How to Protect Your Pet’s Teeth

February is dental health month for pets. Assuming your pet did not just get a bunch of chocolate for Valentine’s Day, why then should you focus on your pet’s teeth? Well, there are a lot of reasons. First and foremost, the health of your pet’s teeth significantly affects his overall health. Deterioration of dental health can lead to problems with organs and lead to major health conditions.

It might come as a surprise to hear that that 80% of pets have dental disease by the time they reach three years old. Starting early is the best way to go, but catching up on good dental care will still help your pet. Here are the basic steps to ensuring better dental health for your pet.

The most basic thing you can do is get your pet dental treats to chew. These can help scrape away plaque and other build-up from her teeth. To make sure the products you get for your pet do the job, you can check out recommendations from your veterinarian as well as from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).

To take your pet’s dental health further, you have to get to work. That means brushing your pet’s teeth on a regular basis. This can feel awkward at first for both you and your pet, but the more you do it, the better you will both get at it. Ask your vet to show you how to best brush your pet’s teeth. This will make a huge difference in your pet’s health.

Finally, just like us, your pet needs regular professional checkups and cleanings. This is definitely the case if you have fallen behind on brushing your pet’s teeth. To do the job effectively, your veterinarian will have to use anesthesia, so talk with your vet first and make sure all of your questions get answered.

By taking charge of your pet’s dental health and working on it on a regular basis, you will help ensure better health, not only dental health, but your pet’s overall health. A little investment in time and effort each day will really pay off in the long run.