Do you check your pets teeth?    

People often forget that pets have teeth too! Can you imagine eating what your pets eat everyday and never brushing or having your teeth scaled?

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...85% of dogs and cats over three years of age require dental attention. The presence of dental plaque and hardened tooth tartar caused by the bacterial by-products in the mouth leads to bad breath and inflammation of the gum tissue. Left untreated, the gums will recede leading to premature tooth loss.

For a free dental check make an appointment  with one of our qualified nurses.

 Plaque is produced in the mouth at all times, it is soft and pasty and settles on the teeth. This consists of salivary deposits, bacteria and food particles.

 Tartar is plaque which has been left to calcify, this shows up as a hard yellowy/brown material on the teeth.

 Periodontal Disease is inflammation of the tissues surrounding the teeth. This is what is caused if these are not removed by brushing or otherwise. Signs of this are soreness of the gums, bad breath and if it becomes serious enough can cause pain, eating difficulties or even loss of teeth.

Ways of preventing plaque and tartar build up

* Brushing – This must always be done with a toothpaste specially made for dogs and cats as human toothpaste can cause stomach problems in pets.

 Brushing, although an effective way of removing plaque build up, is not always realistic particularly in cats and usually has to be something you start from an early age to be effective.

 It is only a preventative measure, it will not remove tartar build up which is already present.

* Diet – One of the most effective ways of removing plaque and tartar is by going back to nature and feeding a natural raw diet consisting of raw meat and bone with vegetables and rice.

 The action of chewing on raw meat and bone acts as a toothbrush for their teeth. Animals which live on this type of diet in the wild tend not to have the dental problems which we see in our domestic pets.

Dry diets and biscuits can also aid the removal of plaque, although not as effective as raw diets, are much more effective than canned foods as these contribute more to plaque build up.

* Chews – There are a range of chews such as specially made dental chews and raw hide chews which will also aid in helping to clean your pets teeth.

* Scale and Polish – This is the most effective way of removing plaque and tartar, particularly if the plaque has calcified and become hard. This is almost impossible to remove without the aid of a scaler. The animal has to be sedated and may sometimes need a full general anaesthetic to prevent too much stress. The teeth are then scaled and polished much the same as your own are at the dentist.

If you are worried about your pets teeth and would like advice or if you would like your pets teeth checked, then please ring and make an appointment with one of our qualified nurses on tel: 01937 543860