Healthy teeth are of immense importance to humans - and the same is true for dogs. Dental health is an important indicator of your four-legged friend's general health. Dental diseases such as periodontitis not only cause dogs great pain, but can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. The inflammation can also spread to other organs and cause irreparable damage. If your dog's teeth are discolored or you notice an unpleasant smell from their mouth when you cuddle with your pet, their dental health may not be good. The most effective way to ensure healthy teeth in dogs is dental care, but diet and chew toys also play an important role. Here you can find out what's important.
The healthy dog teeth and their development
As carnivores, dogs have an impressive set of teeth, which in an adult animal consists of 42 teeth:
- twelve incisors to gnaw the flesh from the bone
- four fangs with which the animals catch their prey
- 25 molars with large chewing surfaces for crushing food and points for crushing bones
- a molar is designed as a canine: the largest and most important tooth
Like humans, dogs are born toothless. The first milk teeth break through around the third week of life. The change of teeth, when the milk teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, takes place between the fourth and seventh month. As with humans, your animal companion also needs thorough dental care from the time the first tooth appears, which includes a special toothbrush and toothpaste. Puppies in particular can usually be accustomed to regular tooth brushing through play, but this is not necessarily so easy with older animals. However, you can use the Ultrasonic toothbrush for dogs emmi®-pet support.
Why healthy teeth are vital for dogs
Dogs not only use their teeth to eat and grind food, they also use them as weapons, hunting tools and to scare off their opponents. It is all the worse for an animal if its teeth are not healthy and intact. Veterinarians are sounding the alarm: over 80 percent of all dogs over the age of three have dental problems and diseases. In contrast to humans, four-legged friends are less affected by tooth decay and are more likely to suffer from periodontal infections such as periodontitis, which starts with tartar and inflamed gums and can ultimately lead to tooth loss.
There are many reasons for bad breath, tartar and dental diseases, but they are usually due to inadequate dental care. But dog food and genetics also have a major influence on healthy teeth. Breeds that are prone to tartar and dental problems can make an important contribution to prevention by brushing their teeth regularly. Because healthy teeth are vital for dogsToothache and inflamed gums cause problems for animals when eating. If the four-legged friend has difficulty chewing, his body cannot extract enough nutrients from the unchewed food. In addition, larger chunks of food often cause gastrointestinal diseases. The harmful bacteria that are responsible for tartar and inflamed gums in dogs sometimes reach other organs via the bloodstream - this can lead to irreparable kidney, heart and liver damage. Healthy teeth in dogs are not only limited to dental health.
risk factors for dental health
In addition to poor oral hygiene, there are a number of other factors that promote or hinder healthy teeth in dogs. In addition to food and toys, genetics play a decisive role. There are breeds that are more prone to the formation of tartar and thus to dental diseases. These include small dog breeds in which the spaces between the teeth are very narrow and the weak flow of saliva impairs natural tooth cleaning. Dog breeds in which the teeth are very close together due to the shape of their skull and jaw are also particularly prone to tartar formation. In addition, the risk of tartar also increases with age. The following symptoms indicate a disease of the dog's teeth:
- Maulgeruch
- altered feeding behavior up to and including refusal to eat
- plaque and tartar
- reddened gums and bleeding gums
- excessive saliva production
- sensitivity to pain in the head area
What you can do for your dog's healthy teeth
As an owner, you care about your dog's healthy teeth. Starting with dental care, there are a number of things you can do to prevent tartar, bad breath and dental diseases.
Brushing
The most effective way to combat the harmful bacteria that cause bad breath, tartar and the resulting diseases in dogs is dental care. Because your four-legged friend cannot brush his teeth himself, you as the owner are called upon to help ensure that your pet has healthy teeth. Brushing teeth should be a natural part of routine dental care even in puppyhood. The trade offers various toothbrushes and Toothpaste especially for dogsThe most effective is the ultrasonic toothbrush emmi®-pet. The ultrasound cleans the dog's teeth more thoroughly of bacteria, plaque and dirt than other dental care methods because it reaches hard-to-reach places in the dog's mouth and even works on the sensitive gums. With the emmi®-pet ultrasonic toothbrush also ensures oral hygiene in an incredibly gentle way. The special dog toothbrush, which works with 100 percent ultrasound, works almost motionlessly and produces neither noise nor vibrations that could frighten the animals. This means that dogs and cats accept the ultrasonic toothbrush particularly well.
The right diet
Healthy teeth in dogs also depend on the animal’s diet. Industrially produced food does not put enough strain on the dog's teeth and does not promote natural tooth wear. The dog does not even have to chew soft wet food. The additional feeding of high-quality dry food ensures that the dog's teeth are mechanically worn down. BARF, a diet of raw meat, can also have a positive effect on dental health. When the pieces of meat are torn apart, the teeth are pre-cleaned. When you give your pet treats, you should pay attention to the ingredients - sugary ingredients have no place in dog food. Let your dog gnaw on a bone every now and then. By gnawing, he cleans his teeth in a species-appropriate manner and keeps his teeth healthy in addition to regular dental care. You should also always offer your dog fresh drinking water, as this will rinse out the oral cavity and remove coarse impurities. However, a tooth-friendly diet should only be seen as an addition and is in no way a substitute for thorough tooth brushing.
chews and toys
You can also encourage your dog to chew with special chew toys. At the same time, chewing stimulates the production of saliva, which helps protect teeth and gums. Damaged toys should be discarded immediately, as they can cause injuries to the mouth and teeth. This risk also exists when playing with sticks.
mouth check and visit to the vet
Regularly looking into the mouth should be part of every owner’s routine. The fact that your four-legged friend opens his mouth on command, is an important prerequisite for dental care and thus for healthy teeth in dogs. In addition, the mouth check provides information about the dog's dental health. Discoloration and plaque, as well as unpleasant bad breath, are alarm signals that require a visit to the vet. In any case, you should have your dog's teeth checked regularly by the vet in order to be able to identify and treat problems early. If you carefully brush your four-legged friend's teeth with the emmi®-pet ultrasonic toothbrush and consider the other tips for dental health, In the best case scenario, the vet will regularly certify that your dog has healthy teeth – and that makes both owner and pet happy.
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