Keeping your dog or (and cat’s) teeth and gums healthy goes such a long way to prevent not only bad breath, periodontal disease, and an uncomfortable or even painful mouth, but also more serious chronic conditions such as kidney disease, liver disease, heart conditions and even joint problems.

A healthy canine (or feline) mouth is teaming with bacteria – most of which are normal and natural. It is important to control plaque buildup in order to ensure most of this bacteria are healthy bacteria.

Plaque is a mixture of bacteria, saliva components, and remnants of epithelial cells and white blood cells along with some broken down food particles. It is sticky and should be removed from the teeth daily. When not removed plaque becomes tartar (or calculus) as mineral deposits and organic material build up and harden on the teeth. Tartar generally looks like a yellow-brown layer on the teeth near the gum line. As plaque and tartar build on the teeth, the balance of healthy bacteria is thrown off and the opportunity for disease arises. As the tartar builds up under the gums they become inflamed and sore. Slowly the gums begin to separate from the teeth and recede. Plaque builds even more rapidly in the upper, softer part of the teeth and infection begins. The bacteria and toxins are natually, absorbed into the blood stream where they circulate and begin to build in kidney, liver, and heart tissue. The toxins released can even affect brain tissue. The inflammatory process involved can also aggravate deteriorating joints.

Sound scary? GOOD! This is all easily preventable! A combination of teeth brushing, proper diet will go a long way to maintaining your companion’s overall health and extending their life expectancy.

I can not stress enough just how important proper nutrition is in the role of dental health. The healthier the animal, the better the immune system. A meat based diet is essential as meat helps maintain a healthier mouth environment.

The dog at your feet (or on your sofa) has decended from the wolf, and its digestive system is virtually the same despite thousands of years of domestication. They have very short intestinal tracts geared to the consumption and digestion of raw foods.

"Commercially prepared kibble has become the standard diet for most pets in our culture. It is relatively cheap and quite convenient. Knowledgeable guardians and many veterinarians, however, are becoming increasingly aware of the true nutritional needs of companion animals and are taking a proactive approach to nutrition by choosing quality of ingredients and carefully controlled preparation over cost and convenience. For most dogs and cats, a home-prepared raw food diet is best. It contains natural enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants and vitamins and minerals in their most natural state making them more digestible and more easily assimilated. Heat is the number one enemy of nutrients in food. The fresher the food, the more bioavailable the nutrients in that food will be. This means that the antioxidants in the fruits and vegetables listed in the ingredients will be far more likely to be intact and digestible in raw food than dry kibble or canned food, (which are processed at high temperatures). This holds true for natural enzymes, probiotics, amino acids and vitamins and minerals as well." Dr. Larry Siegler

And, the eating of kibble and biscuits (usually grain based) generally leaves behind small bits of food material that easily stick to the teeth and contribute to plaque buildup. (Those commercials that showed the dog eating a bone-shaped biscuit followed by a big smile with sparkling white teeth were convincing – but fantasy).

While some veterinarians or veterinary dentists still recommend dental "treats", many of them are now exclucing "Greenies". Dr Holmstrom recently said in a news story for the San Francisco Chonicle, " Greenies can cause obstructions if they're not the right size for the dog and if they're not fully chewed".

Okay then, lets talk about brushing out dog's teeth. Oh, I know, I can hear it now! Your saying things like "I don't have the time". My dog does not like me to mess with his mouth, etc. Come on people, you are this animal's guardian and surely you do not want to have to take them in to the Vets and have them anestitized to have thier teeth cleaned do you? This is not a safe or inexpensive prodcedure and you will still have to learn to care for your dog's teeth through out the rest of year until your vet tells you to have them cleaned again.

Daily brushing is important - at a minimum every other day if your pet is also getting good dental exercise. If you’ve never brushed your companion’s teeth before, go SLOWLY. First get them accustomed to letting you look in their mouth a bit, then just massage the gums with your finger a little, eventually brush one or two teeth, and keep working day by day until you can brush the whole mouth. Plaque tends to build most on the upper teeth and in the front of the mouth, so be sure to focus some time there. Be patient – it may take over a month to get them used to it. It is TIME WELL SPENT!

Dental Exercise?

Chewing on hard food such as raw bones and treats such as tendons, bully sticks or other the orginal Nyla Bones (all under supervision) helps exercise the teeth and gums and even helps scrape off plaque, helping to prevent tartar buildup. If you do not feed raw raw meat and bones to your pets, I recommed chicken necks for smaller animals and turkey necks for larger breed dogs. (Remember – poultry bones do not splinter when raw.) for starters and a treat a couple times a week. Most of us raw feeders also provide knuckle bones, Marrow/soup bones or oxtails for healthy chewing exercise. Let your dog chew on one of these raw bones for about 45 mins at a time and then place into a plastic bag and freeze it till the next time. (Give them one of these raw bones at least twice a week). They can chew on them several times before you need to replace it with a new one.

I have a couple of older dogs who's teeth still look like white puppy teeth. Since I feed a raw meat and bones diet, I do not even have to brush thier teeth! For those that do not want to feed a raw meat and bone diet, you owe it to your dog to at least give it a knuckle or marrow bone a couple of times a week and brush it's teeth every other day. Some veterinarains often recommend tendon chews and bully sticks to be useful in Dental exercise as well but please do supervise your dog's chewing of them and NEVER give rawhide or cooked/smoked bones.

Please, check your pet's mouth regularly. If problems are caught early enough, it may be possible to scrape the tartar off of some dog's teeth without general anesthesia. Supplementing with Vitamin C and CoEnzyme Q10 can help promote the health and healing of gum tissue as well. If your veterinarian should find advanced periodontal disease, please consider the overall benefits of having a dental procedure performed. blood tests should be performed to determine if they are well enough to undergo anesthesia whether it is a puppy or senior.

Home dental care can be the best gift you can give your canine (or feline) companion. It requires a little more time on your part, but goes such a long way to preventing disease and discomfort that it is quite well worth it. Considering the cost and stress involved for your companion of a dental procedure by a veterinarian, it is a very wise investment.

Resources

British Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP 1995 36, 542-546)

Dr Jane Bicks HealthyPetNet.com

Dr. Larry Siegler onlynaturalpet.com

www.avdc.org, American Veterinary Dental College

www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vsr/dentistry/default_den.htm, UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital