Introduction:
Are dogs moth clean or not? It is a repeated question which most of the dog owners enquire on different discussion podiums. The cleanliness of the dog’s mouth is comparable to human’s mouth in one way or the other. The major similarity between the two is that both of them are known have their mouths full of microbes. The different types of bacteria differ between species and require customized treatment. As per a research, dogs may have 600 different bacteria types which cause cleanliness issues and should be treated to enjoy best dental health. Loose or bad gums, gingivitis disease, dehydrated gums, teeth bleeding, teeth/ gum infection and the blackness around the teeth are some of the common issues reported against the oral hygiene of the dogs. There are various tips, tricks, treatment and home remedies which the dog owners must look into for upping their oral hygiene and overall cleanliness. This is the main agenda of this write-up and we will try to cover this in every possible detail.
Reasons to look after the oral hygiene of dogs:
We can only understand the treatment and its importance once we are sure about the reasoning of taking good care of your dog’s oral health. The following are some of the reasons which will lead us to the phase where we will find out about that how to clean dogs teeth with ease:
• A grown dog is known to have 42 teeth.
The adult teeth grow after the baby teeth of the dog have fallen. However, there are some issues with the baby teeth sometimes, which just does not fall off in their due time. If this is the case, then the dog does face various dental problems. Some common problems in this regard are the tartar buildup and the irritation of gums.
• Healthy teeth of your dog mean healthier breath which will always be enjoyed by both the dog and its owner especially when you are in close approximation with your dog.
• A key reason for ensuring best dental health is that the dental issues could lead to multiple problems with the different organs of your dog. Especially, some severe dental problems may affect the heart of your dog.
• 80 percent of the dogs today are known to have various periodontal diseases, especially when they are over the age of 3 years. This could be due to the presence of plaque and find more details about this in the how to get plaque off dogs teeth section of this article.
• How often to brush dogs teeth question is well answered by understanding the fact that if you brush your teeth daily then dogs do require the same, almost.
• Dog teeth caring can help solve a lot of other health-related issues and saves you big time in the long run from costly trips to your dog’s veterinary doctor.
• Dogs which are not treated timely for their dental issues may get their tooth removed very painfully. So, it is not only the treatment but the timing of the treatment as well, which matters a lot.
• The dog may not show apparently if it is going through any dental pain, irritation of the gums or any other similar issue. You might only come to know about the issue at an advanced level.
Therefore, timely checkup and cleanliness of the teeth are highly important, if you love your dog and care a lot about its health. You may learn about the symptoms of the teeth pain of dogs with time and this will help you in the cause of treating dogs teeth.
• In case of any confusion, make sure to reach out to your veterinary dog in order to refrain from worsening the situation.
Different Types of Oral Hygiene Issues Related to Dogs:
The majority of the veterinary clinics today deal with multiple oral hygiene related issues with dogs. Some of the different known types of issues found with the gums and teeth of the dogs are given as follows:
· Plaque – Plaque is actually a form of a film covering the teeth of the dog, which is made from bacteria. Once, this film, which is colorless biofilm in nature, accumulates, then it converts into a harder form, known as tartar.
· Tartar – Just as in the above case, tartar is formed when the bacteria formed over the gum/ teeth hardens and this kind of an issue could be severely difficult to treat.
· A dental Abscess – This issue in dogs is actually the pus which accumulates over their gums and teeth. It is normally a result of some bacterial infection in the mouth.
· Periodontal Disease – It is a kind of a disease which essentially attacks the base or the structure of the teeth of the dogs. It is normally caused by the accumulated bacteria in the mouth. Gingivitis (discussed next) is a kind of condition which usually occurs simultaneously with the periodontal diseases.
· Gingivitis – It is the case where the accumulated bacteria over the gums turn into tartar or plaque. This case leads to inflamed gums and can be extremely painful at times. Most of the dogs in this condition develop bad breath issue as well.
Symptoms of Tartar, Plaque, and Bacteria Accumulated in the Mouths of the Dogs:
Tartar accumulation and plaque in the mouth of the dogs is visually obvious and this condition represents the presence of bacteria in the mouth. The following are some of its symptoms:
- Gums Bleeding
- Bad breath (Halitosis)
- Loss of Appetite
- Lethargy
- Loose Teeth
- Weight Loss
- Tooth Loss
- Swollen or Red Gums
- Nasal Discharge with Pus
- Pus in the Gum-line
- Swelling Under the Eye (Unilateral)
Sorting out gum color of dog:
In order to assess the gum color of your dog, just lift up its upper lip in order to have a clear view of the gums. The healthier gums are normally pink in color but this may vary from dog to dog. For example, the red gums in dogs might be an indicator of good health while in some cases, they may point out to gums bleeding. However, pink color could be the baseline usually for being the healthier gums. The capillary refill might sound a very complicated term to many dog owners, but, this is just the amount of time that the dog’s gums take to return to the normal color. The gums comprise of very minute blood vessels which are known as capillaries.
Pressing and hence releasing the gums pressure causes the blood to force out of the capillaries and then allow it back in. You are required to just press the dog’s gums firmly using your finger. Upon releasing the pressure, you will witness the whitening of the gums for a brief amount of time before it returns to its existing color. All this takes about 1.5 seconds and shouldn’t be more than 2 seconds.
However, dog owners struggle with this test especially when the gums are black or dark in color. In such situations, the color of the eye could be used for determining the health of the dog. Just pull the eyelid gently own and examine the color of the eye tissue. If you have the picture in mind of the eye color then any change in that would indicate a probable health issue.
While performing this gum test, you can also go for the examination of the hydration level in dogs. For a normal dog which is ideally hydrated, the gums will be quite wet and slick. You will easily feel the moisture in their gums while touching.
Dog owners who are regular with the teeth brushing of their dogs have the advantage to regularly inspect the gums of their dogs. This also helps them to keep track of any gums related abnormalities. Pale gums are known to appear pale whitish or pale pink. If there is a case of pale gums or dark black/ blue gums, then be rest assured that you are dealing with some serious oral health conditions. This indicates insufficient blood supply to the teeth/ gums. This requires visiting the veterinary doctor immediately.
Gingivitis in Dogs Symptoms:
Gingivitis in dogs is a very painful and an uncomfortable condition. Dogs suffering from this medical condition may lose on their appetite and drop weight. Bad breath in dogs is a common indicator of this condition. You may try some home remedies to get tartar off dogs teeth but this may not always work in severe conditions and surgery is the only option left. In the majority of the cases, dogs having gingivitis usually are treated under general anesthesia or they may otherwise be sedated heavily so that they could have a thorough dental examination, followed by a treatment. Plaque and calculus found all along the dog’s gum-line is the goal of gingivitis treatment. Antibiotic gels are usually applied over the gums of the dog which is done after a thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums.
Dental procedures, such as this one may dislodge bacteria from the gums and teeth which they could enter into the bloodstream for the dog and can lead to various infections in different organs of the dog, such as heart, kidney, and liver etc.
Multiple surgical methods, such as the gingivitis flaps, bone augmentation and bone replacement etc. are available in order to help dog not to lose its teeth. Gingivectomy is a surgical procedure which is used for removing the diseases and infected tissues of the gums. This asks the dog owners to do a lot of post-surgery care for maintaining the best oral hygiene with proper and thorough cleaning.
Dog gingivitis treatment cost could be very expensive, considering the surgery and complicated medical procedures involved. However, you could save good money by looking for dog gingivitis treatment at home, especially with the help of some dog bad breath home remedy and other options to treat gingivitis.
The following are some home remedies and tips which will help you in the prevention of gingivitis disease and may also be of good help in treatment:
• Make your own ozonated water at home through an ozone maker and only give that water to your dog for drinking or just to flush out of its mouth.
• Ozonated oil to the gums and teeth should be applied frequently which is good due to its very strong antibacterial properties and protects the gums.
• Coconut oil has antibacterial properties as well and is found to be highly effective to be used over the gums of the dogs. This could also be an alternative to dog’s toothpaste where you can apply it on a brush or your finger and then gently rub over the gums/ teeth of the dog.
• A bone broth for your dog could be prepared and this should be given multiple times in a week to your dog. Oxtail is the best option here due to its extremely powerful nutritional benefits.
• Eggshell toothpaste at home could be made which is remineralizing and a highly effective one. It is known to strengthen teeth and prevents any cavities to accumulate.
• You may also look to have the best dog food for bad teeth and gums, where some of the top available products are given as follows:
- Wellness Complete Health Natural Wet Canned Dog Food
- Pedigree Dentastix Daily Oral Care Snack Food
- Castor & Pollux Organix Butcher & Bushel Grain Free Organic Canned Dog Food
What are the medical conditions which may cause the pale gums issue in the dogs?
The majority of the pale or dark gums issues are emergency conditions and require immediate medical treatment. The following are some of the medical conditions associated with the pale gums to consider:
• Auto-immune Disease – The immune system of the dog is the culprit here. In the hemolytic anemia condition, the red blood cells are destroyed which results in pale gums for the dogs, triggered by the immune-mediated reason.
• Parasite infestation – A heavy load of intestinal worms results in this case and this may be due to the flea infestation. Fleas are known to consume as much as 15 times their own weight in the blood and can cause parasitic anemia, where the gums discoloring becomes an obvious sign of the issue.
• Bloating – In this situation, the dog usually has a distended abdomen, vomiting, distressed and have excessively white abnormal gums. Gums discolors here because of the blooding stopping caused by the stomach torsion from the lower back side of the dog to the heart.
• Heart Condition – Blood pressure drops in a heart condition of a dog and can cause severe tiredness, coughing, low appetite, fast breathing, bluish/ black gums and an enlarged abdomen.
• Internal Bleeding – There could be numerous reasons for internal bleeding in dogs. For example, a car-hit injury may cause internal bleeding in dogs with no external sign as such. There may be some damage caused to the kidney or liver. A case of stomach ulcer may also result in internal bleeding. This internal bleeding may turn the gums of the dog to bluish black color.
• Blood Clotting – The blood fails to coagulate as normal and results in predisposition where abnormal and excessive bleeding happens. Some of the examples of this type include thrombocytopathy and thrombocytopenia, and pale gums are a resultant, other than bruises, bleeding and blood passed through urine and stool of the dogs.
• Rat Poison – Rat poison is known to have warfarin to which the dogs may get exposed due to their surroundings and this can result in profuse bleeding, with symptoms evident on their gums as well.
• Chronic Renal Issue – This is a kidney failure issue. Kidneys are known to produce the erythropoietin hormone which is actually responsible for triggering the bone marrow to produce the red blood cells. In case, where the function of the kidney is impaired, then hormones are lost and dogs develop pale gums.
• Shock – Blood gets concentrated in various body parts in case of a shock, which affects the blood flow to the gums of the dog. The reasoning for the shock could vary and gums affect is also dependent on to that.
• Heavy Metal Toxicity – Zinc toxicity found in the dogs is a result of the ingestion of different objects which are made from the zinc material. This is where zinc interferes with the iron absorption, which is there for producing the red blood cells, and eventually causes anemia. Pale yellow gums are a resultant. In some cases, acute kidney failure issue is also developed.
Indicators of teeth and gums issues for dogs:
The periodontal disease is actually a kind of an epidemic conditions finds in dogs. Such condition affects nearly 90 percent of the adult dogs. The issue not only leads to tooth loss and pain but, it may cause that may lead to some chronic infections inside the mouth if the periodontal condition is left untreated. The issue has got the potential to travel to the several other parts of the body, including heart, kidney, liver, and lungs etc. For the above-mentioned reasons, it is highly critical for the dog owners to be well aware of the key clinical indicators related to dental problems in the dogs.
They indicators are given as follows:
• Bad breath issue
• Dogs teeth bleeding
• Red or swollen gums
• Dog gums are black
• Enhanced drooling
• Tartar buildup on dogs teeth
• Difficulty or reluctance in eating food; may be having pain in chewing food and may result in subsequent weight loss as well
• Dehydrated dog gums
• Loose gums
• Black gums around dog teeth
An infected tooth sometimes may lead to quick swelling which might be evident jus ton one side of the face of the dog. A lot of pet owners are also seen while searching for how to fix loose gums or why dog gums black around teeth actually mean and how to treat them.
How to treat plaque in dogs?
Prevention is always better than cure, so let us first start this discussion with the reasoning of developing plaque in dog’s mouth and then we will jump to the solution part or how to treat plaque. The dogs are known to develop a sticky plaque over their teeth when they eat something. The plaque propels inside the mouth with the presence of the naturally found salts in the saliva. This further results in the hardening of the plaque and eventually turns into tartar and may cause some drooling as well.
Tartar is the condition which leads to the periodontal diseases in the dogs, where the gums start to pull well away from the teeth, resulting in excessive pain, infection, inflammation and even to the loss of teeth.
The following are some of the ways which you can look into for getting rid of plaque conditions in the dogs:
• Dog Treats – The best dog teeth cleaning treats are the best things that you can have for the removal of any possible plaque in teeth of the dogs. Make sure that the product you choose is endorsed by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. Some of the top products in this category that you could avail are as follows:
o Greenies Weight Management Dental Dog Treats
o Milk-Bone Brushing Chews Daily Dental Dog Treats
o Virbac C.E.T. Veggie Dent Dental Chews
• Dog Toys – The nylon or rubber dog toys having a bumpy or rough kind of a surface does feel amazing over the teeth of the dog. They are safe and are not known to cause any tooth fracture. If you are concerned about the toxic material then the best approach is to look for the BPA-free type products in this category. Some of the top toy products for dogs are as follows:
o Nerf Dog Checker Squeak Ball
o Mindwell Pets Durable Dog Toys Set
o PetProjekt Zingfling Duo
• Raw Bones – The raw bones along with their low abrasive nature and their capability to flex well around the teeth make it a dog bad breath remedy and plays a pivotal role in removing plaque from teeth and also in stimulating the gums. It is highly advised to provide raw bones to your dog only under your supervision and allow your dog to chew in those parts where messes wouldn’t be of any problem. Moreover, it is also advised not to ever give a cooked bone to your dog to chew. The reason is their excessive brittleness as compared to the raw bones and also they tend to splinter far easily.
• Limiting Table Scraps – In order to avoid the case of how to scrape tartar off dogs teeth or to control it before it builds up, one of the best approaches is to limit table scraps of your dog. It is noticed that continuous feeding of the table scraps boosts chances of plaque buildup. On the other side, a rare or occasional table scrap is fine but that must never become a habit.
• Brushing Dog’s Teeth – You need to have a lot of patience, the right tools and a perfect game plan in order to brush teeth of your dog. For this, you need to have a pet toothbrush and a pet gel which is ideally designed for dogs use. Never use your own toothpaste in this case as that is known to have many harmful ingredients for the dogs and they also couldn’t master the spitting out of the paste.
The following are some dogs teeth brushing tips which you must check out:
o Start brushing the teeth of your dogs from an early age or when your dog age is minimum 8 weeks. Dog gum infection home remedy would be the ultimate solution then if you overlook the oral hygiene of your dog at this young age, as plaque build-up would cause gum and teeth infections and diseases, if not timely addressed for prevention.
o Get your dog used to with your handling of its mouth. You may dip your finger in something like the tuna water, which your dog likes and then just rub it over the gums of your dog.
o Teeth brushing dogs takes a lot of time and hence, requires immense patience. Therefore, you must always have realistic expectations and expect to brush just for a few seconds and Day 1 and then gradually build upon the time.
o You need to remain calm throughout the brushing process and also need to praise your dog at the same time. If you are nervous during the process then your dog will have the same feeling too.
Steps involved in dog teeth brushing process:
Brushing teeth of a dog could be a very stressful process, both for the dog and its owner. It is because the dog is usually not accustomed to such cleaning procedures and initiatives that could hurt the teeth and the gums of the dog and things eventually settles down with time.
The following are some of the key steps required for brushing the teeth of the dog:
• You must look to choose a specific time of the time when you find out that your dog is very much relaxed and calm. This could be the time after you have a nice and happy play session with the dog or maybe after a long walk with the dog.
• Allow your dog some time to get accustomed to the teeth cleaning process. You may give it time to get familiar with the taste/ texture of the teeth cleaning tools being used.
• When the teeth brushing tools are ready to be used then just kneel in front or by the side of your dog. Never hover above your pet and neither looks to pin it down. Such kind of an act might make your dog feel threatened.
• Put some of the dog’s toothpaste on its teeth brush and place one of your hand over the muzzle of your animal. Then just go on and gently lift the lips of the dog.
• Using your other free hand, gently brush the teeth by making a circular motion at an angle of 45 degrees. Jaws at this point could be closed and the main focus should always be on the exterior surface of the teeth. This is the place where usually the periodontal disease emerges. Once your dog is comfortable with the teeth brushing process, then make sure to slightly approach the back teeth of the dog for cleaning as well.
• Giver your dog a good treat after the tooth brushing process, even if it hasn’t gone that well. Such kind of an act would build up a very positive association with your dog and will make future teeth brushing sessions quite stress-free for both.
There is always a solution for everything if something doesn’t work for you. If your dog is not comfortable with the teeth cleaning process then there is an alternate solution with almost the same level of benefits as with proper teeth brushing. You could go by putting an oral health solution into the water bowl of your dog every day. This is just a 10-second job with no hassle associated with all and the teeth plaque issue would also be ideally addressed.
Conclusion:
The quest of knowing “are dogs mouth clean” is very much satisfied by the above discussion. As a matter of fact, the dog's mouth is only as much clean as you strive to make them clean. Dogs do have exposure to a lot of bacteria and germs in their surroundings which may cause a lot of health concerns which are reflected on to their teeth and gums. Proper cleaning through teeth brushing on regular basis is of the essence. If your dog comes across any oral hygiene issue then you need to put extra effort by trying different home remedies and using other dog teething toys and products to alleviate the issue. Veterinary doctor visit becomes highly important in case of serious gums diseases such as gingivitis or when your dog’s gums becomes black/ pale or when too much plaque or tartar has been accumulated into the mouth of the dog. As a last thing, prevention approach is always better and you must go with it in order to save your lovely pet to accumulate any kind of minor or major oral hygiene-related diseases.
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