« Articles

A Dog Dental Care Program

Tess Thompson

A dog’s teeth and human teeth are different in structure and therefore use. At the same time, apart from the fact that dogs do not develop cavities and are more prone to develop tartar, dogs have to face nearly the same dental problems that humans have to struggle with.

Just as in humans, if you are not careful about dental care, your dog may be at a higher risk of developing dental problems like:

• Canine bad breath.
• Gingivitis or inflammation of the gums.
• Bacterial infection in the teeth.
• Abscesses, a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed gum tissue.
• A more serious disease that attacks the gum and the bone around the teeth, known as periodontitis.

Teeth and mouth infections can lead to tooth extraction. These infections can also enter the blood stream and attack vital organs elsewhere in the body. While a dog breath freshener may temporarily cure bad dog breath, only a proper dental care program can keep your dog’s teeth and gums in a fighting fit condition.

Canine dental care should ideally include the following:

• An oral examination when you take your dog to the veterinarian for regular checkups.
  • Oral examination includes examining the mouth, palate, tonsils and the surface of teeth and gums. The veterinarian will examine the face and palpate the soft areas to assess the salivary glands and lymph nodes. He may also check the symmetry of the head to assess any outward swellings that can indicate a dental infection or an abscess within the mouth.
• Regular scaling (cleaning) of tartar by a professional.
  • While many professional groomers undertake the job of scaling teeth, proper cleaning is possible only with the aid of an ultrasonic or a rotary device, similar to the one used by dentists to clean human teeth. This is done to remove tartar that has accumulated around the gums. As proper scaling is not possible while the animal is awake, and the veterinarian will have to use anesthesia, taking into consideration the size of the dog.
  • The teeth are polished after cleaning to remove scratches that may not be visible to the naked eye.
  • The veterinarian may also flush the mouth with a solution to kill bacteria and take X-rays to evaluate the health of teeth and gums.
• Follow up home care.
  • Brush your dog’s teeth regularly. This is very important for preventing dental diseases.
  • Check your dog’s mouth daily for any signs of tooth and gum disease like bad dog breath, reddened, swollen or bleeding gums, formation of tartar around the gums, or pain on touching the gums.

Your dog may be prone to develop tartar, which is practically the start of nearly all dental diseases. If you adopt a good dental care schedule, there is no reason why the dog should suffer from a dental problem.

Sources
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=517