And we can’t really blame our pooches for this as they can’t take care of their teeth themselves.
And they can’t tell us when they have a toothache either.
So, it is up to us to ensure our four-legged friends have healthy teeth. In that name, here are 3 easy ways to keep your dog’s teeth clean and thus prevent certain dental diseases from forming.
Water Additives
Water additives are one of the best preventives when it comes to tartar formation and canine dental care in general. These are added to your pet’s drinking water and should ideally be introduced when your dog is still young.
Dental Diets
Another way to prevent dental diseases is introducing one of the many dental cuisines available to your pet’s everyday diet. These foods help by mechanically brushing the teeth, but also have ingredients that help prevent gingivitis and the build-up of plaque.
Dental diets are best fed as sole-diets, however some vets suggest there is still some benefit in mixing them in with your pet’s regular food.
Safe Chewing
Chewing can really help to keep your pet’s teeth healthy, but it can indeed be a double-edged sword.
There is still much debate on the safety of chewing bones in dogs. We see countless broken, chipped and damaged teeth from dogs chewing bones, while raw chicken bones are a serious choking hazard (plus, your pooch can also get salmonella due to intensive chicken farming practices).
According to many vets, the only chewy product that has the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of approval is Greenies.
The trick is that, whatever your canine friend chews, it needs to be soft enough so your pooch is able to sink their teeth right up to the gum line. Anything else can be dangerous.