With good dental home care we hope to increase the time between dental cleanings to greater than a year. This minimizes your pet undergoing an anesthetic procedure and saves you the cost of more frequent dental cleanings.
Your main goal is plaque removal. Plaque is the film on the teeth composed of bacteria that adheres to the enamel surface of the tooth. Plaque, if not removed, leads to tartar formation (hard brown material on teeth that you can NOT brush off) and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).
As dental disease advances it destroys the periodontal ligament and bone, both of which hold the teeth in! This leads to pain, infection, tooth loss, and potential secondary kidney, liver, heart, and lung disease.
Dogs:
- Brushing – Daily is optimal but cleaning should be done at least three times weekly. This is the “gold standard” in dental home care. Never use human toothpaste. There are flavored pastes for dogs designed to be swallowed without upsetting their stomach. (Enzadent)
- Dental Diets – Larger kibble size promotes increased chewing time and patented kibble texture allows the tooth to penetrate deep into the kibble before it breaks. Greater tooth penetration extends contact time with the kibble for an excellent cleaning effect. (Purina Veterinary Diets DH)
- Drinking Water Additives / Oral Gels – Enzymatic formulas with plaque removing enzymes. Nice alternative if your pet will not tolerate brushing. (Biotene Drinking Water Additive, Biotene Maintenance Oral Gel, Biotene Mouthwash, Oxyfresh Drinking Water Additive)
- Chewing – Daily recreational chewing on dental toys and compressed rawhide help to massage gums and remove plaque (Kong toys, VET Oral Care Chews, Purina Dental Chewz)
Cats:
- Brushing – Daily is optimal but cleaning should be done at least three times weekly. This is the “gold standard” in dental home care. Never use human toothpaste. There are flavored pastes for cats designed to be swallowed without upsetting their stomach. (Enzadent)
- Dental Diets – Larger kibble size promotes increased chewing time and patented kibble texture allows the tooth to penetrate deep into the kibble before it breaks. Greater tooth penetration extends contact time with the kibble for an excellent cleaning effect. (Purina Veterinary Diets DH)
- Drinking Water Additives / Oral Gels – Enzymatic formulas with plaque removing enzymes. Nice alternative if your pet will not tolerate brushing. (Biotene Drinking Water Additive, Biotene Maintenance Oral Gel, Biotene Mouthwash, Oxyfresh Drinking Water Additive)
- Chewing – For cats that will not allow brushing or as an addition to brushing, offer a daily chew to help remove food debris before they develop into plaque and tartar. (VET Enzadent Oral Care Chews, Butler Tartar Control Treats)
