How to Optimise your Dog’s Oral Health
Good teeth can promote good health in your dog, so it’s vital that their teeth, gums and mouth are as healthy as possible. It’s also important not to leave your pooch’s dental health in the hands of the vet that you only see once or twice a year – being proactive when it comes to their teeth will help them greatly.
Therefore we thought we’d compile some tips for how you can help your furry friend’s teeth so that they have a long and happy life. You should also notice a dramatic improvement in their breath, too, which will be a good sign that their oral health and hygiene levels are getting better.
Give them chew toys
One of the simplest ways to improve your dog’s oral health is to give them dentist-approved chew toys for them to play with. Look for rope-based toys and items with ridges that will help scrape away plaque and tartar build up as they enjoy themselves. You can get some dental friendly dog toys quite cheaply, too.
Give them other fun things to chew that will also help their health in general, such as crunchy raw fruit and vegetables like apples, carrots and broccoli. This will work in the same way as the tough; crunchiness will help scrape some of the build up on their teeth, as well as being a healthy alternative to sugary treats.
Keep an eye on their diet
Optimising their diet so that it is really healthy will be useful for their teeth as well as their general health. Ensure that any health problems are solved as swiftly as possible – you can even get prescriptions for pets online – so that your pooch has no problem eating and digesting the foods that will make them healthy and happy.
Avoid always opting for the cheapest dog food available as these brands usually contain the most sugar. Get clued up on ways in which food manufacturers are labelling sugar in the ingredients too; they may use words such as glucose, fructose and molasses to disguise this pesky additive.
Brush their teeth regularly
Just like our teeth, the best thing you can do for your dog’s teeth is to brush them regularly with high quality products. This may take some getting used to for both you and your pooch, but if you are consistent and patient, it should not be a problem for too long. Ease them in to the process by familiarising them with your hands being near your mouth. As they get more comfortable, bring in the tooth brush, and when are ok with this, add some toothpaste to it.
Some pet experts advise brushing their teeth daily, but a few times a week should be ok if you are taking other steps to look after them, too. If you don’t brush them daily, ensure that when you do brush that you are thorough and spend time on both the teeth and gums, just like you would when brushing your own teeth.
I hope you all enjoyed reading the article and hopefully I will be able to get more informative/educational posts up on a once a month basis.
Many thanks to Laura Barns and Vet Medic Pharmacy.
