5 Proper Oral Hygiene Tips for Your Pets

When you have a new pet you’ll find yourself with a lot on your hands all of a sudden, from bonding, training to feeding. If it’s a pup and the teeth are really small oral hygiene might not be on the top of the list. However, proper oral hygiene is one of the best ways of safeguarding a pet from various dental and oral diseases now and in the future. Establishing a proper dental hygiene for your pet prevents him, (her) from going through expensive and uncomfortable surgery in future after a period of suffering without your knowledge. Here are tips on proper oral hygiene for your pet.

1. How is the breath?

The last thing you want to ignore is some bad or foul scent from your pet’s mouth. In most cases it’s a red flag the feline or canine has an oral or periodontal disease. Stomatitis among other oral diseases afflicts pets a lot, causing painful inflammation on mouth tissues and gums. There’re other warning signs to check, such as brown or yellow teeth, mouth pawning, missing or loose teeth and bleeding gums. If left unattended the bad breath worsens and could lead to serious tooth decay or gum disease.

2. Brushing of the teeth

It’s definitely really hard at the beginning but if you can use delicious rewards and a lot of patience you can easily brush the teeth of your cat or dog. This can also become a very important bonding experience for both of you. A number of weeks might fly by as you teach your pet to agree and allow a toothbrush into their mouth. You could begin by ensuring they have smelled the pet toothpaste and toothbrush before brushing for about half a minute on either side of the mouth. Avoid using the normal toothpaste that you use; it’s dangerous to pets. Buy a toothpaste and toothbrush approved for pet use. In case this doesn’t work and the cat or dog seems ready to bite, find other ways of controlling tartar from the veterinary.

3. Think about pet dental exam

Just like you approach a doctor for dental exam occasionally, even your pet should have their gums and teeth examined by a qualified veterinarian. Remember to have the cat or dog’s medical history with you, including info on such signs as gum bleeding or bad breath. Don’t forget to have the pet examined, including the neck and head to look for abnormalities. The pet will also be checked for inflammation, bleeding or redness of the gums and teeth, as well as tartar, plaque, cracked teeth and tooth loss plus lethal cancerous bumps or lumps. Sometimes sedation is not needed for cursory mouth examination unless the pet has painful teeth and turns aggressive anytime they’re touched.

4. Mind the diet

Ensure the dental and oral health of your pet is well catered for by giving a second thought to what you’re feeding him, (her). A diet friendly to the gums and teeth is very important. The diet should help the pet develop strong and healthy teeth and bones. Buy the best all natural and healthiest quality pet food you can afford without straining your budget and always remember the pet’s dental health while planning its diet. A quality all natural kibble diet is best as the hard crunchy kibble helps to support strong teeth and keep teeth free from tartar. You can even mix in some soft can food for extra flavor but it is not recommended as an exclusive diet.

5. Get them chew bones

Your pet in its natural habitat would be a predator chewing hard bones. By getting your dog some bones and chews to chew on, tartar will be knocked off keeping the gums and teeth healthy. Treats, bones and chews that are infused with mint flavor are recommended also, such as chicken & mint jerky. Remember to not just give your dog any kind of bone especially from the kitchen table as our leftover chicken and pork bones are harmful to your pet as the splinters could damage their teeth and cause serious internal injures.