Dog dental care: How to treat toothaches and get a doggy dentist
Dog Dental Care: How to Treat a Toothache and Get a Dog Dentist
By Evan Williams, Hannah Loskamp
It can be difficult to tell when your dog has a toothache, but it might require some attention. Here’s everything you need to know about dogs Dentistry and treatment of your puppy’s teeth.
Poor dental care in dogs can lead to serious illnesses. © 123RF/Verastuchelova
It is important for dogs to maintain healthy teeth and gums as eating is not their only function.
In reality, dogs use their mouths to communicate and defend themselves in dangerous situations, so the health and strength of these pincers are pretty damn important.
It’s not just a security issue. Doggos can get quite severe toothaches if their dental health is not taken care of, leading to other problems.
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How do you treat and prevent dental problems in dogs like a toothache? Is there even a dog dentist? Good questions! We’re here to set the record straight.
In this dog handler, TAG24 takes a look at what good dental care for dogs looks like. Let’s dive in.
The Best Dog Dental Care: What You Need to Know
When a dog is fully grown, it should have a total of 42 teeth! While that may mean these playful pooches have ten more eaters than humans, they’ve actually had many more over time.
After losing their puppy teeth, keeping dogs up to date with the dentist is incredibly important. After all, we don’t want our puppies to be in pain!
dogs With short snout are particularly affected by misaligned teeth, a condition that can cause not only pain but also infection. To avoid toothacheInflamed gums and the effects of bad teeth on your pup’s jaw, you should make regular visits to the vet and doggo dentist.
Tip: Make sure your dog is chewing as using their teeth is actually healthy. The flow of saliva has a tooth-cleaning effect.
How to keep a dog’s teeth clean
Make sure to keep your dog’s teeth clean and take their dental care seriously. If you don’t, your poor pooch could end up with health problems, and that wouldn’t be good!
Here are a few tips and tricks to keep your dog’s teeth clean:
- Give him real food: Dogs need to chew as this helps exercise their teeth and stimulate salivation, which has a cleansing and antibacterial effect. Give your playful pooch some solid pieces of meat to gnaw on or maybe a bone to chew on. Eat a sugar-free diet, but that goes without saying.
- brush their teeth: Did you know that you can brush your dog’s teeth? You need to start brushing your teeth as a puppy, and you need to buy special dog toothbrushes and toothpaste. Consult your vet for advice on best cleaning practices.
- Tooth toys for dogs: If you give your brave dog some teething toys, you can kill two birds with one stone. Your dog will be busy, having fun and brushing his teeth.
- chew toy: Get your dog a teeth cleaning ball or bone to play with. This contributes to your dog’s dental hygiene and is fun for the whole family!
Hot Tip: Make sure any bones you give your dog are uncooked, as cooked bones are much weaker and can break or splinter, leading to series tooth problems. For the same reason, you should never give your dog chicken or pork bones.
Best teeth cleaning and teething products for dogs
You should ultimately contact your veterinarian about any dental cleaning products you might want to invest in for your dog. Ultimately, it is your responsibility as a dog owner to ensure your pup’s teeth are well cared for, but if anything more serious happens a veterinarian should be contacted.
A few products to pack for your dog’s teeth:
- tooth chewing
- tooth bone
- Treats for dental dogs
- hygienic chewing
- Dog toothpaste and toothbrushes
How often should you brush a dog’s teeth
Your dog’s teeth should be professionally cleaned by a veterinary dentist at least once or twice a year and at home at least two to three times a week.
It is important that you maintain your dog’s dental care as he relies on his teeth to eat and could become seriously ill if his mouth, gums and teeth become unhygienic. A dog’s teeth should be brushed with appropriate dog toothpaste and taken to the vet for regular dental check-ups.
How to remove tartar from dog teeth without a dentist
Tartar is a porous substance that can potentially accumulate along a dog’s gum line. Unfortunately, you can’t really remove the stuff yourself, so you’ll need to take your dog to the vet if buildup builds up. This harsh substance can cause severe mouth sores and a lot of annoyance.
If you take your dog to the vet, treating tartar is actually pretty simple. After a light anesthetic, the tartar is removed from your dog’s teeth simply, safely and easily.
Important tip: Don’t try to remove tartar yourself. After all, this isn’t the same sauce you put on your cocktail shrimp! Attempting to remove it yourself can damage your dog’s teeth and cause your pooch a lot of pain.
Signs of toothache in dogs
Inspect a dog’s biters themselves for pus or discoloration. © 123RF/Mraoraor
It’s not unlikely that your dog is already suffering from a toothache and you don’t even realize it. These four-legged friends do not show toothache as clearly as, for example, paw pain. As a result, dogs often suffer from mouth pain in silence for years.
However, if you are a little careful, you can help avoid this affliction.
Watch out for the following symptoms as they may indicate dental problems:
- Eat slowly and carefully
- refusal to eat
- Bad breath
- bleeding gums
- Brown discoloration of the teeth
- pus on the teeth
- ear infection
- howling while chewing
- Chew on one side of the mouth only
Be sure to regularly check your dog’s teeth for yourself, simply by looking into their mouth. If you notice discoloration, obviously inflamed gums, or anything that doesn’t seem quite right, it may be time to see the vet.
A particularly serious condition could be gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums. It can be caused by a variety of different things and cause a lot of pain and discomfort to your poor pooch.
Possible causes of gingivitis are:
- Food that is too soft or mushy
- Your dog may have eaten another animal’s excrement
- Your dog may have consumed foreign objects such as sticks/stones
- It may have bit awkwardly and injured itself
- It could have bitten something hot and accidentally burned its mouth
Your dog should get used to having his teeth brushed from puppyhood. © 123RF/belchonock
Getting a canine dentist – cost and treatment
Most veterinarians have a rudimentary knowledge of dog dental care and can easily check how healthy and clean your pooch’s teeth and gums are. However, for more demanding dentistry, you should go to a specialist veterinary dentist.
The cost of proper canine dental care varies depending on where you live, who you go to, and your pet insurance. However, specialized canine dentists cost more than a regular vet and can get very expensive. Ultimately, however, you want your dog to be strong and healthy – so it’s worth the price.
Take canine dental health seriously
The most important thing to your dog’s dental health is eating right, chewing right, and giving their teeth and jaws adequate exercise. Keep an eye out for problems and the symptoms of a toothache, and check regularly to see if your dog’s pearly white is, well, pearly white.
Dog dental health is incredibly important. You want your dog to be comfortable, out of pain, and as happy as possible. You also don’t want your dog to get sick. Regularly check your pooch’s mouth yourself, have your vet check you out, and seek medical attention if anything looks fishy.
Cover photo: 123rf/verastuchelova