Everything You Need to Know About Dog Teeth Care
If you have a dog, you probably already know that you need to be taking care of her teeth. But do you know how to do this, or why it’s so important? Understanding the ins and outs of canine dental care can go a long way toward ensuring you can provide the best possible care for your pet.
In the article below, you’ll find a quick but thorough list of information to help you better understand your dog’s dental needs. You’ll find out why it’s important to keep your dog’s teeth clean and what you can do at home to take care of her teeth, too. With the help of this guide, you’ll be well on your way to better dental care for your pet and a longer, happier, healthier life for your dog at the same time. Read on to get started!
Dog Dental Care Helps Prevent Dental Disease
The first and most important reason to keep up with your dog’s dental cleaning and care is because this type of care helps prevent dental disease. Dogs are prone to dental disease, and this may affect the gums, teeth, cheeks, and tongue alike.
Dogs with severe dental disease may have bleeding and sore gums, broken or decaying teeth, or may lose their teeth altogether. Eating may be painful, and your dog may be uncomfortable and irritable as well. You can help reduce the risk of all of these factors by keeping your dog’s teeth clean.
Dog Dental Care Helps to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
Just like poor dental hygiene contributes to heart disease in humans, the same is true of dogs. If you don’t keep up with your dog’s dental cleaning and care, there is a greater chance your dog may develop heart disease at some point in her life.
Although dental cleaning won’t entirely prevent the risk of heart disease in your dog, it can help her cut down on her risk factors significantly. She will have a healthier heart with less of a risk of bacterial infections traveling from her teeth to her bloodstream.
Dog Dental Care Can Provide Early Diagnosis of Oral Cancer
When your dog has her teeth cleaned professionally by the vet, this procedure gives your vet the opportunity to get a closer look at your pet’s mouth. During this process, the vet can examine your dog for signs of oral cancer.
Many types of canine oral cancer can be detected early and treated more easily thanks to this type of screening. You may be able to reduce your pet’s risk of serious oral cancer by keeping up with her dental cleanings at the vet.
You Can Easily Brush Your Dog’s Teeth at Home
Brushing your dog’s teeth at home isn’t as much of a hassle as it may sound. You will first need to get your dog used to the idea of having you touch her teeth, without any toothpaste. After this, you can use a finger toothbrush with a little bit of dog-safe toothpaste on it and brush a few teeth per day until she gets more adjusted to the sensation.
Although it can take some time to encourage your dog to allow you to brush her teeth, the result is a healthier dog with better dental hygiene.
Dental Treats Help
In between teeth brushing (which should be done weekly) and annual professional cleanings, you should give your dog a daily dental treats to enjoy. These treats come in sizes for all dogs and encourage long-lasting chewing, which helps scrape plaque off of the teeth.
Dental chews are any type of natural toy that encourages chewing and scraping as well. Antlers, natural bones, and other similar chews are excellent for this. However, you should always monitor your dog when using these chews, as long-term use may cause chipping or breaking of the teeth and can lead to choking hazards as well.
Conclusion
Based on this information, it’s easy to see just why canine dental health care is so crucial. Your dog relies on you to provide the best possible care for her, and by taking care of her teeth as well as the rest of her body, you can make sure she has a healthy and happy life with you.
Many different canine diseases and conditions are linked to poor dental hygiene and lack of dental care in dogs. Additionally, over 80% of all pet dogs over the age of three have some type of dental disease because they typically do not get dental cleanings or care. These are just some of the important reasons why you should keep your dog’s dental health in mind, and talk to your vet as soon as possible about what you can do to help your pet stay healthier.
If you’re looking for a veterinarian to help with your dog’s dental care near Wayne, New Jersey, North Jersey Animal Hospital is here to help. Give us a call today at (973) 595-8600, or Request an Appointment Online today!
