How To Protect Your Dog From Periodontal Disease

Most dog owners are very responsible and therefore take a lot of trouble to make sure their pet is healthy and happy. They take care to choose good food for him, take care of pests and parasites like fleas, ticks and worms and make sure their pet looks and feels good by grooming and bathing him. It is a little surprising to learn, therefore, that a lot of dogs suffer from periodontal disease because their owners do not take care of dental hygiene for their pets alongside all the other care they give them.

As in people, dental plaque that forms on teeth only takes a couple of days to begin to harden. So for any dog, a daily teeth clean is going to help to dramatically reduce plaque and tartar build up. It only takes a moment to deal with this and it is so simple and inexpensive to do. Why not start today, after your dog has eaten his main meal of the day?

Introducing Your Dog To Having His Teeth Cleaned

It is really easy to get your dog used to the idea of having his teeth cleaned. Special dog toothpastes are available and these are non-foaming, they work on an enzyme basis so it doesn’t matter if your pet swallows it. Just dab a little on your finger and let your dog lick it off – dog toothpastes are specially made to appeal to his tastebuds and if he doesn’t like one variety, you are sure to soon discover a brand that he really loves. Once you are sure he is happy with this, the next day you can rub your finger over his gums with a little bit of toothpaste on your fingertip. After he is accepting this happily, it is easy to move onto using either a finger brush if you have a small dog or a longer handled brush for reaching the back molars of a large dog.

Of course, the easiest way to introduce any dog to having his teeth cleaned is to start when he is a puppy. But even if you didn’t do this with your own dog, it is never too late to start and if he has had his teeth cleaned by a Vet and all the tartar buildup has been removed, you owe it to your dog (and will save yourself future expense with a repeat procedure), if you start cleaning his teeth regularly.

In between brushings, there are a wide variety of aids to keeping your dog’s teeth and gums in tip-top condition. There are special dog foods which ‘crack’ off any tartar. There are dog chews and dental health toys too. So give it a go and let your pet enjoy some of these chews and toys too.

It is well worth persevering with cleaning your dog’s teeth. It might not be easy at first, especially with an adult dog who has never had his teeth cleaned before. But every owner wants to do their very best for their pet and preventing dental disease is something that anyone who has ever suffered toothache themselves, should be keen to do for their animals.

Spot Other Dental Health Problems Early

Brushing teeth also enables you to inspect your dog's mouth evey day and may help you to spot problems early. In addition, prevention of periodontal disease will not only save your dog from a lot of unnecessary discomfort, it could also save you a big bill from your Vet as well!

Find out more about protecting your dog from tooth and gum disease by visiting the hubpages article I have written on the topic which explains in greater depth what to do and what to look for to ensure your dog has healthy teeth and gums for life. Visit the article here http://hubpages.com/animals/How-To-Protect-Your-Dog-From-Tooth-and-Gum-Disease

In addition to protecting your dog against the pain of toothache and from horrible smelling breath, you could also be helping to prevent other, serious problems caused by the toxins from decayed teeth and diseased gums that can get into the blood and cause damage to other internal organs, especially the heart and circulatory system.