Tips on improving your dog's dental health
16 Aug 2017
Healthy teeth and gums are vital to your dog’s wellbeing. Brushing their teeth, feeding them dental kibble and treats, and chewing on rubber toys will keep your canine's goofy smile in sparkling shape.
Brush your dog's teeth to prevent a build up of plaque
Daily brushing gives your dog the best chance to have healthy teeth and gums. Introduce daily teeth cleaning to them when they are pups. If you have an older dog, with a bit of patience and lots of reward they will get used to it. Here's how:
- Buy a doggy toothbrush and chicken or beef-flavoured toothpaste from your vet. Avoid human toothpaste, as it will upset your dog's stomach.
- Get comfortable with your dog on your lap or at your feet.
- Let them lick the toothpaste and sniff the toothbrush.
- Slowly and gently brush from their front to back teeth in an oval pattern getting under and in between teeth.
- Brush for under a minute or for as long as they enjoy it.
- Reward your dog with pats, praise... and dental treats!
Feed your dog a special dental diet
Your dog's teeth will benefit from a dry food dental diet. The kibble is bigger, which means your dog has to chew more. As they bite through the larger kibbles, bits of plaque will rub off their teeth and chewing harder means more saliva is produced to help protect the mouth.
Buy your dog dental toys and treats
Get your dog a sturdy rubber toy for their collection – great for knocking plaque off! Dental treats, such as pig's ears, rawhide bones and dental chews also help to dislodge plaque and spread protective saliva.
Treat your dog to a mouthwash
No need to train your pooch to gargle, just add some oral health rinse to their water bowl or apply gel to their gums. This helps prevent plaque build-up and kills mouth bacteria.
Visit the vet if your dog has dental disease
Get a check-up and book in a scale and polish if your dog has bad breath and plaque. Your vet will take x-rays to examine teeth roots – root canals and seals can save your dog’s teeth!
Try to get into the habit of checking and brushing your dog’s teeth every day to keep them healthy and strong. If you would like recommendations for any of the above, please do not hesitate to talk to our friendly team.
