Having
clean teeth and healthy gums is as important for dogs as it is for
us, yet this aspect of a dogs health care is so often over looked.
With just a small amount of effort you can make sure that your dog’s
teeth and gums stay in tip top condition.
 |
Did
you know that September is Pet
Smile Month which aims to promote awareness of the importance
of Veterinary Dentistry, helping to achieve better health
through better dental care.
A
frighteningly high percentage of pets are in urgent need
of dental treatment. This means that they are walking around
with infection and inflammation in their mouths. Not only
is there infection in the mouth but it can spread to affect
the whole body including the heart, kidneys and liver. It
is important to remember that most dental disease is treatable
and certainly the vast majority of dental disease is preventable.
|
As
most of us know, tooth ache can be painful and really get us down.
Would you know if your dog was suffering? There are some signs you
can look for such as the dog seeming quiet or withdrawn and maybe
going off their food, eating slowly or showing some reluctance to
chew. These are only general signs of pain. Oral disease can be
very hard to spot if you don’t pay sufficient attention to
your dog’s dental care. Pet Smile Month point out that often
it is only when we see an improvement or change in behaviour after
effective dental treatment that we realise that our pet may have
been suffering.
“Often
dogs and cats can be thought of as “getting older” when
in fact the reason why they are more lethargic is down to the effects
of dental disease. The phrase “He’s like a puppy or
kitten again” is frequently heard from clients returning a
week after proper dental treatment has been carried out. This can
be the clearest indication of just how much the dental disease has
been affecting a pet’s health.”
Oral
Health Check
It is good to get into the habit of regularly checking your dog’s
mouth, teeth and gums, in the same way that you would regularly
groom them and check other parts of their body, skin and coat. The
gums and mouth tissues should look pink and healthy (not red or
inflamed) and should not easily bleed or show any swellings or signs
of pus or discharge. The dog’s breath should not be rancid
and all teeth should be firm in the jaw rather than loose. Also
check for any fractured or chipped teeth and for tartar build up.
Special solutions can be used to show how much plaque is present
even on seemingly clean looking teeth.
Dogs
with tartar on their teeth may have to have their teeth professionally
descaled. Descaling requires a general anaesthetic. After
descaling the teeth are often polished to help prevent future
tartar build up.
Fighting Plaque
Dental disease often starts with plaque. Any preventive dental
care regime should therefore have the combating of plaque
at its core. |
|
Chewing is widely agreed to be beneficial in helping to reduce dental
disease. The action of chewing and the saliva produced can help
to remove plaque films from the teeth and rinse the mouth.
Research seems to show less dental disease in pets fed on dry food
than those fed on a wet food. This is thought to be because soft
foods do not need much chewing. Chewing helps to rub teeth clean
and promotes saliva flow, which can help to wash the teeth clean
and has an anti-bacterial action.
Brushing your dog's teeth is probably the most important thing you
can do to help prevent dental disease.
Brushing
a Dog’s Teeth
Regular tooth brushing need not be a chore if you accustom your
dog to it and make sure it is not a stressful event for you or your
pet. The key to effective tooth brushing is to do it regularly,
preferably every day.
 |
It
is important not to use ordinary human toothpaste on your
dog’s teeth. You must buy a special dog toothpaste.
There are even some tasty pastes available especially for
dogs in flavours such as liver which they should enjoy.
There are also a variety of dog toothbrushes to choose from,
including a small but standard looking toothbrush, double
headed brushes and even finger brushes, which many dogs
accept more readily into their mouths. |
First you must get your dog used to having their mouth handled.
This is important for the full oral check up as well as for tooth
brushing. To check your dog’s oral health and to brush their
teeth you need to get the dog accustomed to having their mouth inspected.
| You
can then start getting your dog accustomed to the sensations
and tastes of tooth brushing by putting some dog toothpaste
onto your finger. Let your dog smell the paste and practice
exposing your dog’s teeth, proceeding to rubbing some
of the paste in their mouths and onto teeth with your finger
once they are happy with what you are doing so far. Hopefully
they will enjoy the taste of the paste and get used to having
their mouth handled. Use lots of praise and encouragement.
|
|
Once the dog is used to the tooth paste and used to being handled
in this way, proceed to using paste on the dog toothbrush. Don’t
try to complete a perfect tooth brushing session on day one. Build
up slowly as your dog gains confidence.
Get your dog into a relaxed sit position. Place your hand over the
dog’s muzzle and gently hold the mouth open by pushing on
the lips. Gently clean the teeth by moving the toothbrush in circular
motions over the teeth, making sure to include all teeth and all
surfaces – the inside and outside of all teeth, the top and
bottom sets on both sides.
Remember to reward your dog with praise during and after tooth brushing.
Regular tooth brushing and a sensible diet will ensure that your
dog’s teeth and gums stay healthy right into old age. |
