Teeth are everything. Not just for cats and dogs, but even for us humans. Without teeth, it would most certainly be very difficult to eat anything. Whilst we are trained to brush our own teeth, we often forget that dogs need to have their teeth brushed too. Sure, it can be a chore, considering how dogs generally don’t like the invasive process of brushing their teeth.

Every time your dog eats, sticky plaque forms on the teeth. As the plaque starts to activate with the salts found naturally in your dog’s saliva, it begins to harden into tartar. Tartar leads to periodontal disease, where the gums start pulling away from the teeth, causing pain, inflammation, infection and even tooth loss. Plaque can harden into tartar in as little as just 36 hours. That’s why you should brush your dog’s teeth at least once every 2 days at the minimum, but once a day would be fab.

Bad breath is another reason to brush your dog’s teeth, with plaque and tartar, they can make your dog’s breath real stinky. Plaque is packed with bacteria, which gives your dog that less-than-fetching breath. By removing plaque from your dog’s teeth, you can get closer to your pet without having to hold your breath. Did you know that once plaque hardens into tartar, it’s impossible to remove it at home? Tartar removal requires a professional cleaning at the vet where your pet is put under anesthesia. That’s a lot of money for what could easily have been avoided in the first place.

Get a toothbrush that matches your dog’s size. If it’s too big, brushing will be uncomfortable for your dog. Here are some examples. If you want to check out more for dental care, click here.

If brushing is too difficult, you might want to consider integrating playtime into teeth brushing with some of these toys. Here are some examples. If you want to check out more for dental care, click here.

For some of these dog toys, you can place Kuro Snacks in there as an incentive. Helps with their nosework, keeps it fun, and at the same time keep their gut, teeth and gums healthy. Use Minto Bites by Kuro Snacks. Mint bites with Organic Wheatgrass & Parsley. For longer support in fresher breath for dogs and cats.

Some dogs, like Kuro, have got more dental issues than the norm (from birth and playing with rocks). We’re not ashamed to speak of this, though it saddens us that her teeth aren’t exactly in normal condition, let alone in good shape. This requires intervention by means of professional dental cleaning. These professional dental procedures require anaesthesia and pain control, it’s not without its risks but it is necessary because deep cleaning below the gum line, teeth extraction, and dental treatment are very invasive, not to mention painful and definitely requires your dog to keep still. Most vets have these services.

There are some that provide dental cleaning and scaling services without the use of anaesthesia and it is trending. One thing to be mindful of is to pick one that has really good reviews and is popular (typically, you can tell because they can’t cater to walk-ins and you have to book way in advance). It requires very skilled professionals as one wrong move like a small cut on the gums can lead to infection and that becomes a whole other nightmare of its own. So proceed with caution and go with recommended and popular (not just because of price) professionals.

Want more years with your precious pooch? Start removing that plaque! Caring for your dog’s teeth can add 2-5 years to your dog’s life … and make those golden years much more happy and healthy! Removing plaque from your dog’s teeth is simply the best protection against periodontal disease.

Share with us in the comments below on your experience and let us know where you prefer to take your dog.