POA Pet Dental Month 2023 POA Pet Dental Month 2023

Pet Dental Month – Why Does My Pet Have Oral Hygiene Issues?

Oral hygiene comes into focus during Pet Dental Month. We are here to help you understand a variety of pet oral health issues. First up is understanding why your pet may be suffering from poor oral hygiene.

This is one of the most common questions when it comes to pet oral health. The answer is that it is down to the individual pet. A mixture of genetics and environmental factors can all play into what is causing your pet’s oral hygiene problems. Let’s take a deeper dive to help you understand more.

What Role Does Genetics Play?

Looking at genetics, unfortunately certain breeds are more prone to having oral issues owing to their physiology. It’s a well-known fact that dogs have 42 adult teeth, and cats have 30 adult teeth. Smaller/toy dog breeds and cats are more likely to have problems due to the potential overcrowding of teeth – an ideal space for plaque bacteria to thrive. Similarly, Brachycephalic cats and dogs (flatter faced breeds) have a typically wider set mouth which can result in tooth misalignment, thus leading to greater potential for plaque bacteria to prosper. Finally, dogs with longer muzzles can be prone to oral health issues due to the increased risk of periodontal pockets.

How Does Environment Affect Pet Oral Hygiene?

As with everything regarding pets, their environment affects their oral hygiene. Vets recommend that you should brush your pet’s teeth daily for their oral health. By brushing your dog’s teeth regularly, you can prevent plaque, tartar and bad breath. In addition, it allows you to detect if it there are other problems with your dog’s teeth or mouth early. Keeping your pet’s mouth clean keeps plaque bacteria at bay. Plaque begins building up 12 hours after eating but is invisible to the human eye. Once the plaque is left it begins to calcify and turn into tartar – the deposits you may see on teeth. Ultimately, if you can brush your pets’ teeth that fantastic, but that is often easier said than done.

Oral Health Supplementation

In combination with tooth brushing, veterinarians often recommend dietary supplements to prevent plaque. Keep an eye out for the VOHC Seal on packaging when looking for pet oral hygiene products. VOHC stands for Veterinary Oral Health Council and they approve anti-plaque and calculus products that meet their specific, global standards. The majority of Swedencare’s ProDen PlaqueOff® products are VOHC approved and are available in powder form and treat. The products can also be perfectly combined with each other. ProDen PlaqueOff® contains the unique seaweed A.N ProDen® which is a 100% natural seaweed. It is proven in clinical trials to help reduce plaque, tartar and bad breath when used as directed. ProDen PlaqueOff® products contain no colouring, additives or preservatives. Learn more about ProDen PlaqueOff® now.