How would you feel if you never brushed your teeth? Constantly having lots of plaque and an unpleasant taste in your mouth would probably be more than you could tolerate. Your wallet probably wouldn’t feel so good either after having to pay a hefty dentist bill to get your oral health back in good shape. Now imagine what could happen to your dog’s mouth without proper dog dental care. The simple answer is dog dental disease.
Dental diseases in dogs are quite common. By age 3, over 80 percent of dogs have some form of dental disease, also known as periodontal disease. Dog dental disease has serious consequences, so maintaining good dog dental care is very important.
What Is Dental Disease?
Dental disease affects the teeth, gums, and structures that support and surround a dog’s teeth. It begins with plaque buildup on the teeth. This plaque contains bacteria and food particles.
Plaque that stays on the teeth hardens into tartar. When tartar is above the gum line, it’s easily visible, and your veterinarian can remove it relatively easily during a professional dental cleaning.
However, looks can be deceiving. A set of pearly whites doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog’s mouth is healthy. Tartar that makes its way below the gumline is the real problem.
Read the rest of this important article on dog dental health HERE.
