Dental Hygiene

Keeping your pets smile in tip top condition is very important. Did you know that an estimated 80% of all dogs and cats over the age of 3 have dental disease?!

Dental problems in your pet can result in:
• Bad breath
• Inflamed gums
• Yellow teeth
• Difficulty in eating
• Loose teeth

These are just the problems which you can see. With dental disease there are a lot of bacteria in the mouth, this can lead to problems with other organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys because bacteria will pass into the bloodstream which flows to these organs.

There are measures that you can take at home to diminish and prevent dental disease.
A good way of doing this would be to introduce your pet to daily tooth brushing. This is not as difficult as it sounds and can often be incorporated into your pets routine so that they come to expect it and enjoy it. Brushing is the most effective way of plaque control, daily brushing will remove it before it starts to harden.

Cleaning your pets teeth

When cleaning your pets teeth make sure that you are using the appropriate toothpaste and not human toothpaste. Human toothpaste is too foamy and can cause an upset stomach for your pet- which would be very unpleasant. Animal toothpaste can be purchased in your pet’s favourite flavour of either chicken, fish or poultry flavour and
have been specifically deigned for veterinary use.

If tooth cleaning is new to your pet, you will need to get them used to the action.

•	Begin by rubbing your finger over your pet’s gums and teeth. You can use some warm water, tuna water or even some beef paste etc for your dog.

•	Next apply feline or canine toothpaste with your finger to the teeth and gums for several days, for cats you can progress to using cotton buds.

•	Gently rub the teeth in a circular motion at a 45 degree angle.

•	Once your pet is comfortable you can use a pet toothbrush or a finger brush.

•	The most important place to clean is at the gum line where plaque can build up.

Other aids for dental hygiene include:-

• Specifically designed dental chews
• Oral hygiene pastes and gels
• Specifically designed dental biscuits

For best results, dental hygiene should be a daily event. For pets that are already displaying dental disease it is worthwhile asking for a professional scale and polish first
so that you can start with a fresh mouth.

The benefits of good dental care

• No more bad breath
• A healthier pet with a possibly greater life expectancy
• Keeping teeth for longer
• Reducing the need for veterinary treatment and the associated expense.

If your pet has already had a scale and polish but you haven’t followed up with any dental care, did you know that your pets mouth could be back to exactly the way it was before the scale and polish within 3 months?!!!