Animal Care: Keeping Your Pet’s Teeth Healthy and Clean

Simple tips for keeping your pet’s teeth in tip top shape.

It is no secret that proper hygiene and personal grooming are essential for all people to stay healthy and clean. Between doctors check-ups, personal physicals, dentist cleanings and eye care appointments, there are many different steps that humans must take in order to ensure that we are leading a healthy and happy lifestyle.

Just like with people, pets also require a proper amount of grooming and maintenance to look and feel their best. And while many pet owners will practice typical pet hygiene routines such as bathing and brushing, very few understand that taking care of our pet’s teeth requires just as much care and attention as we put into our own mouths.

Because pets are not able to brush their teeth themselves, it is very easy for plaque and tartar to build up in their mouths. In fact, many cats and dogs show significant signs of gum disease as young as four years old because of the fact that they are not provided with proper mouth care.

Depending on the type of food that your pet eats and just how much chewing they do on a regular basis, they can suffer from various kinds of dental problems just like humans can. Some of these problems may include severe pain, gum infections and even tooth loss if proper preventative steps are not taken.

Luckily, there are several simple ways to insure that your furry friend does not fall victim to any of these painful problems. First, it is important to understand the basics of pet tooth care and learn the different steps that you can take to ensure that their teeth are in tip top shape.

Keep A Healthy Diet

One of the best ways to ensure that your pet maintains proper dental health is to feed them a high-quality diet that is high and fiber and promotes strong teeth. Many reputable pet food companies, including PetAg, sell various pet nutritional supplements and treats which aid in the control of tartar and calculus―nutrients that are essential for healthy teeth and gums.

Schedule Regular Vet Exams

Just as it is important for humans to have regular dental exams, cats and dogs also benefit from dental exams and cleanings. Every six months, your veterinarian should exam your pets teeth and gums to ensure that dental care is not neglected. This will help to make sure that no harmful bacteria from your pet’s mouth enters their bloodstream, which can cause various health problems including heart disease and kidney infections.

Provide Yummy Chew Toys

While many pet owners provide their furry friends with chew toys to satisfy their natural urge to chomp and chew, many do not realize that these yummy treats are actually making their teeth nice and strong. In addition, Rawhide chew toys can help to massage the gums and keep your pet’s teeth clean by scraping away soft tartar.

Practice Regular Brushing

You should get you pets used to the idea of having their teeth brushed early on so that it can become an enjoyable part of their healthcare routine. Start by massaging their lips with your fingers in a circular motion, then move on to their teeth and gums. Once they become open and welcome to the routine, begin applying pet-safe toothpaste to your fingers for a gentle brushing. You should brush your pets teeth at least twice a week to maintain proper dental health.

Just as teeth cleanings and regular brushing is important for humans, providing your pet with a healthy diet, plenty of chew toys and a proper brushing routine can go a long way in maintaining their health and happiness for many years to come.

Image: Source