Have you ever caught a whiff of your dog’s breath and thought how bad it was? It could be a sign of a problem. Gum disease and tooth decay are a big problem for our pets and they can live with chronic pain without us realising. Bad breath is a good indicator that something isn’t right, so don’t put off a vet visit.
How can we help to prevent our dogs having dental problems? The obvious answer is Dentastix or similar dental chews. These are great at wearing away plaque on the teeth but make sure you buy an appropriate size. Too big and it’s too hard to manage, too small and it won’t last long enough to have the desired effect.
The other simple thing to consider is the type of food you feed. Dry food won’t stick to the teeth in the way that wet food will, and some brands even have a particular size and texture which works at keeping the teeth clean (e.g. Hills Science Plan Oral Care).
The only way to really be sure your pets’ teeth are as clean as possible is with regular tooth brushing. Be sure to use a specific dog toothbrush and toothpaste, which is usually meaty. This is easier to do if you get the dog into a routine of brushing daily as a puppy but with a bit of persuasion, most dogs will allow a quick brush as they like the taste of the toothpaste!
