Pet Dental Health: 4 Fascinating Facts!
Symptoms of Dental Health Problems in Dogs and Cats
By Susan Blake Davis, CCN, AskAriel.com
Whatâs fascinating about your petâs dental health? A lot more than you might think. Most of us donât spend a lot of time looking into our petâs mouths (could be a risky proposition with some pets) and all we see is the few shiny teeth upfront. Itâs easy to overlook the âbehind-the-scenesââŹďż˝ drama inside our petâs mouths. That is why it is so important to have your petâs teeth and gums checked regularly. Taking care of your petâs teeth can increase the quality of their lives and lengthen their time with you.
Fascinating Fact #1: Feeding Crunchy Dry Food Does Not Prevent Pet Dental Problems
There is a misnomer that if you give your pet crunchy hard food that this will prevent tartar and tooth decay. This is not necessarily soâŚâŚas what lies in many commercial crunchy foods is often grains, fillers, preservatives and chemicals that your pet canât digest. While factors such as breed and age can definitely affect pet dental health, what is most important is the quality of the food you give your pet. Are you using a food that contains corn, wheat gluten and other grains? Does your petâs food contain byproducts and chemicals? Does your petâs food contain fresh ingredients such as vegetables or omega 3s? These are the types of considerations that will affect your petâs dental health. Why? The health of your petâs mouth, teeth and gums is greatly affected by the food you give them. If your pet is eating foods that cause digestive upset or acid stomach, then chances are this will be reflected in your petâs mouth and breath. Saliva is a core part of tartar accumulation and acidic saliva can result in acid erosion of the teeth.
Fascinating Fact #2 Procrastination Spells âMoney PitââŹďż˝ -- The Longer You Wait, The More It Costs
Taking care of your petâs teeth and gums needs to be part of your overall pet health budget just like bringing your pet in for annual exams. Did you know that the health of a petâs teeth can affect their longevity and that dental disease can lead to heart disease, immune system issues and potentially impact your petâs major organs such as the kidneys and liver. In addition to getting a regular dental checkup and treatments for your petâs teeth, there are some natural supplements that can help protect your petâs mouth and gums. Using a multi-strain probiotic such asPower Probiotic for Pets and a basic digestive enzyme such as Lypozyme can help keep your petâs mouth and digestive tract healthy. Also, if your pet has acid stomach (digestive noises, excessive grass eating), Gastro ULC provides effective relief which should also help your petâs saliva.
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Fascinating Fact #3---Getting Your Petâs Teeth Cleaned Doesnât Always Require Anesthesia
Many holistic-minded pet owners are looking for natural alternatives to take care of their petâs dental health. Anesthesia-free dental cleaning is available at many veterinary hospitals---often, you just need to ask for it. Anesthesia-free dental cleaning is a great option for regular dental care of your petâs teeth provided your pet is cooperative. Having the procedure done at a veterinary hospital is recommended to ensure that if problem areas are detected, a veterinarian can look at your petâs teeth and gums and determine the best course of action. If you havenât had your petâs teeth cleaned in a long time, most likely your pet is not a good candidate for anesthesia-free cleaning. But, after you have the initial teeth cleaning done with anesthesia, be sure to speak to your veterinarian about then getting on an anesthesia-free program in the future.
Fascinating Fact #4---Your Petâs Mouth Could Be More Similar to a Septic jungle Than A Rose Garden
Behind those white teeth in the front, could be a jungle of inflammation and infection. Bacteria and plaque accumulate, leading to bad breath, inflamed gums, abscesses and other dental problems. It is quite common for a veterinarian to open your petâs mouth and find pus, broken, cracked and loose teeth along with severe tartar. While dental disease starts In your petâs mouth, it comes to the forefront when our pets reach their senior years. The bacteria in your petâs mouth are carried to all parts of their body through the bloodstream and filtered through their organs. Years of buildup are especially hard on senior pets as their immune systems arenât as strong and the bacteria can lead to other serious health problems.
Itâs important to put your petâs dental health on your schedule. Be sure to check with your veterinarianâs office to see when they might have a special for dental care and plan ahead.
Whatâs fascinating about your petâs dental health? A lot more than you might think. Most of us donât spend a lot of time looking into our petâs mouths (could be a risky proposition with some pets) and all we see is the few shiny teeth upfront. Itâs easy to overlook the âbehind-the-scenesââŹďż˝ drama inside our petâs mouths. That is why it is so important to have your petâs teeth and gums checked regularly. Taking care of your petâs teeth can increase the quality of their lives and lengthen their time with you.
Fascinating Fact #1: Feeding Crunchy Dry Food Does Not Prevent Pet Dental Problems
There is a misnomer that if you give your pet crunchy hard food that this will prevent tartar and tooth decay. This is not necessarily soâŚâŚas what lies in many commercial crunchy foods is often grains, fillers, preservatives and chemicals that your pet canât digest. While factors such as breed and age can definitely affect pet dental health, what is most important is the quality of the food you give your pet. Are you using a food that contains corn, wheat gluten and other grains? Does your petâs food contain byproducts and chemicals? Does your petâs food contain fresh ingredients such as vegetables or omega 3s? These are the types of considerations that will affect your petâs dental health. Why? The health of your petâs mouth, teeth and gums is greatly affected by the food you give them. If your pet is eating foods that cause digestive upset or acid stomach, then chances are this will be reflected in your petâs mouth and breath. Saliva is a core part of tartar accumulation and acidic saliva can result in acid erosion of the teeth.
Fascinating Fact #2 Procrastination Spells âMoney PitââŹďż˝ -- The Longer You Wait, The More It Costs
Taking care of your petâs teeth and gums needs to be part of your overall pet health budget just like bringing your pet in for annual exams. Did you know that the health of a petâs teeth can affect their longevity and that dental disease can lead to heart disease, immune system issues and potentially impact your petâs major organs such as the kidneys and liver. In addition to getting a regular dental checkup and treatments for your petâs teeth, there are some natural supplements that can help protect your petâs mouth and gums. Using a multi-strain probiotic such asPower Probiotic for Pets and a basic digestive enzyme such as Lypozyme can help keep your petâs mouth and digestive tract healthy. Also, if your pet has acid stomach (digestive noises, excessive grass eating), Gastro ULC provides effective relief which should also help your petâs saliva.
Fascinating Fact #3---Getting Your Petâs Teeth Cleaned Doesnât Always Require Anesthesia
Many holistic-minded pet owners are looking for natural alternatives to take care of their petâs dental health. Anesthesia-free dental cleaning is available at many veterinary hospitals---often, you just need to ask for it. Anesthesia-free dental cleaning is a great option for regular dental care of your petâs teeth provided your pet is cooperative. Having the procedure done at a veterinary hospital is recommended to ensure that if problem areas are detected, a veterinarian can look at your petâs teeth and gums and determine the best course of action. If you havenât had your petâs teeth cleaned in a long time, most likely your pet is not a good candidate for anesthesia-free cleaning. But, after you have the initial teeth cleaning done with anesthesia, be sure to speak to your veterinarian about then getting on an anesthesia-free program in the future.
Fascinating Fact #4---Your Petâs Mouth Could Be More Similar to a Septic jungle Than A Rose Garden
Behind those white teeth in the front, could be a jungle of inflammation and infection. Bacteria and plaque accumulate, leading to bad breath, inflamed gums, abscesses and other dental problems. It is quite common for a veterinarian to open your petâs mouth and find pus, broken, cracked and loose teeth along with severe tartar. While dental disease starts In your petâs mouth, it comes to the forefront when our pets reach their senior years. The bacteria in your petâs mouth are carried to all parts of their body through the bloodstream and filtered through their organs. Years of buildup are especially hard on senior pets as their immune systems arenât as strong and the bacteria can lead to other serious health problems.
Itâs important to put your petâs dental health on your schedule. Be sure to check with your veterinarianâs office to see when they might have a special for dental care and plan ahead.