Care of Teeth and Gums of Dogs

Making sure that your dog’s teeth and gums are clean and healthy is very important to your odg’s overall well being. Some of the most common dental problems and treatments are listed below:

- Periodontitis

A commonon problems of dogs is that they can acquire gum disease. When the dog is two or three years of age, they can either get periodontitis or gingivitis. The most common of the two is periodonitis. This diseases has various causes such as food debris, plaque,and cell mucus to name a few. This results in a milky-white film on the dog’s teeth and gums. When the film combines with the dog’s saliva, the plaque it causes becomes what is known as tartar, and this is very hard to get rid of.

- Gingivitis

This is another type of gum disease. This comes about when the gum tissue becomes inflamed. Without being treated, it can eventually result in the loss of teeth.

- Tooth fractures

Fractures of teeth in dogs occur when they chew very hard substances, namely things such as hard rocks. These fractures lead to infection within the broken tooth. This is called endodontic disease.

Prevention of Dental Problems

Your dog can stave off many of these dental problems by getting rid of the plaque before it develops into tartar. The most important way to do this is by brushing your dog’s teeth. This should be done on a daily basis. It would lessen much of the bacteria persent in your dog’s mouth as well as making its breath smell sweeter.

Nowadays there are toothpaste products that are made particularly for dogs. Brush your dog’s teeth using one of these brands. Do not use human toothpaste as this type of toothpaste is meant to be spit out. Make sure your dog’s toothpaste is safe enough to swallow. Next is getting your pet acclimated to using a toothbrush. Mix garlic salt and water together and mix an old toothbrush in it. Then, while holding the old toothbrush, let your dog taste and chew it. Make this a habit a few times and eventually your pet will feel comfortable with brushing. Using a finger brush instead of a toothbrush is another alternative. It just fits onto one fingertip and can easily let you brush your pet’s teeth with causing much trouble. The one disadvantage of this type of brush is that the bristles are a little too large for it to go under the margin of the gumline.

Another alternative to you cleaning your dog’s teeth yourself is to have your veterinarian do it. This ususally involves anesthetizing your dog in order to get a good job done. Your veterinarian may also suggest certain mouthwashes to uses that will help to kill bacteria in your pet’s mouth. It may also help to heal gum tissue that has been damaged.

Give your dog regular checkups at home. Try to check for broken or cracked teeth on a regular basis. If you see a problem, the best thing to do is to check with your vet. Also make sure that your home is safe and free of all hard substances that could injure your dog’s teeth. Bones that are soft enough are acceptable for your dog to chew on.

Remember, dental problems not only happen to humans but to dogs as well. It is the owner’s job to see that the dental problems of his or her’s pet is overcome.