Dog Dental Care

What You Need to Know About the Importance of Your Dog’s Dental Health

How does dental health impact the overall health of my dog?

Your dog’s dental health is very important to their overall health. Just like in humans, good dental hygiene leads to no pain in the mouth and a good overall quality of life.

How can I care for my dog’s teeth at home?

At home, you can give your dog some dental chews. Greenies are popular, but we also have Oravet, which helps reduce tartar and helps freshen their breath. There are also dog toothbrushes and even finger toothbrushes, and you can use enzymatic toothpaste to brush your dog’s teeth daily. Furthermore, there are also dental rinses and pads that you can use to clean your dog’s teeth.

What are some signs and symptoms of dental disease in dogs?

In dogs, you will see tarter, which manifests as browning of the teeth. You might notice bad breath from your dog. They could be painful while eating or chewing, or you could even notice that they’re just more irritable. That could be how they express that they’re painful in their mouth.

What are some of the common dental diseases in dogs?

Some of the most common dental diseases that I see in my clinic include gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums, and periodontal disease. Sometimes we see cysts or tumors in the mouth, but we can also see infections or abscesses in the mouth or teeth.

Why is early detection and diagnosis of dental disease so important?

Early diagnosis of dental disease is so important for your dog to maintain clean and healthy teeth. It also leads to an overall good quality of life. It also helps avoid extractions of the teeth when we keep the teeth as healthy as possible, especially when we start when they’re young. It also keeps their breath fresh, and most importantly, it keeps your pet comfortable and free from pain in their mouth.

How often should my dog’s teeth be checked?

Your dog’s teeth should be checked at least yearly by your veterinarian. I will do a thorough dental and oral exam at every pet’s annual exam to check the health of the teeth. I recommend a dental cleaning when I think it’s necessary.

What is a professional dental cleaning like for a dog?

That’s a great question. When I recommend a dental cleaning for a dog, I’ve already done a thorough exam of the mouth, but also a thorough exam of the dog to ensure that they are healthy for the procedure. I also do blood work before every dental cleaning because they go under anesthesia. I want your pet to be otherwise systemically healthy. After an exam and blood work, your dog could come in for a dental cleaning. Again, they go under anesthesia for the cleaning so that it is appropriate and thorough. Once they’re under anesthesia, we take x-rays of all of their teeth to assess the gum and teeth health to see if any extractions are needed. Then we clean, polish, and scale all teeth and perform any extractions during a dental cleaning.

If clients have more questions regarding dog dentistry, what should they do?

If any further questions, you should definitely give us a call and schedule an appointment. I would love to see your pet, discuss dental care, and schedule a dental cleaning if needed. Our number is 718.777.5452.

If you still have other questions and you’d like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at 718.777.5452, or you can email us at hello@modernvetcare.com. But please do reach out, and we’ll get back to you as fast as we can. Don’t forget to follow us on social media.

Dog Dental Care – FAQs

How often should I brush my dog's teeth?

That is a great question. We ideally recommend daily, just like a human. Your dentist recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day, but it would be good to brush your dog’s teeth once a day. I do know that it is difficult with some of these dogs, so even just a few times a week is very good. There are also dog dental chews that you can give on those days that you might miss brushing their teeth.

Are there any tips for making brushing a dog's teeth easier?

Ideally, starting when they are young puppies to get them used to the sensation of brushing their teeth is usually recommended. You can use either a finger toothbrush or a more regular-looking toothbrush to brush their teeth. If you have an older dog, you’ll know that you should get them used to the sensation by starting slow and using products that they might like. There are different enzymatic toothpaste with different flavors. This one happens to be chicken flavored, so they might like a particular flavor of toothpaste or treat that you can use to get them used to the sensation.

What products should I use to brush my dog's teeth?

I just showed some products I like to recommend and use on my own pets, but the enzymatic toothpaste is really good. Again, there are multiple different types of flavors out there. There are also dental rinses that you can use to rub with a pad on the teeth to remove some of the plaque. There are also dental chews, like greenies or Oravet chews, that aim to reduce the plaque on the teeth and help freshen breath.

Can I use human toothpaste on my dog?

I would not recommend using human toothpaste on your dog. Some toothpaste can contain harmful chemicals that could potentially be poisonous to your dog. There is veterinary toothpaste out there that is recommended and tested on dogs, and they also have a bit of a better flavor that they might like instead of the minty flavor that human toothpaste has.

Do I still need to brush my dog's teeth if I give them Greenies?

I would still recommend brushing your dog’s teeth, even if you give them Greenies. Even once daily or a few times a week, brushing the teeth is good to help reduce the tarter off of the teeth.

Can dogs get cavities?

Yes. Dogs can get cavities just like humans. They can also get infections or abscesses in the mouth. So it’s very important to stay on top of your dog’s dental health to avoid any complications or pain.

If clients have more questions regarding home dental care for their dog, what should they do?

If you have questions regarding home dental care for your dog, please give us a call. We want to ensure that your dog is healthy and good dental care goes a long way in doing that. So please give us a call and schedule an appointment. We will be happy to see you and your dog.