The canine dental hygiene is highly important in determining your dog’s overall health. Over 75% of dogs over the age of 3 suffer from tooth decay and periodontal disease. These problems can spread beyond being just dental or gum problems; harmful bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the receding gums and decayed teeth, being able to affect vital organs such as the kidneys or the heart. Maintaining your dog’s dental hygiene can be easy if you follow some simple tips: brush his teeth daily, give him chew toys or dental treats.
Regular Brushing of Teeth
By brushing your pet’s teeth on a daily basis, you can prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Tooth decay and gum disease occur due to the deposits of plaque that calcify and turn into tartar. Brushing can remove the plaque deposits.
You should get your pet used to teeth brushing as early as possible. Start when he’s a puppy by giving him a taste of the toothpaste and then after he gets used to your fingers in his mouth, you should start cleaning his teeth using your finger or a special pet toothbrush.
You can purchase pet toothpaste that may have multiple tasty flavors such as tuna, poultry or turkey. The toothpaste shouldn’t be human toothpaste; mint can harm dogs and your dog won’t even like the taste.
Even if some teeth are not as accessible as others, you should try to brush all the teeth.
Massage the gums with your finger of the toothbrush to stimulate the blood circulation in the area and prevent gum disease.
Always reward your dog after brushing or praise him verbally.
Solid Food
Kibble food is beneficial for dental hygiene, as it keeps the teeth clean by scraping off the plaque that accumulates throughout the day.
Solid food is a practical diet solution for dogs, but make sure that it contains all the essential nutrients to prevent other health issues.
Dental Chews
Dental chews are an efficient method to remove dental plaque.
Talk to your vet to recommend you some suitable chews for your pet and administer these once or twice per day.
You may also opt for dental chews that have special flavors that will help your dog’s halitosis or bad breath, making his breath fresh.
Dental chews are particularly important for dogs that have a wet or a homemade diet, which will only promote the accumulation of plaque.
Chew Toys
Chew toys are also important for a dog’s dental hygiene, as these toys can act as plaque removers. Dogs like to chew and having some challenging chew toys will stimulate them and maintain a healthy mouth cavity also.
When choosing the chew toys, get ones that are suitable for your dog’s size and age. Some chew toys designed for large breeds may cause fractures in smaller breeds.
Purchase several types of chew toys, so that your dog won’t get bored chewing on the same toy every day.
Don’t forget that dogs need a professional cleaning too; this should be done under anesthesia and at least once per year.