You And Your Dog's Teeth
For many humans, just keeping their own teeth well-cared for is a challenge. If you have to supervise your children's dental health as well, you may understandably forget your dog's teeth. Unfortunately, you do so at your pet's peril. They need routine dental care as well, and you need to provide part of it.
Toothbrushing
Your dog will benefit from daily toothbrushing, but if you cannot handle that schedule, try to do it several times a week. You can use a human toothbrush, but you will get better results if you buy a two-sided brush designed for dogs. You also need to use doggie toothpaste because the fluoride present in your family toothpaste is harmful to pets. Try and work up to a full brushing slowly. Experts recommend waiting until your dog is slightly fatigued from exercise to begin. You want to slowly build up the time you spend on this task so that your dog won't object as much. After a period of time, your dog should adjust to the routine.
Dental Cleaning
If your dog has bad breath and yellow teeth, the only real cure is a trip to the vet for a thorough cleaning. In fact, you should have your dog's teeth "scaled" and polished once or twice a year. This process is the same basic one that your dentist follows when they clean your teeth. If the plaque is not scraped off your animal's teeth, it can lead to more serious problems such as gum disease and tooth decay.
Tooth Removal
In some cases, your dog's gum disease or tooth decay may lead to tooth removal. A pet dental specialist can decide if some or all of your pet's teeth need to be removed. Although this process may sound extreme, left untreated, diseased teeth can cause serious health issues, including cardiac problems. In other cases, the teeth are extremely painful and can make every day an agony for your animal. The animal specialist may be able to remove the tooth or teeth without surgery. In any case, you need to have your animal's teeth checked regularly to see if tooth removal is necessary.
Taking care of your pet's teeth is necessary for their health. Although brushing their teeth may seem like a time-consuming task, it can help prevent serious and painful oral health conditions for your pet. Take your animal for regular cleanings and manage their dental health at home.
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