Keeping Your Dog"s Teeth Clean
Brushing your dog's teeth is essential for good oral hygiene and overall good health.
Not only will cleaning your dog's teeth daily prevent bad breath, it will also help prevent Gingivitis and Periodontitis.
Gum infections can lead to infections in other parts of the body such as the kidney and heart.
Brushing your dog's teeth should be part of your daily routine, maybe before or after you brush your own teeth.
I suggest starting this when you first bring your puppy or dog home.
You can use a finger toothbrush and toothpaste made specifically for dogs.
Just rub around the outer teeth and gums.
Bad breath is only one sign of the beginning of gum disease.
Your dog may also show the following symptoms:
The tartar starts as soft plaque that hardens into calculus within 24-48 hours.
This hard tartar will irritate the gum and cause it to recede and, if left untreated, cause infection.
If you notice your dog's gums are red or swollen, this could be an indication of Gingivitis.
I would suggest you call your veterinarian.
If left untreated Gingivitis will turn into Periodontitis.
Periodontitis is an infection at the root of the tooth.
The teeth will become loose and eventually fall out.
This is very painful for your dog! Other signs of Periodontitis are nasal discharge and swelling under the eye.
You must see your veterinarian as soon as possible! Keeping your dog's teeth clean is part of your basic dog care routine.
Some dogs do very well with hard marrow bones, be careful though, your dog could break a tooth.
I don't recommend hard dental bones, I've seen too many dogs swallow large pieces which led to vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases intestinal blockage.
They are not easily digested.
Starting your puppy with raw celery sticks is a nice way to have your puppy floss her own teeth.
Think of all those strings in celery, wonderful dental floss! Celery will not make your dog gain weight, and if he does swallow a large piece it is much more likely to be digested than hard dental bones.
This is not a substitution for daily teeth and gum brushing.
While you are brushing your dogs teeth, take the opportunity to make sure that there is nothing abnormal in or around the mouth.
A good friend of mine found a small lump on her dog's tongue.
It turned out to be a carcinoma.
Since is was found early it was easily removed.
My friend saved her dog's life just by taking care of daily oral hygiene.
Dental and oral care is an important conversation to have with your veterinarian.
Your vet should check your dog's teeth and gums as part of your annual or bi-annual well care visit.
It's much easier to prevent a problem than deal with it once it has already begun.
Not only will cleaning your dog's teeth daily prevent bad breath, it will also help prevent Gingivitis and Periodontitis.
Gum infections can lead to infections in other parts of the body such as the kidney and heart.
Brushing your dog's teeth should be part of your daily routine, maybe before or after you brush your own teeth.
I suggest starting this when you first bring your puppy or dog home.
You can use a finger toothbrush and toothpaste made specifically for dogs.
Just rub around the outer teeth and gums.
Bad breath is only one sign of the beginning of gum disease.
Your dog may also show the following symptoms:
- difficulty chewing
- increased drooling
- bleeding gums
- red, puffy gums
- tartar build up
- missing teeth
The tartar starts as soft plaque that hardens into calculus within 24-48 hours.
This hard tartar will irritate the gum and cause it to recede and, if left untreated, cause infection.
If you notice your dog's gums are red or swollen, this could be an indication of Gingivitis.
I would suggest you call your veterinarian.
If left untreated Gingivitis will turn into Periodontitis.
Periodontitis is an infection at the root of the tooth.
The teeth will become loose and eventually fall out.
This is very painful for your dog! Other signs of Periodontitis are nasal discharge and swelling under the eye.
You must see your veterinarian as soon as possible! Keeping your dog's teeth clean is part of your basic dog care routine.
Some dogs do very well with hard marrow bones, be careful though, your dog could break a tooth.
I don't recommend hard dental bones, I've seen too many dogs swallow large pieces which led to vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases intestinal blockage.
They are not easily digested.
Starting your puppy with raw celery sticks is a nice way to have your puppy floss her own teeth.
Think of all those strings in celery, wonderful dental floss! Celery will not make your dog gain weight, and if he does swallow a large piece it is much more likely to be digested than hard dental bones.
This is not a substitution for daily teeth and gum brushing.
While you are brushing your dogs teeth, take the opportunity to make sure that there is nothing abnormal in or around the mouth.
A good friend of mine found a small lump on her dog's tongue.
It turned out to be a carcinoma.
Since is was found early it was easily removed.
My friend saved her dog's life just by taking care of daily oral hygiene.
Dental and oral care is an important conversation to have with your veterinarian.
Your vet should check your dog's teeth and gums as part of your annual or bi-annual well care visit.
It's much easier to prevent a problem than deal with it once it has already begun.
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