teeth

Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth Keeping your dog’s teeth clean not only helps prevent rotten teeth and gum disease, clean teeth keep a dog’s entire body healthy.  Let’s see why . . .

Dogs can get gum disease the same way people can — from neglecting their teeth.  Gum disease in actually infection in the gums that is caused by the build-up of soft dental plaque on the teeth near the gums.  The bacteria in the dental plaque irritate the gum and can cause infection in the roots of the teeth and the bone around the teeth.

The hard dental tartar that we see on the teeth is actually made of calcium salts from the dog’s saliva that form on the plaque.  This hard tartar starts to form very quickly and a cycle begins with more soft plaque forming on the tartar and more tartar forming on the new plaque, making the tartar thicker and thicker.

Once you see the signs of dirty brown teeth and tartar, you might notice that your dog has bad breath that doesn’t go away.  What else could be happening in your dog’s mouth that you don’t easily see:  swollen, irritated gums, bleeding gums, loose teeth, and bacteria that is spreading into their body.  Does your dog chew his toys anymore?  Does your dog drop hard kibble or food from their mouth?  Does your dog paw at his face or pull his face away when you touch it? Does your dog have swollen glands in his neck?   A lot can be going on in his mouth that you’re not aware of.

Is the problem of bad teeth only in your dog’s mouth?  Absolutely not.  Your dog’s bad teeth could be killing them.  How?  The bacteria around the roots and bone can get your dog’s bone and bloodstream and affect their heart, kidneys, liver and potentially their blood and every organ.

So, what do you do?  Answer:  clean your dog’s teeth to prevent this cycle from happening.  If your dog’s teeth are already bad, or you haven’t seen your vet in a while, take him to the vet and let your vet take a really good look inside their mouth and assess your dog’s overall health.

How to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth  There are many products made specifically for dogs on the market to help you:  dog toothpastes, gels and rinses, and dog toothbrushes and sponges.  Do not use human products for your dogs because they can make them sick!  Many veterinary dentists recommend toothpastes, gels, and rinses that contain chlorhexidine, hexametaphosphate, or zinc gluconate.  What you will need for your dog will depend on the condition of your dog’s teeth and gums, the size of their mouth and your own ability to clean their teeth.

Actually brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste or gel is the best.  Start with a vet visit and talk with your vet for advice and recommendations.  Then set a plan and a daily schedule of teeth cleaning.  Here is a great article that will show you how to brush your dog’s teeth and a video of a dog having it’s teeth brushed.

I have three Cockers and a mini-Dachshund, and I try to clean their teeth daily.  There are days I just can’t get to it, which definitely makes me feel extremely guilty.  I brush my guys with Virbac C.E.T. rinse which I put on a toothbrush, and I use Virbac C.E.T Oral Hygiene Chews which feature a Dual-Enzyme System to help clean a dog’s teeth.  Two of my Cockers stopped liking their toothpaste, and I found that their oral hygiene rinse which has Chlorhexidine gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, and zinc took made the red inflammation in their gums go away.  The C.E.T. chews come in different sizes for small, medium and large dogs, so ask your vet if he recommends that your dog chew them depending on the condition of their mouth and what size they should get.  I never leave my dogs alone when they get chews.  Usually, I’ll put on the news and they’ll sit next to me and chew.  That keeps the arguments down if one finishes before the other, and I know that they didn’t choke on it. 

Whatever cleaning program you decide on with your vet, you will only be successful in keeping your dog’s teeth clean and preventing gum disease if you’re consistent.  Go to it!