When you check your dog’s teeth make sure that they are clean, white, and most importantly not covered with a scale of tartar, plaque, etc. Moreover, you must also examine the intermediate teeth gums – whether they are reddening or bleeding. This indicates an infection called gingivitis.
Gingivitis is a type of gum disease that causes, redness, itching, and sometimes bleeding of teeth gums. It is caused by bacterial infection due to poor oral hygiene.
What is the easiest way to keep your dog’s teeth clean? Bones and hard chews help to keep the teeth clean. Because it scrubs around teeth, goes into the gums, and intermediate spaces while dogs chew.
From the top, it is clear we conclude that keeping your dog’s teeth and gums healthy by cleaning them twice a week. Otherwise, dental disease can lead to mouth pain, loss of appetite, and digestive problems. It can also cause infections that spread from the gums through the bloodstream to affect the heart and other organs.
Tooth Development in Dogs:
A pup’s mouth normally contains 28 deciduous teeth or milk teeth. It gets replaced by 44 adult teeth between three to seven months of age.
However, in some individuals, deciduous baby teeth do not shed normally even though adult teeth develop right next to them. This can lead to damage to the mature teeth.
So, any retained milk teeth may need surgical removal. Also, any dogs whose teeth do not meet properly or having gaps in between — a common feature of several breeds due to their face shape, may be susceptible to dental problems.
Despite the arrival of an adult canine tooth, the deciduous may not fall off. In such a case, surgical removal prevents damage to the adult tooth.
Therefore, a thorough examination of the teeth should be carried out regularly to allow any problems to be identified and treated.
How to Clean Dog’s Teeth?
You must clean your dog’s teeth twice a week – here is 3 Simple Steps:
1. Start gradually:
Accustom the dog to having his face stroked and his lips and mouth handled.
2. Progress Slowly:
Progress slowly until you can run your finger over all his teeth.
3. Use Finger Brush:
Try introducing a finger brush or a canine toothbrush and finally toothpaste.
I recommend Vet’s Enzymatic Dental Gel Toothpaste.
Because it contains natural extract of aloe, neem, grapefruit seed extract, and enzymes. It does not contain chemicals that are corrosive to the dog’s teeth.
Note: Do not use human toothpaste because that contains fluoride that is extremely poisonous to dogs. For this reason, I recommended a dog toothpaste that also cleans away plaque and tartar.
Stone chewing is common with some dogs. Some dogs obsessively chew stones, and for them, tooth chipping or breaking is a common problem.
And if they swallow stones it can cause stomach and intestinal diseases that can cause diarrhea, blockages, and vomiting.
Use Dog Muzzle:
Plaque and Tartar:
During eating, food particles and bacteria in the mouth cause plaque and tartar. It deposits on in the teeth and gums.
As we discussed above, chewing bones would reduce tartar build-up. But our dogs have a healthier if softer diet that does not keep the teeth so clean.
You can make several different approaches to slow tartar build-up. However, if a plaque develops around the teeth, then dental descaling and polishing may become necessary. which requires general anesthesia.
How to Prevent Plaque in Dog’s Teeth?
- Clean your dog’s teeth twice a week. Moreover, I also recommended a toothpaste above, that cleans away plaque and tartar.
- Provide regular dental chews like bones.
- Some dogs benefit from oral antiseptics like ZYMOX Oratene Oral Gel in drinking water. I found it helpful for my dogs.