Brought to you by WHIMZEES vet Dr. Danielle Bernal
In 2017, the top diagnosis made by US Veterinarians for dogs was dental disease, a problem so widespread it now affects 4 out of 5 dogs over 3 years of age. Contributing to this epidemic is the lack of daily dental care for dogs, the increase of small breeds and older dogs that are more predisposed to dental issues, and the assumption that visible signs of dental disease, like bad breath, are simply normal doggy traits.
Dog owners used to believe that simply giving a dog a bone to chew on every now and then was all the dental care dogs needed. Today, we know so much more about the importance of oral care for dogs and understand that a dental health program that includes both professional veterinary care as well as at home daily dental care is crucial to a healthy mouth and a happy dog.
There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding upon oral care for your dog. Here’s the latest scientific evidence and everything you ever wanted to know about your dog’s teeth, including those questions which you may have been too afraid to ask before:
ARE PEOPLE DENTAL ISSUES THE SAME AS DOG DENTAL ISSUES?
Tooth decay is not common in dogs: Dogs do not typically develop cavities from tooth decay like people because of the shape of their teeth, the pH of their saliva, the type of bacteria in their mouth and the types of food they consume.
Periodontal disease is very common – 4 out of 5 dogs! Dogs are very susceptible to periodontal disease and tooth loss. Periodontal disease affects not only the gums, but also all the supporting structures of the tooth. It is caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar on the surface of the teeth and under the gums. Plaque is the soft, clear or cream-colored biofilm deposit that naturally forms on pets’ teeth. Plaque is made up of large amounts of bacteria with additional particles of food, protein and cellular debris. If plaque is not removed by brushing or active chewing, minerals, primarily calcium, in the dog’s saliva stick to the plaque biofilm and it develops into tartar. Tartar is the hard yellow/brown material that resists removal and is found below and above the gum. As plaque and tartar levels increase on the teeth, bacteria accumulate around these deposits causing periodontal disease to intensify and cause associated periodontal inflammation visible most frequently at the gum line.
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY DOG HAS DENTAL DISEASE?
That doggy breath is your biggest clue! Periodontal disease in dogs causes inflammation of the gums, infections, mouth pain, and loss of teeth. If a dog is suffering from dental disease, owners will notice that their dog has bad breath, discoloured teeth, red and inflamed gums and may show a reluctance to eat or pain while eating.
Flip your dog’s lip and have a look at their teeth. What can you see? Do your dog’s teeth look pearly white or slightly discolored with some yellowing visible? Or do you see a case of significant brown deposits sitting on the molars combined with red and inflamed gums?
If you see any brown deposits or red gums, contact your local veterinarian. Your vet is the expert when it comes to dental health so make the first step to improving your dog’s dental health. A quick phone call to book your dog for an annual health and dental check could do just the trick!
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR DOG?
Regular checkups with your vet are essential to a healthy dental routine but like people, dogs need to have their teeth cleaned at home every day. Plaque accumulates every minute of your dog’s day and within just 48 hours this plaque starts to harden into tartar, which is much tougher to remove. When the surface of a dog’s teeth is mechanically abraded (scrubbed!) with a toothbrush or dental chew, this helps remove plaque buildup and reduces the overall progression of dental disease.
Have you brushed your dog’s teeth today? After a professional veterinary cleaning of your dog’s teeth, brushing your dog’s teeth isthe next best option to promote your dog’s dental hygiene. However, we understand brushing a dog’s teeth is often not easy or enjoyable, for you or your pup! It’s estimated that only 2% of dog owners brush their dog’s teeth. For the 98% of us that don’t brush our dog’s teeth, the easiest way to help remove plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth is to give them a scientifically proven dental chew like WHIMZEES. Based on a study at an independent kennel, WHIMZEES are 80% more effective at reducing plaque than leading competitors and have a 3x longer chew time to help clean those hard to reach places (January 2017). Available in sizes XS to XL, and in unique shapes such as Alligators, Hedgehogs, and the latest evolution of the toothbrush, Brushzees, there’s sure to be a WHIMZEES to keep your dog happy and your dog’s mouth healthy.
If you’ve ever experienced dry mouth, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Unfortunately, your pet can get dry mouth too, and it can lead to more serious issues down the line and can also be a sign of more serious current health issues.
Dry mouth is a condition where saliva loses its protective benefits and leads to an overgrowth of odor-causing bacteria and plaque accumulation, as well as increases the risk of periodontal disease.
While such diseases as diabetes can contribute to dry mouth in pets, the most common cause is medication. What’s more, it is believed that medications increase the risk of developing complications due to dry mouth by 40 percent. This side effect is far-reaching. Medications for allergies, anxiety, urinary incontinence, osteo-arthritis pain, heart conditions, high blood pressure and more can all contribute to dry mouth.
While most pet parents are not aware their furry friends have dry mouth because they may still drool even with the condition, watching out for bad breath can help, as it is often a red flag that something is wrong.
Experts say that you don’t need to wait until this becomes an issue to protect your pet’s health. “Prevention is always the best medicine,” says Pamela K. Bosco, president of Pet King Brands.
Bosco recommends Oratene Brushless Oral Care for pets, an easy-to-use oral care product line that doesn’t require brushing. Whether it’s the water additive, breath freshening spray or brushless toothpaste gel, the enzymes in its formula work to replenish what is missing in order to help restore healthy oral flora, as well as destroy odor causing bacteria and remove plaque biofilm. The products can help prevent complications due to dry mouth, and will benefit any age dog or cat, especially those on medications, aging pets, or those pet parents averse to brushing.
Oral health is crucial to a pet’s overall health. Be sure to pay special attention to the state of affairs in your pet’s mouth by taking steps to prevent dry mouth, a condition that can lead to serious health issues when left untreated.
We all know that our teeth are important. We even visit our dentist regularly to have teeth cleanings and oral exams. Keeping our teeth clean is vital to our health and well-being, and that is no different for our pets.
"Ideally, you should brush your pet's teeth daily," states Dr. Johnathon Dodd, clinical professor at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. "Make sure you are using special toothpaste that is made for pets and is safe for them to swallow. They cannot spit or rinse like we do, so our pets need specific kinds of toothpaste that is not harmful if ingested."
Having your pet’s teeth inspected and cleaned is an important responsibility many owners overlook. This seemingly slight slip of your pet's dental care could be causing serious problems in your pet’s mouth.
Gum disease is the most common disease occurring in pets today. It results from the build-up of soft dental plaque on the surfaces of the teeth around the gums. The bacteria in dental plaque irritate the gum tissue if it accumulates, which leads to infection in the bone surrounding the teeth.
After plaque has formed hard dental tartar, calcium salts from saliva that has been deposited on plaque, begins to grow. If the surface of the tooth does not stay clean, tartar begins to form within a few days. The un-brushed tooth provides a surface that boosts further plaque accumulation. If plague is allowed to accumulate, tartar is difficult to remove without dental instruments. For our pets gum disease means bad breath and painful, irritated gums that can lead to bleeding, loss of appetite, and the loss of teeth if the roots have been affected. There is also the possibility that the bacteria surrounding the root of the tooth gains access to the bloodstream, which can lead to microscopic damage of the heart, liver, and kidney. As the severity of the gum disease increases, so does the damage.
The best way to ward off potential oral disease in your pet is by keeping your pet’s teeth clean and checkups regular. Your veterinarian and local pet retail stores should carry toothbrushes and toothpaste for your pets. Different flavors of toothpastes are available for dog and cats.
"Your pet needs to get their teeth cleaned yearly," said Dodd. "Most veterinary clinics should offer dental cleaning services, but if they do not they can refer you to someone who does." To help ward off gum diseases and bad breath, there are products you can feed your pet that help improve and promote oral health. "There are certain dog treats that help promote good dental health," said Dodd. "The right kind of treat should crumble, be easily crushed, and contain chlorhexadine or a hydrogen peroxide-type additive that can help with the bacteria count in the animal's mouth. Balancing this bacteria count can help prevent and get rid of bad breath." A helpful guide to go by when considering your pets' oral health is the Veterinary Oral Health Council website. They have a compiled list of products that are intended to help reduce the buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth of animals and have created the VOHC seal of approval. To see the full list of VOHC approved products visit vohc.org.
Brushing your pet's teeth, taking them for a yearly visit to the dentist, and giving them VOHC approved products are all ways that you can help make sure your pet has a clean and healthy mouth.
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