Try to think about the last time that you forgot to brush your teeth even for one day and how you felt at the office walking around with yesterday’s food still stuck between your teeth. It was certainly not a nice feeling and so now try to imagine how your dog feels because it doesn’t have the option of brushing its teeth and so it relies heavily on you to provide it with what it needs to keep teeth healthy. Many dog owners do not realise that their animals also suffer from gum inflammation and cavities and so this is why you need to do some research and find out the kinds of things that you should be giving your dog to help them maintain good oral hygiene.
If you want a good place to start then dental sticks for dogs are an excellent idea because not only will your dog love chewing and eating them but they also help to keep their teeth clean. Much like ourselves, plaque builds up on your dog’s teeth and over time, bacteria starts to gather and some of this can lead to tartar and if this enters the bloodstream then your dog could be in a lot of trouble medically. Here are some tips on how to brush your dog’s teeth:
1) Get a good quality toothbrush: A quality toothbrush is key for good oral hygiene. Make sure to get one that is specifically designed for dogs, as most brushes are not gentle enough for our furry friends’ teeth.
2) Wet the toothbrush before you start brushing: This will help remove any built-up plaque or residue on the bristles.
3) Brush in a circular motion: Brushing in a circular motion helps to clean all of the surfaces of the teeth and gums.
4) Be patient: It can take some time to get your dog used to being brushed regularly, but with patience and consistent effort you will be rewarded with gleaming canine teeth and gums!
You really shouldn’t have to be sold on the benefits of good oral hygiene for your furry friend but if you need a little bit more convincing then please read the following.
- It stops the loss of teeth – As humans, if we were to lose all of our teeth then we could invest in false teeth and while not ideal, this will help us to be able to chew our food and to live as normal a life as possible. Your dog certainly does not have this option and so you need to take care of its teeth when you can by having the right pet insurance because once a dog’s tooth needs to be pulled out, it has a more detrimental effect on its life because it relies on its teeth to chew.
- It stops internal organ damage – Things can get this bad when the plaque builds up on your dog’s teeth and so the bacteria from this enters the bloodstream and goes directly to the internal organs including the heart and liver. This can make your dog incredibly sick and so providing your dog with anything that allows them to keep their teeth clean is something that you should be doing.
Hopefully these two reasons can help you to make the right decision when it comes to the dental health of your dog.
