Dental care is a valuable part of your dog's oral care routine. If good oral hygiene is not kept up on a regular basis, periodontal disease will likely recur and cause problems for your pet. Here at Woodward, we recommend regular checkups every six months alongside home dental care.
At Woodward Veterinary Practice, we propose that your dog’s dental hygiene is just as important as any other routine and preventative treatment. Just like humans, dogs can develop a build-up of tartar, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.
We encourage regular home dental care and appropriate tooth cleaning diets, including regular dental checks every six months. Brushing your dog’s teeth once or twice a day is the best option for good oral hygiene. We additionally have products such as liquids to add to their water to help reduce plaque build-up and reduce bad breath (halitosis), as well as veterinary dental diets. Here at Woodward Veterinary Practice, we are more than happy to discuss these different products, diets and dental treatment options that may be of interest to you at the surgery and answer any questions you may have.
Symptoms of Dog Dental Disease
Dogs are very good at hiding signs of oral pain and dental disease. Some dogs with severe dental disease, including root exposure, severe gingivitis (inflammation of the gums), and tooth root infections, will continue to eat, showing only subtle signs that something is wrong. This can result in a dog having multiple teeth extracted at one time as opposed to one tooth extraction. Buildup of plaque and tarter will not be removed by teeth brushing alone, if this is already present, the best action for this is a scale and polish to remove this, followed by tooth brushing to prevent the buildup occurring again. A general anaesthesia is required for all dental procedures, however, having a routine scale and polish carried out to prevent dental disease from progressing is a hugely reduced anaesthetic time compared to multiple extractions being carried out.
Is Your Dog Showing Signs Of Dental Disease?
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Bad breath (halitosis)
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Noticeable tartar build up on teeth
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Red or inflamed gums (Gingivitis)
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Discoloured teeth
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Drooling
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Loose teeth
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Bleeding from the mouth
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Reluctance to eat
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Chewing on one side of the mouth
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Dropping food from the mouth when eating
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Swelling around the mouth (from potential root abscesses)
How Dental Disease Can Be Prevented in Dogs
The best way to maintain healthy teeth is to brush your dog’s teeth daily. This is easiest to start when your dog is younger but can be introduced at any age. It is also beneficial to have a scale and polish performed regularly to clean their teeth thoroughly. This is similar to the treatment we would receive from a dental hygienist. These are done under a short general anaesthetic as dogs won’t sit in one position for a prolonged period and we must ensure their safety and the team’s safety when in the vicinity of sharp teeth!
If you need help and advice on introducing daily brushing to your dog, the team at Woodward Veterinary Practice is happy to help, just ask for more details at the surgery.
Why Does Dog Dental Disease Occur?
Food and saliva that is left behind on the teeth will form plaque on the tooth. Plaque is soft and can be removed by brushing or using alternative dental products. If not removed, the plaque will harden forming tartar, which is difficult to remove without dentistry intervention. If tartar is not removed (normally via the scale and polish procedure) then bacteria will spread below the gumline, causing red sore gums. This is called gingivitis and periodontitis, which in turn can lead to lose teeth, infection of the tooth root and jawbone infections.
Veterinary Care in Ashby
Call us on 01530 412035