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How to Look After Your Dog's Teeth

8 min read
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Sponsored by Dentalife

Did you know that dental problems are the most commonly diagnosed health condition in all dogs over the age of three? Because your dog's teeth and gums are as vulnerable to disease as yours, make sure you give the same care and attention to your dog's dental health as you do to your own.

 

Dental disease in dogs

When your four-legged friend has healthy teeth and gums they can get the most out of their food, crunching every delicious kibble as they go, but if their teeth hurt they’ll soon go off their meals and their metabolism will suffer.

Poor dental care doesn’t just affect their mouths; the bacteria generated by dental disease could eventually enter your dog’s bloodstream and potentially damage their heart, liver or kidneys. So, as a loving owner, what do you need to look out for to protect your pet’s pearly whites?

Plaque

Bacteria constantly form in your dog’s mouth and when they mix with with saliva and leftover morsels of food, your dog will get a sticky and colourless film (plaque) collecting on the outside of their teeth, especially their upper pre-molars and molars. It’s important to clean this plaque off dog’s teeth as if it’s left to build up, it can harden to form tartar.

Periodontal Disease

After 3-5 days of being left untouched, plaque forms another alliance, this time with the minerals in your dog’s saliva. This hardens the plaque and it turns it into tartar, also known as calculus. Tartar can irritate your dog’s gums causing gingivitis, a swelling and reddening of the gums, and can lead to bad breath - something you’re likely to notice quite quickly! Dry dog foods can help scrape away plaque and tartar but you’ll still need to supplement this with some dog dental care.

 

What are the most common dog dental problems?

Oral disease

You should examine your dog's mouth regularly for signs of oral disease. The first hint is likely to be their bad breath (which is hard to ignore) but also look out for reddened, bleeding or swollen gums, crusted yellow-brown tartar build-up on the teeth and drooling.

If your dog develops severe gingivitis you might also notice them dropping food when they eat, eating on one side of their mouth, or not eating at all, which can all lead to weight loss. While you’re giving their mouth a good once over, look for fractured, discoloured or missing teeth and lumps and bumps on their gum line and make sure their jaw itself isn’t swollen or misshapen.

Trauma to the teeth

Of course not all canine dental problems are caused by disease – your dog’s teeth could get broken or fractured by vigorous chewing on very hard objects or simply by an accidental injury when they’re playing. Whenever you examine your dog’s mouth, check for broken or worn teeth and encourage your pet to chew on dog chews and toys rather than stones or sticks.

 

How to clean dogs’ teeth

Cleaning dogs' teeth is important, as it can prevent the build up of plaque and tartar. If left untouched for 3-5 days, plaque combines with minerals in your dog’s saliva to harden and turn to tartar. Tartar can irritate your dog’s gums and provide a rough surface to harbour more bacteria, causing gingivitis (a swelling and reddening of the gums) and can lead to bad breath – which you’ll probably notice! Keeping your dog’s teeth clean can help scrape away plaque.

Ideally you should aim to brush your dog’s teeth every day, as you do your own, but if that’s not possible, try to give your dog's teeth and gums some attention at least 3-4 times a week.

Dentalife dog dental chews

As a supplement to your dog’s dental routine, consider feeding them Dentalife dog dental chews, scientifically proven to help reduce tartar build-up when used daily, ensuring that their teeth and gums are kept in tip top condition.

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Your dog's dental examination at the vet

At a regular dental check-up, your vet will look at several different areas to make sure your dog’s mouth is a healthy as it can be. This includes examining your dog’s face and head to look out for any asymmetry, swelling or discharges.

They will then look into their mouth and check the lining of their lips, the surfaces of their teeth and gums, the hard-to-reach inner surfaces of their teeth and gums as well as their tongue, palate, tonsils and the area underneath the tongue.

If your dog's teeth have tartar build up your vet may recommend that this is removed, and their teeth polished, under anaesthetic. This professional dental cleaning procedure (called a prophylaxis) might include:

  • Flushing their mouth with an antibacterial solution.
  • Cleaning their teeth with handheld and ultrasonic scalers to remove tartar from above and below the gum line.
  • Using a disclosing solution to show any areas of remaining tartar – and then removing it.
  • Polishing their teeth to remove microscopic scratches.
  • Inspecting each tooth, and the gum around it, for any signs of disease.
  • Extracting any teeth that are beyond repair.
  • Once your dog’s teeth are spick and span your vet will then advise you how you can keep them that way. By cleaning your dog’s teeth at home you can take on the responsibility of their regular dental care, cut down on vet visits and help keep your dog’s teeth and breath squeaky clean!

 

A chew a day: Dentalife's dog chews designed for dental care

Dentalife dog dental chews can be a great addition to your dog's dental care routine. The chewy porous texture and ridged design has been specially created to ensure a thorough clean that reaches even their back teeth – which are most prone to developing tartar and plaque. These dog dental chews are scientifically proven to help reduce tartar build-up when used daily, ensuring that their teeth and gums are kept in tip top condition. Plus, they’re flavoured with tasty chicken, so your dog is bound to find them completely delicious.

Start your dog’s daily oral care routine with Dentalife dog dental chews – scientifically proven to reduce tartar build-up for healthier teeth and gums.

If you're looking for more dog hygiene and grooming tips, read our dog grooming guide, next. 

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