Oral hygiene is often one of the most overlooked problems for pet parents. We get it, brushing your dog’s teeth might seem silly or maybe even a little scary, but it’s an important step to keeping them happy and healthy!
With oral problems arising at as young as three years old, many pet parents aren’t aware of when their pet actually started to get sick after their health starts declining later on in life.
Here are some reasons you should be keeping up on your pet’s oral hygiene:
Dental Disease
Periodontal disease, often known as dental disease, can be super painful to your pet and cause other health problems down the road. Not only does dental disease affect the teeth and gums, but it also affects the actual support structures around your pet’s teeth.
Plaque is the very beginning of dental disease. If the plaque is not treated, it will just keep getting worse, eventually causing pain, irritation, and infection.
If you notice that your pet is getting some plaque buildup on their teeth, make an appointment right away or treat it yourself! It’s better to catch it early than too late.
Bad Breath
Pets having bad breath can mean an array of things, whether it’s an underlying health condition or just bad breath. However, if your pet’s breath makes you want to gag or hurl, then there might be a health issue you don’t know about. It would probably be a good time to contact the vet!
Bad breath can be a beginning warning sign about your pet’s health, and you should always take notice of it.
Teeth Loss/Broken Teeth
Ignoring your pet’s oral hygiene could result in them losing teeth (which is a big sign of dental disease) or breaking their teeth.
Chewing on hard toys or bones with weak teeth can cause them to break, and broken teeth can expose nerves that can get infected and be super painful. This is why it’s always important to keep your pet’s teeth clean and strong.
Organ Damage
If there is any inflammation in your pet’s mouth, it can allow bad bacteria to enter the bloodstream. The bad bacteria often attack the liver and kidneys, which can lead to organ infection and/or failure.
Things like this could be deadly to your pet, which is why pet oral hygiene should be a top priority in your care to them!
Oral Pain
It’s obvious that if your pet is suffering from poor oral hygiene, they are going to experience some oral pain. Any oral pain should be taken care of right away, as it could be the start of something much worse.
Conclusion
Making sure you are caring for your pet’s oral hygiene can be one of the best things for you and your pet. Many health issues and problems start in the mouth and go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Keep an eye on your pet’s teeth and gums, make sure there is no plaque buildup or inflammation. Schedule yearly oral health visits at the vet, or more if you’d like. But your pet should have their mouths examined at least once a year.
One last thing to mention… Even if it seems weird to brush your pet’s teeth, do it anyway. They will thank you later!
