Have you ever noticed bad breath in your dog? Have you seen stains and dirt on their teeth? If so, your dog has tartar buildup.
If you want information about this problem, some way to prevent it and above all to know some tips for removing tartar from dogs,follow reading this article on our site and discover the importance of your pet's oral he alth.
What is tartar and what types of dogs are more prone to it?
In the mouth of dogs it happens as in that of people and every day the teeth are filled with bacteria that form plaque. In addition to this plaque, various food remains that decompose and mineral s alts are added daily. Throughout the life of the animal, all of the above is accumulated and together it ends up forming calculi known as tartar Tartar accumulates mainly in the space between the gum and the tooth. From there it spreads and affects the rest of the oral structures, potentially leading to infections and secondary diseases.
When our dog already has tartar, it is impossible to get rid of it with diet and tooth brushing, so it is preferable to act preventivelyavoiding the formation of tartar. The only really effective way that offers a thorough solution to the problem is oral cleaning, like the one we do at the dentist, done by a professional veterinarian.
All dogs can get tartar, but some types of dog are more prone:
- In the small and toy breeds,tooth enamel is of poorer quality in addition to having smaller teeth and together, which makes normal cleaning difficult, so the tartar formation process occurs faster.
- The brachycephalic dogs, due to the shape of their skull and jaw, have their teeth very close together and this favors the formation of the scale and makes cleaning difficult.
- Regardless of their breed, dogs over 5 years old start to get tartar if we haven't been able to prevent it.
What consequences does tartar have on dogs?
There are many consequences that the accumulation of tartar has on the he alth of our dog. Here are the most direct and important ones:
- The first problem that occurs is bad breath or halitosis: Produces a bad odor in the dog's mouth that can sometimes be detected at a certain distance and it usually bothers a lot, but above all we have to think that it is a symptom of the formation of tartar and other possible diseases. Therefore, we must consult with the veterinarian and offer our furry friend some way to eliminate bad breath and prevent tartar.
- gingivitis is another problem caused by the formation of tartar in the mouth of our pets: The gums become red, inflamed and little by little they retract and leave the root of the tooth in the air. The fact that the root of the tooth is left uncovered causes the tooth bone to deteriorate and reabsorb, thus weakening the union of the tooth with the mandible or maxilla and facilitating the loss of this piece.
- La periodontal disease: If tartar is not prevented, it gives rise to periodontal disease, which begins with its formation. It frames gingivitis and halitosis and then advances the process towards the rest of the structures of the mouth (dental roots, palate, maxilla, mandible, etc). Finally, there is the loss of the affected teeth and the infection of the gums. These infections usually end in abscess formations that can continue advancing in the tissues of the mouth, finally affecting the eyes and nose of our pet. The only way to solve this disease is for our trusted veterinarian to professionally clean our dog's mouth in addition to administering antibiotic treatment.
- This series of dental problems in animals can lead to serious infections with the risk of death and can even lead toheart, kidney, intestinal and liver problems.
Can we prevent tartar in dogs?
As in the case of people, in our canine companions we can also prevent tartar and its consequences. How? Well, very similar to how we do it with our own mouth, following some oral hygiene guidelines.
It is very important that we try to prevent it, in this way we will avoid a period of pain, inflammation and bleeding of the gums, bad breath and difficulty eating and playing with his favorite toys for our dog.
We can prevent tartar with
- A daily brushing of our dog's teeth. It is very important to get them used as puppies to facilitate the process and choose the right type of toothbrush and toothpaste for each dog.
- Some toys, bones, biscuits and special feed that they can chew and thus keep their mouths clean for longer themselves. These rewards in the form of bones, feed, cookies, bars, strips and toys, are composed of abrasive elements for bacterial plaque that help remove tartar from the surface of the teeth.
- Good physical he alth will always help prevent possible infections. We will achieve this good physical he alth based on proper nutrition and physical exercise.
If we cannot prevent tartar and it still appears, we can still prevent periodontal disease. When we detect that there is an accumulation of tartar that is impossible to remove with normal brushing, we should go to our veterinarian to have our pet do a mouth cleaning. In case of already suffering from periodontal disease, our pet must also go through this oral cleaning process to be able to solve this disease.
This cleaning in animals must always be carried out under general anesthesia with an anesthesiologist, a veterinary assistant and a veterinarian who performs the professional cleaning of the mouth. With this process, the tartar will be removed with special instruments such as ultrasound, which breaks up the tartar without injuring the tooth enamel.
In cases of advanced periodontal disease, teeth are usually lost during the dental cleaning process, but not because of the cleaning action on the teeth, but because they are usually pieces that had already detached from the jaw or the jaw, but due to excess tartar they have remained attached instead of falling off. Since these pieces are no longer functional and are retained, they can lead to abscess formation and infection.
Also, it is very important as prevention that if we observe any of the following signs in our furry companion we take him to the vet:
- He scratches his face or mouth and at first glance there is nothing that could bother him.
- Excessive bad breath. It is important to know that halitosis is not only caused by tartar and periodontal disease. It will be vital that you go to the vet to rule out other possible diseases such as parasites, diabetes or kidney problems, among others.
- Stop eating or change eating and chewing habits.
- Profuse salivation.
- Loss of teeth without our realizing it.
- Depression: lack of desire to walk, play, eat, etc.
- Poor tooth quality with discoloration, breakage or splitting.
- Tartar along the edge of the gum.
- Swollen, red, bleeding gums.
- Lumps or polyps inside the mouth.
- Bumps under the eyes, where the snout begins.
Tips to prevent and remove tartar from your dog's teeth
Finally, from our site we want to give you some tips to help your dog's oral hygiene, prevent and remove tartar:
- Correct your dog's bad eating habits that can favor the formation of tartar. The main cause of tartar formation is excess homemade food and soft food such as pâtés. These types of foods stick very easily to the teeth and gums. Therefore, the best way to care for your mouth is dry food or feed that scratches the surface of the tooth with each bite, helping to clean it and leaving much less residue.
- Help your dog get used to daily tooth brushing from puppyhood. Much better if we do it every day, but it has been shown that with a minimum of three times a week, most dogs have enough to prevent tartar.
Below we tell you the simplest process to get your dog used to tooth brushing:
Since he was little, pass a sterile gauze wrapped around your finger over the surface of his teeth with a little water every day. Later he begins to show him the brush so that he becomes familiar with it. Then you can start using the brush instead of the sterile gauze and you can use special toothpaste for dogsSince they swallow it, it must be special for them and never the one that people use (above all, we must avoid fluoride, which is toxic to them), this way we will avoid many problems, including stomach ulcers.
In addition, there are various flavors of special toothpaste for them, which will make it easier to clean the mouth by offering a flavor that they like. Instead of toothpaste, you can use Chlorhexidine, which is sold in veterinary clinics and in some specialized stores. Chlorhexidine is the equivalent of our mouthwash that cleans, disinfects and softens the beginnings of tartar calculations and thus we can remove them more easily with the brush. Brushing your dog's teeth may not be very funny at first and it may be difficult, but patience will get used to it in the end. At first you can make the brushings shorter and gradually lengthen them.
- Buy or create special toys and prizes that, in addition to entertaining your pet, help keep his mouth he althy. For example, in the case of toys, those made with ropes are very practical. When dogs bite them, they clean their teeth in the same way as when we floss. In addition, cookies and other types of prizes that contain special products for the care of your dog's mouth will delight him.
- Professional mouth cleaning often ends up being necessary despite proper oral hygiene. As we have explained previously, the only difference with the cleaning that our dentist does for us is general anesthesia, which is essential in our pets since they will not sit still with their mouths open and thus we also avoid possible damage and completely unnecessary fears.
- Take advantage of general anesthesia. As we never like, rightly so, subjecting our furry ones to general anesthesia that may seem unnecessary to us, we recommend that professional mouth cleanings be attempted if possible at the same time as any other necessary operation. For example, as long as the vet does not see serious contraindications, if we plan to sterilize our dog we can use the same anesthesia to review dental hygiene.
