Dentists for some time have been sounding the alarm about how important dental hygiene is to prevent other forms of disease; gum disease, cavities, loss of bone structure in the mouth and even heart attack.
Those same warnings apply to pets such as dogs. The importance of keeping your pooches teeth clean and plaque free have been documented and are as important as annual injections.
When you take your dog into the vet, hopefully on a yearly basis to keep it's shots updated, the vet should look in your dogs mouth and observed gum and teeth condition.
A recommendation may be made to have the dogs cleaned in the office at a later date or to remove some teeth that are rotting.
At home, you can help prevent tooth, gum and bad breath problems by introducing tooth brushing gradually to your dog.
Pet stores will had toothpaste specifically for dogs. Do not use human tooth paste due to some of the ingredients in it.
You'll want to pick up a doggie tooth brush or finger brush. Begin with letting the dog smell the toothpaste for a few days before putting a little on the brush and letting them get used to that.
Once you do start to brush, only clean the outside of the teeth. Raise the lip up or down with one hand to allow the brush to get into the dog's mouth. Keep the time for brushing brief because the dog's attention span is short.
If you can brush the dog's teeth once a week, great. If you can do it daily or a little more often, that's even better.
Another way to keep teeth clean is allowing them to play with a chew toy of some kind. Check with your vet or pet shop for recommendations.
Molly, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
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