How to Care For Your Dog's Teeth
Of course your dog doesn't brush his teeth; that's why he has doggy breath! Plus, if your dog brushes his own teeth, you've had made a video of him for America's Funniest Home Videos and you'd have won $100,000.00. Because dogs can't brush their own teeth, that's why they need your help to maintain proper dental care for them. After all, they have 42 of them. Dog owners usually remember to get their dogs vaccinated and feed them and exercise them, but they rarely think about their dog's teeth. Just like with humans, canine dental health contributes to a dog's proper overall health. Infected gums or teeth can lead to infection in the joints, heart or kidneys because the bacteria can spread throughout the body.
Your veterinarian should be inspecting your dog's teeth every time you take him in for an exam, but you can check this on a regular basis as well. All you have to do is lift up the dog's lips all around its mouth and look at top, bottom, front and back teeth. What you're looking for is red, puffy or bleeding gums, missing or loose teeth, and tartar or plaque build-up on the teeth. Just place your hand across his muzzle and slide your thumb into his mouth while holding him still with your other hand.
The next thing you can do is brush your dog's teeth for him.It's easy, just don't brush your dog's teeth with your toothpaste; it will make him sicker than, well . . . a dog. There is special toothpaste made especially for dogs. You can either use your finger to brush his teeth or buy a specially designed toothbrush. If you and your dog have a good relationship and you take it gently and easily, your dog shouldn't try to bite you. Just like we need to brush our teeth often, a dog's teeth should be brushed daily. If your dog just completely refuses to let you brush his teeth, there are gels that you can use that you can smear onto their gums with your fingers. The gel has a tiny amount of abrasive that breaks down plaque.
At some point, your dog may need to have his teeth cleaned professionally by the veterinarian. To do this, the vet administers anesthesia to put your dog to sleep, then gives his teeth a cleaning much like the dentist clean your teeth. He removes the tartar building, checks for cavities, removes any bad teeth, and polishes the good teeth. Usually your dog will need to take antibiotics a couple of days before or after the teeth cleaning appointment.
Other ways to keep your dog's teeth healthy is by feeding him dry food the majority of the time because it serves to scrape off plaque from his teeth. Also, there are dog toys created specifically with dental health in mind that massage the dog's gums and remove plaque from his teeth. Plaque removal toys include dental chews, dental mint rawhide, and rope toys. Plaque builds up on the teeth and turns into tartar, which in turn grows bacteria that eats away at teeth and gums. Hard biscuits can scrub your dog's teeth. Veterinarians suggest that you limit the amount of soft food that you provide to your dogs and let them play with plenty of hard rubber or nylon chewing toys.
Have you ever had a toothache? They're terrible! When humans get a toothache, they march right into the dentist's office because it's very painful. Dogs would do the same thing if they could drive cars, but since they can?t, we have to regularly inspect our dog's teeth and watch for telltale signs of dental problems such as changes in appetite, discolored teeth, or extremely bad halitosis. With good dental care, your pet can enjoy a long and healthy life.
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