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February is Pet Dental Health Month. You may hear a lot about the importance of dental health from your veterinarian during this time and, (of course!) a healthy and pain-free mouth is important every day. Pet parents who provide daily dental care can prevent dental disease such as periodontal disease, stop early active periodontal disease, and find\/treat abnormalities in the mouth much sooner!<\/p>\n
This blog will be p<\/span><\/span>resented in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>3 section<\/span><\/span>s:\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n You may be thinking, \u201cI\u2019ve had dogs and cats my whole life, and they\u2019ve never needed to have their teeth brushed!\u201d Yes! And over time,<\/span>\u00a0facets of\u00a0<\/span>pet<\/span> care have evolved and improved. For example, we now feed nutritionally balanced food to pets. A hundred years ago, however, pets foraged for leftovers or garbage. That change in diet alone has lengthened our pets’ lives. Daily dental care is one of these important areas of care like diet, exercise, veterinary care, and wellness that can increase the time we have with our beloved animal family members.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dental disease has always existed – since the invention of teeth! But our furry family members hide pain because they have a strong evolutionary drive to do so. There may be clues pointing toward hidden dental pain<\/a>, but pet owners\u00a0<\/span>have to<\/span>\u00a0know what to look for. <\/span><\/p>\n Signs of dental disease can include:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Eating or having a good appetite does not indicate the presence or absence of dental pain, because our pets are still hungry and will eat to survive, even if they\u2019re in pain. Sometimes, a pet has dental disease and shows no symptoms at all.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n You may be thinking,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>My groomer brushes\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Fluffy\u2019s<\/span><\/span> teeth each month.\u201d That\u2019s great! But imagine if you waited until your barber or hairstylist brushed your teeth? Or if you didn\u2019t brush your teeth until you were an adult? How does it feel when you\u2019re traveling and forget your toothbrush? (I bet you just ran your tongue over the surface of your front teeth.)\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The goal of daily dental health care for your pet is to remove dental plaque (sticky, white-grayish film) off the surface of the teeth and to examine your pet\u2019s mouth. A daily oral examination allows you to notice subtle and sudden changes to the lips, teeth, gums, tongue, or differences in behavior from day to day.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I<\/span><\/span>f you have a puppy or kitten,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0daily\u00a0<\/span><\/span>dental care starts within days of welcoming <\/span><\/span>him or her home<\/span><\/span>. Daily home dental care is just like all the other teaching and learning needed for new furry family members: sit, stay, walk on a leash, keep off the counters, and \u201chere is where\u00a0<\/span><\/span>you<\/span><\/span>\u00a0potty.\u201d Daily dental care involves training and learning new habits.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If your pet has just had a professional dental cleaning<\/span><\/span>\u00a0by your veterinary clinic staff \u2013 it’s the perfect time to start at-home dental care. After the oral exam, full mouth dental x-rays<\/a>, and scaling and polishing, your fur baby will have clean, shiny teeth with a healthy mouth. Get started with an at-home program and keep them that way! Follow your veterinarian\u2019s specific recommendations, especially if extractions or other therapies were performed.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a puppy or kitten, and it’s been a while since your pet\u2019s teeth cleaning<\/span><\/span>, his or her mouth may be painful. A whopping 70% of cats and 80% of dogs already have periodontal disease \u2013 by the time they\u2019re only two years old! Before starting dental care for an adult or elderly pet, make an appointment with your vet. If your pet already has tartar accumulation, bad breath, or any of the bulleted signs above, he or she will probably need professional teeth cleaning before beginning a dental home care program. <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Know that some pets will never tolerate or allow tooth brushing. Do not endanger yourself or your hands! If you can\u2019t provide at-home care, keep in mind that your pet may require more frequent professional veterinary dental care.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nPart I: Why and How Should I Provide At-Home Dental Care?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Why\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Should I Provide At-Home Dental Care<\/span><\/span>?<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n
1. It can <\/span><\/b>lengthen<\/span><\/b>\u00a0your pet\u2019s life.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
2. It can decrease the likelihood that your pet is living with pain.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Your pet needs dental care to be healthy, just like you do!<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n
4. Looking in your pet\u2019s mouth every day helps you notice changes.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
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<\/p>\nHow Should I Provide At-Home Dental Care?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
The Best Time to Start…<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n
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