Common symptoms of dog dental hygiene problems are often similar to humans: bad breath, blood in the saliva, broken teeth, drooling, loss of appetite, swollen, bleeding gums and yellow-brown tartar at the gum line. You should contact your vet if your dog is experiencing the more severe symptoms.
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 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. (Note that plaque turns into tartar within 24-48 hours so frequent brushing is recommend.) It also eats away at the bone that holds your dog’s teeth by working its way underneath the gums. In advanced cases, infection can enter the blood stream, even causing kidney and heart disease.
• 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.
As with all health and wellness related issues, good dog teeth care begins with solid preventive care:
• Brushing at least twice a week as recommended by veterinarians
• 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.
Wondering what parts of your dog’s mouth to focus on? Plaque build-up is most common on the upper teeth, so that is always the place to start. Dogs only produce plaque on the outside of their teeth and gum line, so do not worry about brushing the inside.
Brushing a dog’s teeth is easier than brushing your own. Their narrow teeth are spaced more widely than human teeth, eliminating the need for flossing. Their teeth only touch in one or two places. A toothbrush can reach 90% of the areas that need to be brushed. Recommended steps for brushing are as follows, or consult your veterinarian to have him/her demonstrate:
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.
4. Let the dog taste the toothpaste before attempting to brush his teeth. Allow him to lick the toothpaste off your brush. When he has tasted the toothpaste, reapply paste to the brush and start brushing in a circular motion.
5. Keep your dog calm and relaxed by praising him and stroking his neck area. When your dog is relaxed, pull back his lips and cheeks to gain access to the premolars and molars.
6. 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?
Depending on the individual dog, professional tooth cleaning is recommended every one to three years. This cleaning, which takes place under general anesthesia, consists of scaling to remove tartar above and below the gum line; polishing to smooth the surface of the teeth; and flushing to dislodge tartar and bacteria.
The act of brushing a dog’s teeth twice weekly, while initially daunting, becomes easier with practice and routine. Caring for your dog’s dental hygiene will assure good dental health and prevent many more serious dental and medical problems as he ages.
Ultimately you want your dog to get excited when the toothbrush comes out. Believe it or not, this can eventually be fun for them. So remember, be gentle, go at your dog’s own pace, and reward with a treat, trip outside, a game or whatever they like most.
For your dog's dental hygiene shopping list:
1. Dog toothpaste: Always use a specially formulated dog toothpaste. Because dogs can’t rinse and spit after a brushing, the paste must be safe for pets to swallow. Some human toothpastes contain detergents which can irritate pet’s stomachs, and, in addition, large quantities of ingested fluoride can harm pets.
For small and medium sized dogs, we recommend Cain & Able – KissAble Toothpaste and Toothbrush combo to get your dog started. The vanilla flavored toothpaste is all natural and great for dogs. $11.
For large dogs, we recommend using soft human brush (see below) and again the Cain & Able toothpaste is great for its all natural ingredients and flavor.
2. Dog toothbrush: Most dog dental kits contain a toothbrush and toothpaste sold together. If using a human toothbrush, pick a soft, nylon bristle, and, for a smaller dog, child-sized brush. Finger brushes can be purchased as well. These fit on a fingertip and allow owners easier access to their dogs’ mouths.
3. Chew toys: Dogs love to chew. Why not give them something to chew on that will also be good for their teeth? Nylabone toys reduce plaque build-up and massage your dog’s gums for good dental health. These long-lasting, rubber chew toys are flavored with real meat juices and designed to wear down slowly. Available at most large pet stores.
We recommend Doggles rope toys in a variety of animal shapes available at JasperandZoe.com. These toys are made from cotton thread and are hand tied. The rope helps to remove plaque while the pulling action keeps teeth strong. Proven to improve dental health and guaranteed to provide hours of chewing and tugging fun!
4. Teeth-cleaning or fresh breath treats: There are many good, healthy choices available for teeth-cleaning and fresh breath treats. Look for natural, organic ingredients as the healthiest option for your dogs.
We recommend Dogswell Biscuits with Benefits – Breathies Chicken 10 oz. Made with protein-rich, all natural chicken breast, these scientifically formulated and lovingly prepared dog treats are made especially to quickly freshen breath. Available in different flavors. $5
We also recommend Zuke’s Performance Pet Nutrition Treats – Z-Ridge Fresh Breath (available for different sized dogs – please select based on your dog’s weight). These treats naturally cleans teeth and freshens breath without wheat, corn, or artificial fresheners. $14
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About Jasper and Zoe
Founded in 2009 on pure love for dogs, Jasper and Zoe is a company of Truly Fine Things, LLC, a specialty retail business based on California, offering eco-friendly, natural, luxury and innovative products that promote a healthy, happy lifestyle. The company can be contacted at 8721 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 145, 1-888-316-3647(DOGS), www.jasperandzoe.com, or info@jasperandzoe.com. Follow the company on Facebook and Twitter.