Dog Teeth Cleaning

People tend to assume that dogs just have bad breath, however, their bad breath is actually caused by a lack of oral hygiene. When their teeth are cared for properly, a dogs breath should be no worse than yours or mine. Dental care for your pet is as important as proper nutrition and training.

Cleaning your dog’s teeth not only helps you diagnose dental problems in their early states, it can prevent them from ever happening. Some common issues that arise from not cleaning your dogs teeth include: red gums, bleeding gums, tartar accumulation, plaque accumulation, which in turn leads to the accumulation of harmful bacteria in the teeth and gums. This can easily lead to a more serious condition known as periodontal disease, severe oral pain or even tooth loss in more severe cases.

How Often Should You Get Your Dog's Teeth Cleaned

Pet owners are strongly advised to care for their dog’s teeth on a regular basis. Since plaque can turn into tartar in just one to two days, brushing at least two or three times per week is highly advisable. In order to remember to clean your dog’s teeth, develop the habit of brushing his or her teeth at the same time you brush your own. There is a whole line of special finger brushes which are made for brushing your dog’s teeth without being too hard on the gums. You will be surprised to find that most dogs like to have their teeth brushed. It is important to remember never to use your own toothpaste on your dog’s teeth as this can cause serious damage. Choose a special enzymatic toothpaste which is specially formed for your dog’s teeth and is easily available at your local pet store. Before you get started, have your veterinarian describe to you the best techniques to ensure you’re getting all of your dog’s teeth and brushing long enough.

In case you don’t feel comfortable brushing your dog’s teeth, check with your veterinarian about what other options are available to you, like for example, a dental rinse and special treats which are made with special ingredients and considerations for keeping your dog’s teeth healthy. Although these might be sufficient for daily maintenance, it is still important to take your dog in for a complete check up and professional cleaning.

When to Take your Dog for a Professional Dental Cleaning

How often you need to take your dog for a professional cleaning depends on two factors, whether your pet has any symptoms of dental problems, and your ability to provide good home dental care. If your pet is having any dental issues, it is a good idea to set an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. You might also need to follow up with your veterinary dentist in the most severe cases like for example periodontal disease, on a month by month basis. If your dog simply has a small issue like grade one gingivitis, that can be taken care of easily with regular brushing at home, the standard time between appointments is every six months.

What Happens at a Professional Dental Cleaning?

There are a number of important steps your veterinarian and certified veterinary technician or veterinary dental technician will take during your professional canine dental cleaning.

1. The veterinarian will do a non anesthetized oral examination on the dog. He or she will check for any abnormal signs like swelling or pain, and then check the dog’s eyes to ensure that they are the same size and there is no internal swelling from the mouth. The vet will also check to see if your dog can open and close their mouth without pain to rule out a condition known as crepitus in the temporomandibular joints. He or she will then examine each tooth to ensure there is no tartar touching the gingivia.
2. The vet will then do a more thorough examination under general anesthesia. This will include processes like examining each tooth for mobility, any fractures, periodontal disease and so on.
3. The next step involves a standard plaque and tartar removal using hand instruments and some power scaling equipment as well. In addition to removing any deposits from the surface of the teeth, the vet will also clean above your dog’s gum line.
4. In addition to plaque and tartar deposit removal, your veterinarian will use a cleaning calculus to remove plaque and calculus from the root surface. This process is known as root scaling. The purpose of this step is to break up bacteria living below the gum line which in turn creates a healthier oral environment. Another step is root planning, which involves smoothing the roughed root surfaces by removing diseased cementum and calculus to produce an endotoxin free oral environment.
5. In the case that your dog has gingival pocket’s, your veterinarian will use perform a procedure called subgingival curettage to remove the pockets of diseased soft tissue on inner oral surfaces. This will transform any chronically inflamed or ulcerated lesions in the soft tissue walls into clean surgical wounds to promote optimal healing and help new tissue grow.
6. The veterinarian will then polish your dog’s teeth using a pumice or polishing paste. This will even out any uneven surfaces and remove any plaque that might have been missed during the previous steps.
7. Another step in the cleaning process which your veterinarian will take called irrigation, where he or she removes diseased tissue and plaque pockets. This is commonly done using a water spray which has a medical solution. This is done manually, or through the use of a specialized power tool.
8. After that you dog’s mouth is dried and fluoride is placed on each of the dry teeth and left to stand undisturbed for at least four minutes. This significantly decreases any discomfort of hardened enamel.
9. After cleaning, your dog’s teeth will be examined again through a number of thorough examinations that include periodontal probing, a ‘shepherd’s hook’ exploration, application of disclosing solution, checking with compressed air retained calculus in the gingival, and if needed a dental x-ray.

Your Vet will then spend some time making important notes about your dog’s dental condition, the dental care your dog received, any follow up recommendations or medication, and set up an appointment for your next recommended visit.

How to Help your Dog Make the Adjustment to Teeth Cleaning

Although your dog might come to accept teeth cleaning as much a part of their routine as yours, and even come to like it, the initial times of cleaning might be a little confusing and uncomfortable. There are some tips that can facilitate the process and keep it smooth and regular. If your dog strongly resists teeth cleaning, this might indicate pain or an unrecognized dental problem to get checked. Be sure to buy a brush that is the right size for your particular pet. For example, long brushes for long muzzled dogs. Each dog should have his or her own brush as sharing brushes can cause cross contamination. Introduce your dog gently to the toothbrush and toothpaste, and if you sense any anxiety, reassure your pet verbally and let them take a break. Rewarding progress immediately will create a positive association, whether your pet's learning process takes a day or a month. In addition, experiment with the different 'flavors' of dog toothpaste till you find the one you like as long as it is made for dogs.

The Alternative: Anesthesia-Free Teeth Cleaning

For those who are afraid to anesthetize their dogs, or who are worried about exorbitant medical costs, anesthesia-free teeth cleaning is a great option and is becoming rapidly more popular. Although some have raised concerns of animal cruelty, oftentimes these are unfounded in the hands of a gentle and skilled professional like your veterinarian or veterinarian technician.

Caring daily for your dog's teeth and taking them regularly to your veterinarian to get their teeth checked and professionally cleaned at the optimal recommended intervals not only saves your pet from a lot of dental pain that can result from serious conditions as a result of harmful bacteria, but can also save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, in future veterinarian costs. It is worth it to take the effort to care for your dog's teeth. Some other creative tips to watch out for your canine's teeth include:

• Buy hard kibbles rather than soft canned food for their meals. Many studies that have been undertaken regarding canine dental health have indicated that they tend to provide a 'natural' teeth cleaning by fighting off plaque.
• Ensure that your dog gets the right amount of nutrition, like calcium, vitamins and minerals, in their meals to keep their bones and teeth strong.
• Rope and rubber toys and chewers can strengthen your dog's teeth and also naturally fight off plaque.
• Keep your dog from scavenging in environments that contain a lot of harmful bacteria, like near garbage dumps or sewers.
• Take your dog in to the veterinarian as soon as he or she starts to show symptoms of dental trouble. This can be through a whole host of signs. Your pet might refuse to eat, might consistently whine or 'rub' their mouth area and resist teeth cleaning or refuse to play with their favorite chew toys.

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