February is Dental Health Month. Our Pet’s dental care is often overlooked but can have serious medical consequences. Dental care can be linked to heart disease, heart attack, and even stroke. The bacteria that infect the gums and cause gingivitis and periodontitis also travel to blood vessels elsewhere in the body where they cause blood vessel inflammation and damage; tiny blood clots, heart attack and stroke may follow. Supporting this idea is the finding of remnants of oral bacteria within atherosclerotic blood vessels far from the mouth. [1] Optimal dental care can help improve your pet’s health and even your relationship with your pet. No one wants to have smelly hot breath in their face.

So what can we do to help keep our furkids healthy and free from dental disease? There are a few ways we can help prevent a lot of the buildup but routine dental cleanings done by a veterinarian is the best way to maintain a mouth worth smiling over! At home we can brush, give dental treats/toys, and there are additives that you can place in their drinking water. All of these have an ideal place and situation.

Manually removing the build up by brushing is by far the most effective treatment but it is also the most involved. Plaque is a gummy substance that forms on the teeth within a few hours after a meal. Within 24 hours, plaque begins to harden by combining with salts that are present in the saliva. As the plaque continues to accumulate and mineralize, it eventually transforms into tartar [2] Often times when a dog comes in for grooming an owner will ask the groomer to brush their teeth. While it is a good first step, it is almost futile if the dog does not receive daily brushings to prevent that plaque from hardening to tartar. It may provide a temporary fresh breath but it will not solve the problem. So while brushing is the most effective way, with the hectic lives of many pet owners it is very hard to provide that optimal level of care.

In response to this, many companies have seized the ‘dental care market’ and offer dental care products that allow for the natural habits of the dogs (chewing, eating, ect) to provide ‘self care’. Many people have heard of greenies and other dental association approved chews. These are a great option for many dogs but are often very high in calories and can (if not given the right size) be a choking hazard due to their hard nature that requires the dog to chew it. One of the best products would be any of the CET or ADL line. These are often purchased through your vet. The advantage to this is you, with your vet, can find the product that will provide the best care at a caloric value that is appropriate for your pet. Many vets will also recommend a dental diet. Science diet (the one I am most familiar with) offers a large kibble that works similar to brushing as it requires the dog to bite down into the kibble. Below is an infographic to explain how it works:

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to help prevent build up is by water additives. These are as simple as adding a liquid to their drinking water and as they drink it helps to fight the build up of plaque. One of the drawbacks is though this is the easiest way it can also be the least effective. Often when a dog drinks there is limited contact of the water with the teeth. This method also requires that the additive goes through the entire dog’s system so I would always suggest consulting your vet to make sure your dog is healthy enough to use the additives. They also can change the flavor of the water and make the dog less likely to drink the water. This can be a great method but will require a bit more supervision than you may think.

As always be sure you contact your veterinarian for their best suggestion for your pet’s dental care. Any step you make to help your pet live their best life is always beneficial and a great step to making sure your pet is around as long as possible.

[1] Gum disease and the connection to heart disease; April 22, 2021; By Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/gum-disease-and-the-connection-to-heart-disease
[2] Plaque and Tartar Prevention in Dogs; By Jan Bellows, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, ABVP; https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tartar-prevention-in-dogs