Pet owners often neglect their pet's teeth to the extent that 80% of all dogs by the age of three have developed dental disease. What people don't realize is that the severity of dog tooth decay can be extremely detrimental to the health of dogs, ranging from tooth loss to possible death caused by related infections. There are many ways to determine if a canine has fostered dental disease and even more methods to preventing and treating this disease.
It is the responsibility of the dog owner to ensure that the dog's teeth are kept clean and free of dental disease because they are unable to make decisions and prevent decay. Consistent bad breath is an instant way to tell if a dog has dental disease because the stale food mixes with the pet's saliva to create a very unpleasant smell. Tooth decay can also be discovered from a dog's behavior change. Dental disease is very painful and is constantly hurting, therefore some dogs may show signs of aggression or become reluctant to perform actions that involve touching or rubbing of the mouth. Also, if dog tooth decay is occurring, then they are likely to begin drooling on a regular basis. Small breeds are more susceptible than larger dogs, along with breeds that have short noses because there are too many teeth to be proportionate with their tiny jaws.
Knowing the process of dental disease and dog tooth decay is essential to prevention and treatment methods. Beginning with plaque, after settling and calcium salts are formed it turns into harder deposits called tartar. Leaving this untreated can lead to gingivitis which is very unhealthy for canines, but luckily it can be reversed with proper treatment. However, if the condition is left untreated, periodontal disease will occur which leads to inevitable occurrence of tooth decay for dogs.
Surprisingly, all it takes for prevention and treatment are very simple methods and instructions. Raw meaty bones are very enjoyable for any dog and actually act as an alternative to a real toothbrush as the tartar is often scraped off by the dog attempting to get the meat off the bone. An important tip is that these bones should always be raw to ensure that it will benefit dog teeth as cooked meat can potentially contain particles that are harmful and contain excessive bacteria. Lastly, brushing dog teeth daily and yearly checkups for dental purposes are all the essential materials for deterring dog tooth decay and an extremely happy canine.
Forgetting to take care of the most common disease seen in dogs around the world is simple irresponsibility and at extreme levels can even be considered dog abuse. These unconditionally loving animals deserve to be treated with the highest care because they are born with not one bad bone in their bodies. Prevention and treatment approaches of are extremely easy and there is simply no excuse for allowing dog tooth decay to develop.
