February is the month of love, so of course, National Pet Dental Health Month, which is also in February, joined in the fun because you can’t give hugs, kisses, and warm smiles with some seriously rank breath. Since humans schedule dental visits yearly (ummm, note-to-self, when was the last time I went to the dentist?), we are pretty up-to-date on keeping our winning smiles bright and healthy. Bad breath is usually associated with our love for garlic, onions, and pickled herring. Nope, just kidding, that’s disgusting. As pet owners though, we often forget about the health of our pet’s teeth for a variety of reasons, and although it might be likely after a brief hunting excursion in the woods, our pets are not suppose to have bad breath. That might be a sign of a dental health issue. If you haven’t done so in the last year, make sure you schedule an appointment for your veterinarian to do a routine dental cleaning for your pet and to make sure your pet doesn’t need more serious work. It’s hard to remember to set an appointment for your pet’s dental cleaning. They do so many things that make us believe their dental health is fine or mislead us into thinking they don’t even care for their own teeth. For example, I might assume that my dog Harley has strong, healthy teeth because she chomps on bones like a Tyrannosaurus Rex or only has bad breath from the dead squirrel she carried out of the woods, but even I have to remember to schedule a dental health exam for my pup. The bad breath that I might think is from a funky squirrel might actually be periodontal disease from plaque buildup. Bacteria in the plaque and tartar build up attack the gum line and cause tooth decay, swelling, and bad breath. It’s also painful. On the other hand, the bone chomping is Harley just being a dog and a giant dog at that. During an oral health exam, your pet will be placed under a general anesthetic and intubated, monitored closely by a veterinary assistant. The anesthesia is necessary because a pet does not understand what is going on, unlike a human, and sudden movements with cleaning instruments in their mouth is not a good combination. I’m sure dentists are jealous that we use anesthesia on our clients, especially pediatric dentists, but seriously, it’s for their safety (and my own because some dogs and cats like to bite down on your fingers when you stick them in their mouth). We remove tartar from the teeth with a scaler and polisher, and tooth extraction can also be performed if necessary. Scheduling that appointment is a good start, but you also have some work to do as well throughout the rest of the year. Brushing your pet’s teeth up to five times a week is a good routine to start right away. You can find a pet toothbrush that works best for you, and non-fluoride pet toothpaste that comes in flavored varieties for your pet’s liking so you won’t find yourself trying to pull a golden retriever out from under your bed when he sees the toothbrush coming. My dogs love the poultry-flavored toothpaste. Bleh! Your cat might expect dinner and a movie first, but they are always so demanding, what are you going to do? Better to bribe them into it. You can also give your pet treats that promote oral health. Our clinic sells Greenies for all size cats and dogs, but there are so many options. Do your research on treats though because one treat is not made for all pets. Some have different density levels for different pet teeth or sizes for pet safety. Don’t let whiskers have something too hard that will damage her teeth, but also don’t let your ginormous dog aptly named Tiny have something tiny that may be swallowed and cause an obstruction. If necessary, your pet can also get a prescription diet food that can remove plaque and tartar if they have periodontal disease. Check with your veterinarian about getting a prescription and ordering this if your pet has been diagnosed with periodontal disease. While you are doing research on these at-home preventative care products, check the Veterinary Oral Health Council website to see if the product you are researching meets their standards and is on their list of accepted products to ensure the health and safety of your pet: http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm Our clinic and most clinics also have a large inventory of these products, so check with your veterinarian while you’re there for your pet’s cleaning to stock up and save a trip to another location. Your own dentist has probably told you about the link between oral health and overall health, but in case you weren’t listening because he was jamming a sharp object between your teeth, just like in humans, bad oral health in your pet can also be linked to kidney, heart, and metabolic problems. By getting a regular routine down and a yearly dental exam with the veterinarian, you can prevent more costly procedures down the road, and most importantly, will keep your pet healthy and happy. When your pet has a clean mouth, you won’t have to feel so disgusted by the slobbery kisses your bulldog might leave on your cheek. He can’t reach any inappropriate area anyway, so you should be doubly safe to receive his kisses. Happy National Pet Dental Health Month! Now go give that dog a Greenie! Some beautiful smiles!
1 Comment
8/19/2022 01:45:16 pm
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Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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