Maintaining Your Pet’s Dental Health
Good dental hygiene is essential for keeping your pet’s teeth and gums healthy. Regular check-ups, cleanings, and preventive care can help catch dental issues early and prevent them from becoming serious. Here is what you need to know about maintaining your pet’s oral health.
Why Is Dental Health Important?
Having healthy teeth and gums can help keep your pet feeling their best. Regular dental examinations are important as they can detect diseases or problems before they become serious. Poor dental health in pets can lead to infection, pain, difficulty eating, tooth loss, and even systemic diseases such as diabetes or kidney disease. It is recommended that adult cats and dogs receive a dental exam from a veterinarian at least once a year.
Common Dental Problems in Pets
Cats and dogs are prone to certain dental issues such as gum disease (gingivitis), decay, broken teeth, tartar buildup, missing teeth, bad breath (halitosis), tumors/cysts in the mouth, and misalignment of the jaw. If these problems are left untreated they can cause severe pain and suffering for your pet—as well as expensive bills for their owner!
Dental Health Tips
Just like humans, pets should brush their teeth on a daily basis to ensure their oral health stays in optimal shape. Brushing with a specially designed toothbrush (or finger brush) along with toothpaste specifically made for pets will help remove plaque build-up on the surface of the teeth which leads to bacteria growth and tooth decay. Be sure to reward your pet afterward with a special treat! Additionally, veterinarians may recommend getting periodic scaling/polishing procedures done or having sealant put on newly erupted permanent canine teeth since it prevents caries from developing in these areas due to plaque accumulation.
Ready to get brushing? Take a look at our online store for recommended products that cater to cats and dogs alike – toothbrushes, pastes & even finger brushes crafted specifically for pets’ sensitive mouths are available from brands like Virbac CET & PetSmile. With regular use of these good-tasting trinkets, you can help ensure optimal oral health in no time!
Finally, it is important to note that providing frequent chew toys or hard crunchy treats helps keep your pet’s teeth clean between brushing sessions and encourages proper jaw alignment which keeps the structures around the teeth healthy. Talk with your vet about what type of chews would be most suitable for your pet depending on their size/age/dietary needs etc so they can develop healthy habits throughout their life!
Here are some additional tips on caring for your pet’s dental health:
- Have regular check-ups at least twice a year with the vet – routine exams are key!
- Brush daily using dog-specific toothpaste – never use human toothpaste when brushing pets’ teeth!
- Provide appropriate chew toys – select those that challenge but won’t break off too easily into small pieces; look for “veterinarian-approved” brands if possible.
- When selecting chew treats, look for Oravet chews, Virbac CET chewable, or any other treat with the VOHC label of approval.
- Change out water bowls every few days – this ensures fresh water every time; stagnant water breeds bacteria which leads to bad breath
- Feed dry food when possible – this helps scrape away tartar from each tooth as your pet chews.
- To take feeding one step further, Hill’s Healthy Advantage Oral+ (for dogs) or Hill’s t/d (for cats or dogs), with larger kibbles that require more effort than regular diets, are available in our online store for even better oral health protection. And if you want to give them added dental defense against tartar buildup and bacteria populations, consider adding a Health Mouth Water Additive liquid rinse into the water bowl!