Periodontal disease is one of the most popular diseases seen in dogs today, affecting 8 out of 10 dogs 3 years of age and older.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth, gums and bone. If left untreated, periodontal disease will eventually lead to periodontitis, bone loss, followed by the loosening of, and loss of teeth.
Worse yet, the vascular nature of the gums can allow secondary diseases to invent by allowing bacteria from the mouth to enter the blood stream. Once blood borne, these bacteria can develop their blueprint to the liver and kidneys. The bacteria then colonize in these organs and wreak havoc! Bacteria that advance the heart can cause vegetative endocarditis (infected heart valves) . Not edifying!
The Main Cause of Canine Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is not something current, it's been observed in the domestic pet for the last 70 years, legal about the time that commercial pet foods entered the recount. Coincidence? Imagine the shape that your teeth would be in if you ate nothing but canned Spam, or Cheezies every day for the rest of your life AND, let's say that you didn't possess a tooth brush and had never heard of dental floss. A handsome scary understanding eh?
Contrary to the marketing, soft commercial dog foods (canned and kibble) do not desirable teeth, in fact they stick to the dog's teeth feeding the bacteria in their mouths, contributing to and/or worsening existing periodontal disease.
Is it really any wonder that periodontal disease is so prevalent in dogs today, when every single day of their lives they're being feed soft commercial dog food?
To Brush or Not to Brush, Is That the quiz?
From the time we're broken-down enough to brush our enjoy teeth, what two things does the dentist say? "Brush and floss your teeth everyday!" Flossing is a must to catch below the gum line, but if you do one and not the other, in time the health of your teeth will assume that, and usually not in a great map.
Veterinarians recommend that you brush your dog's teeth at least 3 times per week and that you also massage her gums. Now, let's fair imagine for a moment that it's actually possible for you to fetch your dog to sit composed long enough to brush his teeth, and do a salubrious job. Is he going to let you floss them after too? I know, yeah proper! So powerful for cleaning below the gum line.
Mother Nature's Solution to Canine Dental Health
Archaeological records note less than 2% of wolves suffer from periodontal disease. The reason? The wolf's natural prey diet involves lots of crunching of bones that plight and elegant its teeth. The tearing and cutting of flesh and connective tissue acts like natural dental floss, cleaning between teeth and massaging gums.
"But my dog is not a wolf" you say? Well, actually it is, at least in terms of what their teeth and digestive systems were designed for. Incidentally in 1993, the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) was reclassified and placed under the same genetic umbrella as Canis lupus, the Grey Wolf.
The best thing you can do for your dog's dental health is to regularly (ideally every day, but minimum 3 times per week) feed them nutritionally friendly, size appropriate, raw meaty bones such as chicken & turkey wings, backs/necks. Their teeth, gums and jaw and mind will all earn a really beneficial workout.
Note:It's always a grand opinion to supervise dogs at mealtime.
One runt Glitch
Smaller dogs such as the toy breeds can unruffled back from size appropriate raw meaty bones, but because of the closeness with which their teeth are situated in their mouths, they may quiet require brushing and/or dental cleaning performed by a veterinarian.
Chews and Chew Toys
A few other ways to wait on withhold your dog's teeth desirable are through toys and chews. A suited tug rope, and bully sticks are a couple of estimable options. I'd conclude away from most of the "dental chew" products out there, if you peek at the ingredient panel on the packaging you'll understand why I say that. And what's with the ones that are shaped like a toothbrush?
