How to take care of your dog's teeth ?
If taking care of your teeth is a matter of course, why shouldn't your dog's be too? Just like humans, our four-legged friends are exposed to various oral risks during their lives. These can be avoided or reduced by regular care. Why and how to take good care of your dog's teeth: we tell you everything!
Taking care of your dog's teeth: why is it important?
Dogs have their permanent teeth between the age of 4 and 6 months on average, depending on the race of the dog. This is when the puppy's teeth need to be cared for immediately, with appropriate care of course. Why should this be done? Because poor oral hygiene can lead to numerous problems later on, such as
Bad breath and mouth ulcers
These phenomena are not serious at first, but they can quickly cause minor inconveniences for you and your dog, which can also have more serious consequences later on.
Dental plaque a serious enemy
Plaque forms 6 to 8 hours after a meal and is invisible to the unaided eye. It is a thin layer of food waste and bacteria that is deposited and adheres to the surface of the teeth. It then accumulates between the teeth and the gums and it is the increase in the number of bacteria that can cause inflammation, which in turn can lead to gingivitis.
Tartar a source of pain and discomfort
Tartar will appear on your dog's teeth as a result of the mineralization of plaque. Unlike plaque, tartar is visible and can make gingivitis worse.
Various diseases of varying severity
Gingivitis, if not treated quickly, can have repercussions on the whole body. First of all, the teeth can become loose. Bacteria present in the mouth can pass through the bloodstream and be carried throughout the body, causing various digestive, renal, respiratory and other problems.
As you can see, to avoid all these problems, it is essential to take care of your dog's oral hygiene!
Chewing: an essential part of a dog's oral hygiene
When we see our dog dip his nose into his freshly replenished bowl, we often tend to forget that he is basically a carnivore. Can you imagine your fur ball in this scenario? But you should know that its teeth are designed to attack large prey and chew food that "resists" it.
However, as dogs have become pets, they have not had the same diet as they once did. As a result, their teeth are not as strong today as they were when they were fed a diet of meat, cartilage and bone. This type of food encouraged them to chew more, which in turn helped to maintain the dog's good oral hygiene.
It is therefore important to choose a diet that allows the dog to reproduce this chewing exercise. This is why kibbles are one of the best foods for our four-legged friends today, as they force them to chew, allowing them to clean their teeth by mechanical effect.
However, kibbles are not always enough to maintain good oral hygiene and it is necessary to supplement them with something else.
How does the dental stick care for the health of your dog's teeth?
Since kibble is not enough to keep your dog's teeth clean, there are complementary solutions to help them clean naturally. This is the case with dental sticks, for example. These chew sticks not only have an abrasive action on the tartar already present, but also slow down the return of dental plaque and the bacteria present in it.
A dental stick is to dogs what a toothbrush is to humans: a tool for maintaining oral hygiene! You can easily find them on the market, but they do not all have the same properties.
For example, Marly & Dan's Dental L is made from 100% natural ingredients and has 5 main benefits:
- It reduces dental plaque
- It eliminates bacteria
- It gives to the dog a fresh breath
- Protects the gums
- Helps maintain a healthy immune system
Discover our Dental sticks Marly & Dan
It is true that some rubber toys can also help clean dogs' teeth, but care should be taken to ensure that the toy is not too hard to damage your pet's gums. Bones bought from the butcher can also replicate the chewing exercise, but they can lead to constipation and liver fatigue. Before giving your dog a bone, be careful about the quality of the bone you are about to give him.
The dental stick is the best option to complement the chewing exercise already provided by kibbles. For those who are not yet convinced, you should know that the dental stick also has two other advantages:
It encourages the dog to play
This dental snack for dogs can also be seen as a toy thanks to its stick shape. Your dog will enjoy chewing on it in the basket or in the garden.
It serves as a reward for the dog
The Dental Marly & Dan not only acts as a toothbrush, but also as a dental treat for your dog. Its unique and tasty composition, based on salmon and natural ingredients, pleases many dogs who are happy to receive it as a reward when they have obeyed or been good!
