While good dental care is just as important for pets as it is for humans, it often is overlooked.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental disease, as well as more serious or even life-threatening health problems. Taking care of your pet’s teeth can not only add years to his life, but will save you money on veterinary care.
Oral health problems start as plaque—a sticky, colorless film that builds up on your pet’s teeth and around the gum line. Plaque left on the teeth hardens to create tartar, which can’t be removed through brushing alone. As more plaque and tartar accumulates, your pet’s gums can become red and swollen. If nothing is done to remove tartar, the roots of the teeth may become infected. Eventually, the bone and tissue surrounding the teeth erode and the tooth becomes loose. This can be a very painful process for your pet.
Plaque And Tartar Buildup On Your Pet’s Teeth Can Depend On Several Things
- Your pet’s age—The older your pet is the higher the risk of plaque and tartar buildup.
- Your pet’s diet—If your pet eats a high-carbohydrate diet containing excessive amounts of rice, wheat, tapioca or potatoes, his teeth will need to be cleaned more frequently. It’s better for your pet’s dental health if he eats a diet high in quality animal protein and low in high sugar-containing carbohydrates. Dogs and cats do not produce amylase in their saliva, an enzyme that breaks down sugars. So, the more high sugar-containing carbohydrates your pet eats, the quicker the plaque and tartar will build up on his teeth. Diets offering low sugar-containing carbohydrates are best for dental health.
- The amount of saliva your pet produces—Saliva helps to wash away food and plaque. So, the more the better.
- The breed of dog or cat—Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Shelties and Pomeranians are more prone to dental disease, as are Persians, Abyssinians, Maine Coons and Somalis.
Prevention is the key to keeping your pet’s teeth clean, healthy and strong. A great place to start is by regularly checking your pet’s mouth for any signs of trouble. A trip to the vet is in order if you see any of the following signs:
- Severely bad breath.
- Inflamed gums (red, swollen).
- Excessive drooling.
- Loose or bleeding teeth.
- Discolored teeth.
- Plaque and/or tartar buildup on the teeth.
- Unusual lumps on the gums or under the tongue.
Consider These Healthy Options
- Low sugar-containing kibble, which includes carbohydrates, such as lentils, peas, barley and rye.
- Supplement kibble with raw meaty bones, raw chicken and turkey necks.
- In between meals, offer your pet healthy natural and safe chews, like bully sticks, beef Achilles tendons, lamb, pig or cow ears and beef trachea, etc.
- Use natural dental chews, like Whimzees, Get Naked and Petzlife.
- A raw food diet.
- Regularly brush teeth or use an oral spray.
Taking your pet to the vet for an annual dental exam is a good idea. Your vet can spot any signs of trouble early on, before bigger problems can arise. Just as in humans, if plaque and tartar build up on your pet’s teeth, it must be removed by scaling the teeth. Pets need to be anaesthetized, thereby allowing the vet to get under the gum line for a professional, thorough dental cleaning.
By far, the best way to keep your pet’s teeth clean and healthy is by brushing them regularly or by using a no-brush oral spray. It’s best to start both of these preventative practices on your pet’s teeth when he is young, before the age of one. By doing so, you can establish a routine, and he is accustomed to you touching his mouth. Brushing every night is ideal, or at the very least, several times a week.