Dog dental health can often come to the fore with bad breath. A common belief is that it is normal for dogs to have bad breath, however, is not the case. A healthy dog should not have bad breath so this is often a sign that their dental and oral health is poor.
In terms of dental health, bad breath is not a normal condition for a healthy dog. In the long run, this can lead to painful inflammation or worse. Luckily, as a dog owner, you can do a lot to keep your dog’s mouth healthy.
Dental Issues with Dogs
Dogs can suffer a variety of dental issues with bad breath being the most common. Bad breath can be due to oral tumours, nutritional deficiencies, kidney and liver diseases, something stuck in the mouth, or the dog eating something toxic. However, the most common cause of bad breath and poor dental health is plaque formation. Plaque forms every day in the dog’s mouth, which in the long run can lead to painful gingivitis and more serious diseases. The sooner you take care of plaque, the better. When plaque is mineralized and calcified by saliva, it develops into tartar. Tartar can lead to inflammation in the dog’s gums, which can be very painful. Poor dental hygiene can also have other serious consequences such as urinary tract infections, pyorrhea (swelling of the gums) and even kidney, liver and heart diseases.
Dog Dental Health Solutions
It can take some time to notice that dogs have a sore mouth because they are experts at hiding pain. Therefore, it is important to look out for symptoms of dental and mouth problems on a regular basis. If you notice that your dog’s bad breath or tartar formation is persistent or that your dog loses appetite, has difficulty eating normally or that the gums become red and swollen, you should go to the vet. Your vet will carry out a thorough examination and action accordingly. Often, heavy tartar coating needs to be removed by a vet using an ultrasonic scaler that has minimal impact on the enamel of the teeth. It is vital to heed any instructions that your vet gives after tartar removal or other dental actions to ensure ongoing oral wellbeing for your dog.
At Home Dental Health Advice
Brushing your dog’s teeth regularly can prevent plaque, tartar and bad breath. In addition, it allows you to detect early if it there are other problems with your dog’s teeth or mouth. The best thing is to get your dog used to their teeth being handled as early as possible. Take it gently, step by step using a flavoured toothpaste on a microfiber cloth. It is crucial that you use toothpaste specially developed for dogs, never use one designed for humans. In combination with tooth brushing, veterinarians often recommend dietary supplements to prevent plaque. ProDen PlaqueOff® Powder Dog is a 100% natural pet food supplement containing the natural and organic seaweed ingredient A.N ProDen® – shown in clinical trials to reduce plaque and tartar and to improve bad breath. The results are usually seen between 3 to 8 weeks, with continued use. Sprinkle the powder over the dog’s ordinary food once a day with the supplied scoop. Dog dental health made easy with ProDen PlaqueOff® Powder Dog!
For this article, we have enlisted the help of veterinarian Craig Morgan, who works and runs the Lake Forest Animal Clinic in Alabama, USA.