Dog Dental Hygiene

Let’s start with you. What happens if you don’t brush your teeth? Plaque starts to build around the gum line and in between the grooves of your teeth and a funky smell begins to follow your words out of your mouth.

Brush at least twice a day with dentist-recommended toothpaste and we come close to eliminating most of the common human dental problems.

So, why don’t our dogs get the same consideration? We complain that they are the family member with the un-kissable breath but often do nothing to help them combat the problem.

Starting today, dog dental hygiene will be a top concern. When you finish reading below, you will have the knowledge and tools to prevent poor dog dental hygiene. We will wrap things up with a few natural remedies for common dog teeth care issues.

Let’s kick it off with common symptoms of dog dental hygiene problems:

• Bad Breath
• Blood in the saliva
• Broken teeth
• Drooling
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen, bleeding gums
• Yellow-Brown tartar at the gum line

If your dog is experiencing any one of these, even a minor one like bad breath, it is likely that dog teeth care could be improved. See a description of common dog dental problems further down the page.

Dog Dental Hygiene Preventive Care

• Daily brushing
• Healthy Diet
• Exercise
• Regular visits to the veterinarian, which should include an oral check-
  up and teeth cleaning. 
• Discuss your planned teeth-brushing
  with your vet prior to beginning. If your dog has unhealthy gums or broken teeth, brushing may be painful and you should use gentler options. (Link to, How to choose a holistic veterinarian)

“Daily brushing? My dog won’t let me hold her face still for 3 seconds to clean out her eyes, let alone for the amount of time it would take to brush her teeth!”

This was my reaction the first time I heard this advice. After much trial and error, this technique seems to be the most effective:

Taylor Tips! I like to be wrapped in a soft blanket when I get my teeth brushed. It calms me down and reminds me to sit still.

• Start in your dog’s favorite and most comfortable area and at
  a time of day when she
  is the least excited
• Be very slow and gentle. Use as little restraint as possible
• Reward your dog with his or her favorite organic treat after each session

Now for the actual steps:

1. At first, only briefly hold and look into your dog’s mouth - but do it often.

2. Once comfortable with allowing you to look, start to massage the gums a little. Move in gentle circles around the outside of the   gums and teeth. Do this quickly at first,
   and spend a little more time with each attempt.

3. Now it’s time to introduce a brush. Use the same technique, and add a dab of dog toothpaste.

4. BE PATIENT – it takes some dogs over a month to get used to it. How long would it take YOU to get used to someone grabbing your face and putting something into your mouth? (insert smiley face)

Ultimately you want your dog to get excited when the tooth brush comes out. Believe it or not, this can eventually be fun for them! So remember:

• Be gentle!
• Go at your dog’s own pace.
• Reward your dogs with a treat, trip outside, game of fetch or whatever they like most.

To compliment your dog dental hygiene efforts, you should also consider:

• A teeth-cleaning dog organic treat, bone or toy
• Dog mouthwash

Certain dog treats, bones and chew toys can help fight tartar buildup and improve bad breath as long as they are provided daily after meals. They also provide good exercise for your dog’s jaw.

Mouthwash sprays help kill bacteria and may actually heal damaged gum tissue. As always, it is a good idea to check with your veterinarian before trying any new product.

Common Dog Dental Hygiene Problems

• Blood in the saliva
• Broken teeth
• Loss of appetite
• Swollen, bleeding gums

These symptoms could mean your dog has one of the following dog dental hygiene problems:

• Gingivitis is a gum disease that causes inflammation of the gum tissue. It can lead to periodontitis, bone loss and eventually loss of teeth.

• Periodontitis - Periodontal disease is the most common dental problem for dogs. It is caused by plaque (a mixture of food remnants, cell mucus, saliva and bacteria) and can be identified by a milky-white film on the gums and teeth.

  When mixed with saliva, plaque turns into tartar which cements itself to your dog’s teeth. It also eats away at the bone that holds your dog’s teeth by working its way underneath the gums.

• Tooth fractures are the second most common problem in dog dental hygiene. They are caused by simply biting down on something hard such as bones, sticks, rocks and some nylabone toys and can lead to infection inside the tooth (called endodontic disease). Avoid tooth fractures by buying appropriate dog chew toys.

If your dog is experiencing any of the less common dog dental problems there will most likely be a solution. Dogs have most of the same options as human dental care, so regardless of the problem a good vet will guide you down the right path.

(Back to the beginning of preventive care)

Taylor Tips! Please remember, one of the main components to a healthy dog is a healthy mouth. Without proper prevention I may develop a nasty dental problem and that means possibly undergoing surgery. But worst of all, poor dental care leads to bad breath, which leads to something very tragic......NO KISSES!

Back to Health & Wellness Dog Care from Dog Dental Hygiene