WASHING A DOG'S TEETH AT HOME CONDITIONS

How often do you brush your own teeth? Your dog's teeth and gums deserve the same regular care - preferably daily. Daily oral care can help your pet live a long and healthy life.

How can you brush your dog's teeth at home?

Brushing dogs' teeth is important as it can help prevent plaque and calculus build-up. If the plaque is left for 3-5 days, it combines with the minerals in the dog's saliva, hardens and turns to stone. Tartar can irritate a dog's gums, creating a rough surface that encourages further bacterial build-up and causes gingivitis (swelling and reddening of the gums) and can cause a dog's bad breath. Cleaning your dog's teeth makes it easier to remove plaque.

Purina® DentaLife® is a dental treat for dogs that helps reduce tartar build-up, even in the most vulnerable, hard-to-reach places,. Our dental teethers are designed for everyday use. Chewing them daily means more time for cleaning your dog's teeth and taking care of oral hygiene.

Cleaning your dog's teeth at the vet

During regular checkups, your vet will look at a few spots to make sure your dog's mouth is in full health. This includes examining the dog's mouth and head to detect disturbing signs. The vet will look more closely into the mouth, check the inner surface of the lips, the surface of the teeth and gums of the dog, the harder to reach inner surfaces of the teeth and gums, and the tongue, palate, tonsils and the area under the tongue.

If a stone has accumulated on your dog's teeth, your vet may recommend that you remove it - this should be done under anesthesia to make the dog as comfortable as possible. This professional (prophylactic) cleaning of your dog's teeth may include:

• Rinse the dog's mouth with an antibacterial solution.

• Cleaning your dog's teeth using handheld ultrasonic scalers to remove tartar above the gumline and below.

• Apply a solution to indicate areas where plaque remains - then remove it.

• Polishing your dog's teeth to remove microscopic scratches.

• Examine each dog's tooth and surrounding gum for signs of disease.

• Extraction of teeth that can no longer be cured.

Once your dog's teeth are fully clean, the vet will give advice on how to keep them that way. By brushing your dog's teeth at home, you can take responsibility for regular oral hygiene of your dog, limit visits to the vet, and help keep your dog's teeth and gums in pristine condition!