart.
3) Broccoli: Oddly enough, a fairly toxic product in large quantities. Especially for animals.
4) Alcohol (not at all, no, even the weakest, except in extreme cases - for example, severe poisoning or the danger of infection, but only when you know what and in what doses you are doing
5) Mushrooms: Again, due to toxins harmful to the internal organs and general digestion of dogs
6) Nutmeg: Very toxic. It negatively affects many organs and muscles.
7) Human 'vitamins and vitamin complexes, in particular with iron content. Medicines for people: Danger to the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. Negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and other organs of dogs.
Dog Chew Toys for Dental Health
All dog owners know: morning does not begin with coffee, but with a walk with your favorite pet. If the morning promenade is usually quite short, then in the evening or on the weekend you can devote more time to your faithful friend.
Be sure: any dog will be interested not only to obediently walk alongside on a leash and philosophically look around. 100% he will want to frolic, play, attract the owner to his amusements. To make the game a success, improvised items may work: sticks, pebbles, etc. However, it is best to ensure that your wet-nosed pet has dog chew toys for teeth.
Toys are a must:
- Firstly, they will help protect your things, shoes, furniture. Well, or at least reduce the percentage of losses, which are still inevitable.
- Secondly, they are needed during the period of teeth change: they can scratch and massage the gums, develop the jaw.
- Thirdly, this is a way of interacting with the owner. Play together, get a treat for what you brought in your hands.
There is a huge selection of dog toys made from latex or vulcanized rubber. It can be balls, dumbbells, hamburgers, bones, all kinds of animals. They are both solid and hollow, as well as with tweeters inside. The strength of the material should match the age and chewing abilities of your pet. In other words, he should not immediately crush it into small pieces. The soft texture is safe for your dog's gums, it won't hurt your dog's health, helps them to clean their teeth, and protect them from oral diseases.
You may ask: do dog toothbrush toys work? Definitely, dog toothbrush toys do not only perform a game, entertaining function but also have a positive effect on the health of the pet.
Let`s talk about BringerPet Dog Toothbrush with Toothpaste Reservoir that features a novel bone shape design covered with deep cleaning, soft bristles on the four sides, providing your pet with an effective 360° all-round teeth cleaning experience for caring for the oral cavity. Its specific shape helps the dog brush his teeth and at the same time removes plaque from them even where the toothbrush might not reach.
With daily use, the pet toothbrush will effectively prevent plaque, tartar build-up, and bad breath. The rubber dog toy is perfect for 10-40 lbs. dogs, it's easy to use and clean. You may wonder: how much does a dog toothbrush cost? The price is $12.50 which makes it affordable for each pet owner.
Dog Dental Wipes
Dental wipes are designed for daily dental care. With constant use, they reduce the formation of tartar, contribute to the health of the gums.
Are dog dental wipes effective? They gently clean teeth, while providing anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antimicrobial effects on the gums.
Usually, wipes have a pleasantly sweet taste that animals like. Calcium carbonate, which is part of them, normalizes the acid-base balance in the oral cavity, thereby preventing caries, and its particles are spherical in shape, so they do not scratch the surface of the tooth, but only polish it.
After treating the teeth with tooth wipes for dogs, a pleasant refreshing smell remains in the mouth.
They work similarly to toothbrushes but are not able to get into the tiny nooks and crannies that a brush does. Still, they are a great way to clean your pet's teeth and are often easier to manage than a toothbrush with toothpaste.
How to Improve Dog's Dental Health
Teeth are one of the important components of a dog’s health. At different ages, they will require different care, as different dog teeth health issues may occur, but always - strict hygiene must be followed.
How can I best care for my dog’s dental health at home? It is important from an early age to accustom the dog to the regularity and inevitability of brushing. It is better to carry out the procedure when the dog is properly run-up, walk up, and have a better chance of sitting calmly. The dog should brush his teeth at least once a week, or better every day. There are specially designed diets and treats for dogs that reduce the formation of tartar and prevent the development of periodontal disease. This is the easiest way to provide some kind of brushing every day. Talk with your veterinarian about which method is best. Remember that maintaining a dog’s oral hygiene is critical to its general condition. Even if your dog does not have any “complaints,” you should show your teeth once a year at the vet’s appointment. If the doctor did not offer to see them yourself, ask him. Indisputable reasons to see a doctor are bad breath, changes in eating habits, if the dog constantly touches his mouth or face, increased salivation, tooth loss, discolored teeth, reddened, swollen, or bleeding gums, a yellowish plaque near Gums, acne, and formations inside the mouth.
Take a look at the information below to discover the signs of good dog healthy teeth and gums :
- While the perfect shading for a lot of people's teeth is white, it's still far-fetched that your pet has the same teeth that are extremely silvery white. Be that as it may, this doesn't mean your companion hasn't got healthy teeth. Dog`s teeth will in general obscure as he becomes more established, and they will turn out to be somewhat discolored.
- A dog’s gums should usually be pink; however, it’s completely normal for your dog to have black gums or black spots over their gums
- A dog’s tongue will vary depending on their size and breed. Most dogs should have a pinkish tongue, however, slight color variation is completely normal. Healthy dog tongues should not be white in color. If your dog’s tongue is white it could be a sign that your dog is anemic.