Dog Dental Hygiene: 6 Ways to Keep your Dog’s Teeth Clean
The way a dog offers his companionship and loyalty to the owner makes the owner liable for an equal amount of love, care, and responsibility towards their dog. You can never ignore your dog’s basic needs at any stage, which essentially involves addressing his/her health needs. A dog’s dental hygiene is an area of concern that is often overlooked by the owners, but it is what accounts for your dog’s long and healthier life.
If your dog’s starts changing his/her eating habits or behavior, there may very well be an issue and you should get your dog checked out by their veterinarian. Some issues could be related to their physical health, emotional, or dental health. An example of a dental issue could be a loose tooth because of poor dental hygiene.
Developing good eating habits and timely up-keeping of your dog’s oral health may decrease the risks of illnesses. There are some exclusively designed safe chew toys for your dog, which would benefit his teeth and gums.
Some oral health problems your dog may experience are:
- Plaque, which is a buildup of food, saliva, and bacteria on teeth
- Tartar, which is a hard deposit on teeth normally yellow or brown
- Red, swollen or bleeding gums
- Soreness
- Bad breath is mostly the first symptom when a dog suffers from a periodontal problem.
Apart from these, you may also look for the others symptoms as listed below. See,
- If your dog is salivating uncontrollably
- If your dog is finding it difficult to chew
- If he/she is losing weight considerably
6 Ways to keep your dog’s teeth clean
1. Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth
It may sound weird at first, but it is fruitful for your dog's oral health, the way it is for humans. The buildup of plaque can cause damage to your dog's teeth and makes his mouth smell terrible. Brushing helps to remove plaque and takes away bad breath. Your dog may show reluctance while brushing initially, but after a few weeks, they will get in cadence. Brushing your dog’s teeth 2-3 times per week can help improve oral help significantly.
You can use a toothbrush similar to an adult's with soft bristles for large dogs while a baby toothbrush or a finger toothbrush would do the same for a small dog. Toothpaste with varied flavors and consistencies is available in the market. You can pick the one that suits your dog's interest. Beef, chicken, and peanut butter are the popular ones.
2. Dental Treats
Another effective way of protecting your dog against oral infections is by providing them with dog treats or chews. They help by improving gums and teeth, reducing bad breath, and controlling tartar formation. One thing to remember is always to look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council's Seal of Acceptance on the wrapper as it specifies that the product helps control the buildup of tartar.
The chewing action is what helps to reduce plaque. Furthermore, these dental treats limit the bacteria from sticking to the dog’s teeth by coating them with a protective layer. This ultimately results in less tartar formation. Greenies Puppy Dental Dog Treats, Virbac Tartar Control Dog Chews, and Purina DentaLife Adult Large Dog Treats are some of the best chews.
You should consider the following factors while selecting suitable dental treats for your dog.
Pick the treat that goes best with your dog’s size and interest, to avoid choking hazards and set him a routine of oral hygiene.
Try to limit edible treats as they may increase calories.
3. Dog Dental Additive
Adding the recommended amount of dog dental additive to your dog’s water bowl regularly can help improve his oral health. These tasteless water additives contain enzymatic constituents, which help to freshen up your dog’s breath and also work on tartar breakdown. Thus, it is an easy-to-use product that saves your time and energy, unlike brushing.
Dental Fresh Advanced Plaque and Tartar Water Additive and Oxyfresh Premium Pet Dental Care Solution Per Water Additive are the top picks for keeping a wonderful dog dental hygiene.
4. Dental Wipes
Dental wipes are another alternative to tooth brushing. This presents you with an easier way of removing the bacterial film from your dog’s teeth. The multiplied bacteria, forms plaque, when combined with other food particles such as calcium and phosphorus, can turn into a hard coating called calluses. Even brushing cannot remove it then.
DentAcetic® and MaxiGuard® dental wipes help in the breakdown of calcium found in calluses and restrict the formation of bacteria on your dog’s teeth, respectively.
Tropiclean Fresh Breath Dental Wipes also work great. These dental wipes have a textured surface which, when rubbed against your dog’s teeth, help to eliminate the traces of plaque and tartar. This easy-to-use wipe can easily be wrapped around your finger, the textured side goes on your dog’s teeth. Wipe in a circular motion while using the other hand to expose your dog’s teeth by lifting his lip a bit.
When compared to brushing, they are less effective in cleaning the nook and corners of teeth. But certainly, a great option for dogs who do not tolerate brushing at all. They are also useful in setting up a routine for the same.
5. Dental Powder
You can use dental powder as a substitute for the brushing, chewing, and wiping routine of cleaning your dog’s teeth. The dental powders contain probiotics that kill the source of an unpleasant smell in the gut and promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your pet’s mouth, hence keeping the gums healthy and breath fresh.
You can either mix it in the wet food or sprinkle it over the dry food. ProDen PlaqueOff Powder and VetriScience Perio Support are highly effective with the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal.
6. Dental Checkup at the Veterinarian
Like humans, your dog will require frequent visits to the vet who takes good care of both your dog's oral and physical health. It does not matter how much at-home dental care you provide to your pet, tartar buildup happens. To get rid of the tartar and clean your dog's teeth properly, your vet with use anesthesia induce prior to process of cleaning. Dental exams by practitioners help them identify problems early on and guide you with the best possible ways to avoid any future discomfort to your dog.
Whichever method you choose to use, understanding the importance of good dental hygiene is crucial to the health of your dog. Try each of these methods to see which works best for your dog, brushing with a dog toothbrush, dental treats, dog dental additives, dental, dog dental wipes, dog dental powder and most definitely, regular checkups with your dog’s vet.
Check out our Molar Cleaner Toothbrush Dog Toy with Suction to help with cleaning your dog’s teeth. You can easily apply your dog’s toothpaste on the chew toy to help with daily cleaning. Check it out here: https://fetchnplaytoys.com/products/molar-cleaner-interactive-rubber-dog-toy-with-suction