Dental Care

Dental Care: Protecting Your Pet’s Oral Health

Your pet relies on you to ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy throughout their life. While advances in treating infectious diseases have improved pet health overall, oral disease—especially periodontal disease caused by plaque and tartar buildup—remains the number one health problem for dogs. In fact, without proper dental care, 80% of dogs will show signs of oral disease by the age of three.

By incorporating simple habits and regular veterinary care, you can help your pet maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime.

Steps to Ensure Healthy Teeth and Gums

Chew Treats: Provide your pet with dental chews like rawhide bones to help reduce plaque buildup.
Regular Brushing: Brush your dog’s teeth at home to eliminate plaque and prevent tartar formation.
Annual Veterinary Checkups: Include dental evaluations during your pet’s yearly health check to monitor and maintain their oral health.

Good Dental Health Starts with the Right Diet

The food your pet eats plays a crucial role in maintaining their dental health.

Dry food: Feeding your dog dry food instead of moist, canned food can help reduce plaque buildup through its mild abrasive action on the teeth. It also provides chewing exercises and stimulates the gums.
Avoid sweets and table scraps: These can contribute to plaque and tartar formation.
Specialized dental diets: For dogs prone to dental issues due to breed or genetic factors, your veterinarian may recommend special dry foods designed to minimize plaque and tartar.

Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth

Brushing is one of the most effective ways to maintain your pet’s oral health. Begin a daily brushing routine when your puppy is 6–8 weeks old. Older dogs can also be trained to accept brushing through patience and positive reinforcement.

Here’s how to introduce brushing in four simple steps:

Step 1:

Dip your finger in beef stock (or another dog-safe liquid).
Gently rub your finger over your dog’s gums and a few teeth.
Repeat until your dog is comfortable with this activity.

Step 2:

Gradually transition to a gauze-covered finger and gently scrub their teeth using a circular motion.

Step 3:

Introduce a toothbrush designed for pets or an ultra-soft human toothbrush.
Alternatively, use a finger brush, a rubber cover with a built-in brush tip.

Step 4:

Begin using pet-specific toothpaste in liquid or paste form. Most contain ingredients like chlorhexidine or stannous fluoride for optimal dental care. Never use human toothpaste, as it can upset your pet’s stomach.
We may also recommend an antiseptic rinse or spray to complement brushing.

Annual Veterinary Dental Checkups

While regular brushing removes plaque, tartar can only be removed with a professional scaling and polishing under anesthesia. During your pet’s annual dental checkup, we will:

Perform a comprehensive oral examination, checking for tartar buildup and any underlying problems.
Remove tartar from above and below the gum line.
Treat your dog’s teeth with fluoride if needed.
Provide you with home care instructions and follow-up advice.

Regular dental checkups ensure that your pet starts with a clean and healthy mouth, making it easier to maintain their oral health at home.

Additional Tips for Maintaining Dental Health

Chew treats: Hard meat-protein biscuits and rawhide chews help remove plaque and stimulate the gums.
Avoid wood: Sticks and wooden objects can splinter, damaging the gums or causing infections.
Skip hard materials: Bones, stones, and other hard objects can wear down or break teeth, damage gums, and lead to infections.

By combining proper nutrition, regular brushing, chew treats, and yearly veterinary checkups, you can give your pet the gift of strong, healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime. Prevention is always better than treatment, and maintaining your pet’s dental health is a key part of their overall well-being.

Schedule a dental checkup today to ensure your pet’s smile stays happy and healthy.

A Few Statistics:

Kittens have their first 26 “milk” or deciduous teeth at 2 to 3 weeks of age. Their 30 permanent teeth begin erupting around 3 months.
Cats have the fewest teeth of any common domestic mammal.
Puppies develop their deciduous teeth at 2 weeks of age, with their 42 permanent teeth starting to appear at 3 months.