Healthy breath isn’t just important for you, but for your dog too. You do a lot of things for your dog’s personal hygiene: good food, routine check-ups, dog shampoo, daily jaunts, and much more. But when it comes to its oral hygiene, we sometimes overlook them. Although they don’t care if their breath is bad, or they don’t own a super shiny set of teeth, it’s part of their overall health.
4 signs your dog has oral health problems
- Smelly breath: When your dog starts stinking, it’s an indication that the bacteria in its mouth has started proliferating.
- Tartar and Plague build-up: Your dogs teeth should be free from plague. When leftover food bits in the mouth combine with bacteria, they form a yellow tartar along the gum-line. And that gum can foster many oral problems if not removed on time.
- Inflamed gums: Red gums are painful and can bleed anytime. They make the jaw unhealthy and can even result in loss of teeth.
- Loose or chipped teeth: If your pet has chipped a tooth by suddenly chewing something hard, then it is also possible that your pet’s teeth are weak and are in poor health. Signs that your dog may have a loose or broken teeth is; Licking into the air at regular intervals (this may also be a stress sign), having difficulty chewing their dry foods, making chewing sounds without eating or clapping their teeth.
Brush your dog’s teeth daily
Just like regularly taking your dog for an outing or grooming him, oral care is something he should get daily. It’s a key to healthy teeth and healthy gums. But unfortunately, this cannot happen overnight. No pet allows someone to poke inside their mouth; you have to train your dog for this like you did for nail trimming. Just get all the ideal tools for this and have patience.
Most vets say that daily cleaning your dog’s teeth is ideal, but if that’s cumbersome, go slow and aim for two to three times in a week. Remember, don’t become an overachiever, you aren’t going to win a war. It’s like brushing a baby’s teeth. If he allows you to brush half, then it’s fine! You can brush the other half on the next day.
But before cupping your dog’s face, make sure that you should have the following tools:
Toothbrush for dogs
A human toothbrush can also do the job, simply pick the one that has soft bristles and can fit into your dog’s mouth (not too small). A pet’s toothbrush is more angled and comes in different sizes with a fingertip style, which will give a firm hold on the brush.
Dog’s toothpaste
It’s quite obvious that your dog will swallow or spit out toothpaste, so bring the one, which is safe. Toothpaste that you use for yourself is a big NO for the dogs, as it contains abrasives that could affect your dog’s health.
Canine tooth wipes
If your dog is a monster and doesn’t allow brushing his teeth, switch to tooth wipes. They work exactly like toothbrushes; however, the only difference is that they don’t feature any nooks or crannies. You simply have to rub them against your pet’s teeth to remove plaque. They are also the best option when you don’t have much time for complete brushing.
A dog is also capable of taking good care of its teeth. Although they can’t brush themselves, they can gnaw things. Dogs love chewing, so you can offer them soft bones, chewing toys, crunchy food or anything that is gentle on their teeth. All chews have gum cleaning properties which will remove yellowness from their gum-line. Moreover, if you want to buy calorie-free food, long-lasting rubber or nylon chews will serve the purpose.
Note: Never give them things that are hard as they can fracture their teeth.
Furthermore, there are few other things that you can use to retain your fluffy friend’s teeth:
Use coconut oil
Coconut oil is a magical product to keep everything smooth and shiny, be it for your personal use or for your dog. It is antibacterial and helps to boost the immune system. It softens plague and easily removes any germs from your dog’s teeth.
Grapefruit seed extract
Are your dog’s teeth stinking? Give them grapefruit extract and kill bacteria after brushing. Simply dilute this solution ( a drop) in the water and apply it to the gum-line of your pet with a cotton pad.
Good quality food
Feed your dog with fresh and healthy whole food, vegetables, and fruits. It not only makes their teeth stronger but will also nourish his body. However, staple or by-product foods can worsen the situation. Also avoid things like meals, cereals grains as they are more likely to stick to your pet’s teeth.
Avoid sugars and fats
Dogs love chewing but many food items have sugar and fats that are not good for your dog’s dental health. You can treat them with things that have low or no sugar like pumpkin, apple slices, carrots, etc. You can also add cinnamon to your dog’s food.
To break down bits of food left in your dog’s mouth, add a little bit of cinnamon to their bowl. Cinnamon is full of antioxidants and is naturally anti-bacterial. It fights with bad breath and easily wards off any tooth decay. Just sprinkle some over the food and voila!
Dried meat
Dried meat meals are very good chew treats that can help clean teeth. You can use dried snouts, tendons or anything else as snacks.
Professional cleaning
Perhaps the easiest and hassle-free method to keep your dog’s teeth healthy and happy is to let him undergo professional cleaning. A vet knows what’s good for your pet’s teeth. So, if he will find any issue, he will address it and will cure it effectively. After all, he is an expert in finding the issues that you might not notice. Although it is little expensive, professional teeth cleaning is the one that can maintain your pet’s health in the best way.
Also, don’t hesitate to ask questions about your pet’s health. If you’re not sure about anything, do some research or consider the second opinion; your best friend’s health is very important.
Be it a home or professional practice, considering your dog’s oral health is very important. And as you have all your supplies and you are dedicated to giving your dog a healthy breath, convince your dog and get set brushing!