Happy National Pet Dental Month! Did you know that by 3 years old, most dogs and cats have some form of dental disease? Dental issues are no joke, so we need to make sure our pet’s oral hygiene is well cared for.
Here are 3 reasons why your pet needs dental care, too!
Prevents pain
We all know that dental pain can be excruciating. Dogs and cats can hide or mask their pain incredibly well, so they might not let you know that their mouth is bothering them. Here are a few indicators that your pet’s mouth might be causing them pain:
-bad breath
-loose teeth
-inflamed/bleeding gums
-drooling
-loss of appetite
-being gentler with toys
-rubbing their faces
You can prevent all kinds of pain just by taking care of your pet’s teeth.
Prolongs life
It’s weird to think that proper dental care can extend a life, but it can! When you don’t take care of your pet’s teeth, bacteria in the plaque that is stuck on their teeth can enter their bloodstream and affect the organs. Periodontal disease happens five times more often in dogs than humans. Dogs with this disease are at a higher rate for heart, kidney, and liver disease.
Maintains tooth health
Brushing and taking care of your pet’s oral hygiene maintains tooth-supporting structures. Teeth can become damaged and infected when dental disease is present, causing them to loosen, fall out or need to be removed. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean can help with bad breath as well. Bad breath can be an indicator that something is going on internally with your pet, so it’s good to keep teeth clean to know that’s not the cause of it!
