When it comes to your beloved pet’s health and well-being, it is important to remember that good dental health is just as important as good physical health. Poor dental health can significantly impact their overall wellness, leading to other health problems. As a pet owner, you must pay attention to your dog’s oral health and provide appropriate preventative care.
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In this article, we will explore the importance of canine dental health, how to care for your dog's teeth at home, signs and symptoms of dental disease, common dental diseases in dogs, the importance of early detection and diagnosis, how often to have your vet check your dog’s teeth, and what a professional dental cleaning for a dog is like. At Lenape Veterinary Clinic, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality and best service to pet owners, and we are here to help you ensure that your dog’s teeth and gums remain healthy and happy. If you live in or near West Chester, PA and would like to schedule an appointment for your canine companion, please call (610) 793-2589.
How Does Dental Health Impact My Dog’s Overall Health?
Periodontal disease is common in dogs, affecting at least 80% by age three. It begins with plaque buildup, which hardens into tartar. Tartar below the gum line is particularly harmful, causing infections and damaging the jawbone and connective tissues between the teeth and jaw.
Advanced periodontal disease causes severe pain and may lead to other health problems like kidney, liver, and heart damage. Poor dental care can also lead to tooth loss due to infections and damaged teeth and gums. Dental problems also cause bad breath (halitosis), affecting their quality of life and interaction with their owners.
Severe dental diseases can also make eating and drinking difficult. Chewing on hard objects can result in broken teeth, exposing the nerve and causing pain. The exposed nerve can also become infected, leading to more severe dental problems.
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How can I care for my dog’s teeth at home?
Home dental care is essential in ensuring your dog’s dental health. Here are five ways to keep your dog’s teeth clean and healthy:
- Brushing: Brushing your dog’s teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush designed for pets and an enzymatic toothpaste (also made for pets) helps remove the bacterial biofilm that forms on their teeth. Start slow and be patient with your dog, making it an enjoyable experience.
- Oral Rinses and Water Additives: Using oral rinses or water additives containing chlorhexidine, zinc gluconate, and vitamin C can help rinse away bacterial film accumulating on the gum tissue.
- Dental Wipes: Dental wipes can help remove plaque and bacterial film from the dog's teeth and gums, though they are less effective than brushing.
- Dental Diets and Chews: Special dental diets and chews approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) can help reduce plaque and tartar when given in addition to brushing and other at-home care methods.
- Regular Veterinary Check-ups: Schedule regular dental evaluations as part of your dog's annual preventive care exam. Early detection of potential problems can prevent severe dental issues down the line. Lenape Veterinary Clinic offers comprehensive professional dental cleaning services for dogs to ensure their oral health is properly managed.
What Are Some Signs and Symptoms of Dental Disease in Dogs?
Knowing the signs and symptoms of dental disease in dogs is crucial when it comes to ensuring your pet’s health. Here are some of the most common signs to look out for:
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Bleeding or inflamed gums
- Discolored teeth (brown or yellow)
- Loose or missing teeth
- Irritability
- Weight loss
- Bloody saliva
- Decreased appetite
- Favoring one side of the mouth when chewing
- Excessive drooling
- Blood in the water bowl or on chew toys
- Decreased interest in eating dry food or hard treats
- Chewing more slowly than usual
- Dropping food from the mouth while chewing
- Pawing at the mouth
- New or worsening resistance to having the face/mouth touched
- Swelling in the areas surrounding the mouth
If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent further damage and health problems.
What Are Some Common Dental Diseases in Dogs?
The most common dental diseases in dogs include cysts, tumors, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and proliferating dog gum disease. While not a disease, tooth fractures are also common.
Why Is Early Detection and Diagnosis of Dental Disease So Important?
Early detection and diagnosis of dental disease can prevent pain, preserve the teeth and supporting structures, protect vital organs from infection, and provide early intervention. Regular veterinary check-ups are important for detecting dental problems before they become more serious. Pet owners can also ensure their pet’s dental health by brushing their teeth regularly, providing them with dental chews or toys, and monitoring them for any signs of dental issues.
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How Often Should My Dog’s Teeth Be Checked?
Most veterinarians recommend having dogs’ teeth professionally examined at least once a year. Senior pets and smaller breeds tend to have more dental problems than healthy adult dogs and may require more frequent check-ups. Furthermore, if your dog shows signs of gum disease, your veterinarian may recommend more frequent cleanings and exams to prevent the condition from worsening.
What Is a Professional Dental Cleaning Like for a Dog?
Professional dental cleaning for dogs usually involves a thorough examination, teeth cleaning, and polishing.
In some ways, it's very similar to what you get at your twice-a-year cleaning at your doctor's office. The big difference is that we can't ask your dog to sit still and say, "Ah." And so, in nearly every situation, a dog’s teeth cleaning will involve anesthesia, and that's not only, so they'll hold still. We also use anesthesia because we enlist an ultrasonic scaler that uses water to help clean the teeth, which aerosolizes bacteria. We want to have a breathing tube in place to protect their airway.
Whenever we do any dental procedure in dogs, we do full dental x-rays of all their teeth to evaluate everything under the gum line. You can't detect many problems just from looking at the teeth themselves. And so we must get the complete picture by taking x-rays, and they are included in any procedure that we do.
We probe around the teeth and look for pockets and broken teeth. After the x-rays, we scale them and clean them with the ultrasonic scaler. Many pet owners don’t realize that we also polish the dog’s teeth. We polish the teeth because when we do the scaling, we can cause minor defects in the teeth, and then the polish keeps those from getting bacteria to stick to them.
In addition to this, we also do complete dental charting, which you've probably had at your doctor's office, although they may not have verbalized it to you. We take a small probe and test the health of the gums around the teeth and examine the entire mouth and all the structures in it to make sure everything looks healthy. Even though we call it dental cleaning, the actual cleaning is the least essential part in many ways. The cleaning is the removal of the tartar and polishing, but all the things just mentioned are the most critical parts of that dental procedure.
Conclusion
Dental health is an essential part of your dog’s overall well-being. Ensuring their teeth and gums remain healthy can help prevent more serious health problems. As a pet owner, you should watch for signs of dental disease and schedule regular check-ups and cleanings with your veterinarian at least once a year. Home care, such as brushing regularly, providing dental chews or toys, and using oral rinses or water additives, can help maintain your pet’s dental health. Lenape Veterinary Clinic is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and best service to pet owners, so you can rest assured that your pet’s dental needs will be taken care of properly when you entrust their care to us. Have any questions about canine dental health? Feel free to reach out to us at (610) 793-2589 or lenapevet@gmail.com!