 Healthy teeth are extremely important to a dog's well-being. Dogs use their mouths to eat, of course, but also to interact with their environment. Teeth help your dog to chew, pick up and carry items, yet teeth are too often overlooked in grooming. Make your dog's teeth a part of regular care for your dog's health.
Puppy Teeth
Puppies have 28 temporary teeth (called puppy teeth or milk teeth) that start coming in at about 4 weeks of age. They generally fall out between 14 and 30 weeks of age as they are replaced by 42 adult teeth. If you have a puppy in this age range, there are some considerations to keep in mind:
- During this time, puppies may eat slightly less and chew more. Rubber or rawhide toys made especially for dogs are a good investment to help avoid household damage. There are many good toys you can find at pet stores that are designed specifically for teething puppies.
- Even though the puppy teeth don't normally last long enough to see serious problems, it is important to familiarize your puppy with dental care while he is young. Gently lift his lip and rub his gums and teeth so he's used to having someone's fingers in his mouth when he gets older. Introducing this procedure when your puppy is young will make future dental care much easier.
- Gently rub your dog's teeth with a soft cloth or a toothbrush approved for use with dogs and puppies. You can apply a small amount of peanut butter or tasty cheese to the cleaning material to make the initial introduction of the unusual handling pleasant for your dog.
- Buy toothpaste specially formulated for dogs. There are pastes flavored with meat and other dog-friendly flavors to make them more enjoyable. Human toothpaste contains ingredients that can harm your dog if swallowed in excessive amounts.
- If puppy teeth linger much longer than 30 weeks, take your puppy to the veterinarian. This can cause problems for a dog, and these teeth may need to be removed.
Dental Health Maintenance
- Start feeling and checking the inside of your dog's mouth early so he's comfortable with the idea. Use the method described above in the Puppy Teeth section.
- Buy toothpaste specially formulated for dogs. There are pastes flavored with meat and other dog-friendly flavors to make it more enjoyable. Do not use toothpaste formulated for humans. Because pets swallow rather than spit the toothpaste out, this can cause stomach upset.
- Dry, crunchy foods such as Purina® Puppy Chow® brand Puppy Food and Purina® Dog Chow® brand Dog Food can be helpful in keeping teeth clean by scraping against the teeth, which helps reduce tartar build-up. Still, there is no substitute for regular dental care.
- To ensure your dog's dental health, he will need professional dental care on a regular basis. Check with your veterinarian about a schedule.
Dental Problems
Problems that start with your dog's teeth can have far-ranging consequences, from mere bad breath to problems eating or even infections that may reach other systems in the body.
Common signs of dental problems in dogs include:
- Aversion to eating
- Red, swollen and bleeding gums
- Drooling
- Blood in the saliva
- Yellow-brown tartar at the gum line
- Broken teeth
- Foul breath
The most common problem for dogs is the buildup of plaque, which can accumulate and harden to chalky calculus on the teeth. Left unchecked, this may eventually lead to inflammation of the gums, and the teeth may become infected and even fall out. The infection resulting from these conditions may spread to other parts of your dog's body.
This is why it is so important to establish regular dental cleanings both at home and at the veterinarian's office. If these problems already exist and have gotten beyond the point of a simple brushing, visit your veterinarian.
Some common dental problems in dogs associated with the above signs include foreign bodies (such as wood splinters or other small, sharp objects) and certain systemic illnesses. Your veterinarian is best equipped to diagnose and treat these conditions.
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