Putting the sparkle back in your pet’s smile!

We all spend time looking after our own teeth with twice daily brushing, flossing, swishing with mouthwash, and regular visits to the dentist and dental hygienist, but when was the last time you had a look at your pet’s teeth? Have you ever brushed them? Or used any pet dental products?

Dental disease is one of the most common health problems experienced by dogs and cats in the UK today. There has been an overall increase in awareness around pet dental hygiene in recent years and an increasing array of products available. Yet many pets still suffer with poor dental hygiene, around 80% of dogs have some form of dental health disease by the age of three. The general lack of regular preventative care and poor ingredients used in some commercial pet foods and treats are the major contributors to this.

The most obvious is the accumulation of plaque on the teeth can lead to gingivitis, toothache, and tooth loss, which can in turn cause pain and adverse behavioural changes. In severe cases, poor oral hygiene can be a cause of liver and kidney failure.

As a pet owner, you probably dedicate time to grooming your pet, brushing their coat, clipping their claws, and maybe even regular trips to the groomer. Can you add time for teeth cleaning, has your groomer ever checked your pet’s teeth?

Prevention is always better than cure and if dental disease can be avoided then this is a positive thing. If your pet does start having dental issues the cost of veterinary dental care can be extremely expensive as most pets will need to be sedated for treatment.

So what can you do?

Start by looking at your pet’s

–Food, does it contain added sugar? Beware of alternative names for sugar such as sucrose, glucose, and fructose. If it does look to change to a brand that does not.

–Treats, a well know brand of dental stick contains high amounts of sugars and starch (that turns to sugar in the mouth), dental sticks are usually best avoided, natural chews like dried rabbit or goat ears, and pizzle sticks are a much better choice (but not rawhide).

Now let’s have a look at some products available and how to use them.

–Toothpaste in a tube or tub, usually available in beefy flavour. Use this at least 2-3 times a week but daily if possible. If your pet is happy use a toothbrush, pet toothbrushes have a more tapered head to allow you easier use on the molars at the back, they usually have 2 heads of different sizes. If your pet is not accepting of a regular brush try the fingerbrush, these can be silicone or gauze, the advantage of these is that your pet is less likely to want to chew your finger than a brush and you can feel where your brushing. You can also get toothwipes that do a similar job without the need for toothpaste. Do not use human toothpaste for your pets as most contain xylitol which is extremely harmful for pets.

-Plaque removing granules, made form dried granulated seaweed this is added as a topper to your pets food. These work in 2 ways, firstly the granules remain in the saliva and act as an abrasive to remove plaque, they also contain vitamins and minerals to support dental health.

-Orozyme Oral Hygiene Gel, containing a mild abrasive. in a tube like toothpaste, but works in a similar way to the seaweed granules. Wearing a vinyl glove for hygiene, rub a pea size amount of the gel to your pet’s teeth and gums.

-Sprays and foams, some can work like toothpaste with your pet licking to product around their teeth and gums while others act similar to a mouth wash reducing bacteria buildup, plaque, tartar and bad breath.

-Water additives, again these act similar to a mouth wash reducing bacteria buildup, plaque, and bad breath.

You can choose to use one product or a combination, it’s about what works for you and most importantly for your pet. Always read the label and instructions of any product to try.

Emmi-pet teeth cleaning.

This is something offered by many groomers, this is a great way to get you back on track if your pet’s dental hygiene has been a little lax and they starting to get some plaque and tartare accumulating. The Emmi-pet toothbrush uses ultrasound to soften any calculus build up making it easier to remove, your pet may need a series of treatments to be effective, (this type of treatment is only suitable if the enamel on the teeth is undamaged, you may be asked to consult your vet before any treatment commences). After an initial set of treatments you should book regular maintenance treatments every 4-8 weeks.

If you have any specific concerns about your pet’s teeth or gums always consult your vet.