You wouldn’t let years go by between visits to the dentist for yourself, right? Probably not! Well your pet's dental health is just as important to his or her overall health as your dental health is to your general health. Here are some reasons why it is so important!
Dental Care for Pets?
Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care. In fact, over two-thirds of pet owners do not provide the dental care that is needed. This results in over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will have dental disease by the age of 3 years.
Dental disease doesn’t affect just the mouth. It can lead to more serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease, which makes it all the more important that you provide your pets with proper dental care from the start.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Your pet’s bad breath is not something to be ignored or dismissed as “doggie breath” or “kitty breath”. In fact they could be clear sign that there may be a serious concern inside of your pet’s mouth.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth that takes hold in progressive stages. It starts out as a bacterial film called plaque. The bacteria attach to the teeth. When the bacteria die they can be calcified by calcium in saliva. This forms a hard, rough substance called tartar or calculus which allows more plaque to accumulate. Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, causing them to become red and swollen and to bleed easily.
This condition allows bacteria not only to enter your pet’s digestive tract and lungs; it enters the blood stream easily and travels to organs throughout the body. The most easily effected being the heart, kidneys and even joints!
As plaque and calculus develop below the gum line, professional cleaning will be needed to help manage it. If the plaque and tartar buildup continues unchecked, infection can form around the root of the tooth.
In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues surrounding the tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding the tooth in erodes and the tooth becomes loose. This is a very painful process for your four-legged friend, but these problems can be averted before they even start.
How is it prevented?
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth that takes hold in progressive stages. It starts out as a bacterial film called plaque. The bacteria attach to the teeth. When the bacteria die they can be calcified by calcium in saliva. This forms a hard, rough substance called tartar or calculus which allows more plaque to accumulate. Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, causing them to become red and swollen and to bleed easily.
This condition allows bacteria not only to enter your pet’s digestive tract and lungs; it enters the blood stream easily and travels to organs throughout the body. The most easily effected being the heart, kidneys and even joints!
As plaque and calculus develop below the gum line, professional cleaning will be needed to help manage it. If the plaque and tartar buildup continues unchecked, infection can form around the root of the tooth.
In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues surrounding the tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding the tooth in erodes and the tooth becomes loose. This is a very painful process for your four-legged friend, but these problems can be averted before they even start.
How is it prevented?
| The first step to a healthy mouth starts with diet and nutrition. When the body is healthy on the inside, the outside will show it. With proper nutrition, the pH of the pet’s saliva will be a bit higher to battle bacteria in the mouth. With proper nutrition, the body is more able to fight off infections that may be occurring in the mouth (and all over). One way to ensure good health is to add Casey Pets Essential Supplement to your pet's meal! High amounts of carbohydrates in the diet can also be a problem. Besides the inflammation that they can cause, the carbohydrate can turn to sugars and feed the bacteria living in the mouth. One of the easiest ways to ensure good oral health is through regular home care. Teeth brushing, chew bones and oral gels are a powerful tool against oral disease. Finally, regular oral exams at your veterinarian ensure that all angles are observed and noted. This allows any changes in the mouth (pockets of infection, missing or loose teeth, impaction of teeth, broken teeth, gum recession, etc) can be caught before major damage can occur. Dental care for pets has come a long way. New advancements such as specialized diets and even new oral care gels like our PetzLife Oral Care Gel, have made oral care easier and more readily available to pet owners. |
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1 comments:
This is such an are to stay proactive before serious health and expensive alternatives occur. Why risk anethesizing your pet and the enormous expense when it just has to be repeated in less than a year. I have always brushed my dog's teeth and also used scalers if necessary. The Petzlife oral gel is an amazing tooth/gum care system teamed with the supplement.
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