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Cleaning Your Dog's Teeth
All dogs, regardless of the breed, need
to have clean teeth and cleaning a dog's
teeth should be part of a dog's general
care. Two articles in "Your
Dog," a newsletter by Tuft's
University School of Veterinary
Medicine, focus on the need for
preventative care for healthy teeth and
gums.
"A Dog's Pearly Whites: Brushing Up
on Teeth," (March 1999), written by
Kirah Ramage believes that basic dog
dental care is very simple. The author
states that you should start when your
dog is young and get the puppy
acclimated to having its mouth handled.
Eventually, you move up to a gauze
wrapped finger used to wipe all the
teeth and then on to toothbrush and dog
toothpaste. I know many dog owners who
use a portable rechargeable toothbrush,
just like the ones people use. Although
it only takes a few seconds, Kirah
Ramage states that studies have shown
that everyday or every-other-day
brushing makes a difference in stopping
tartar build up and periodontal
disease.
There are a variety of dental kits in
catalogues, but according to the author,
the central issues are "getting the
gumline clean, handling the products
properly and easily and finding products
with which your dog is comfortable."
Bottom line, you need some sort of
toothbrush and dog toothpaste. The
author notes C.E.T. and Petrodex
products, and mentions that the dog
toothpaste does come in a variety of
flavors. You will have to experiment to
find out which your dog likes the best.
The important part is the special
enzymes within the toothpaste. Do NOT
use products designed for humans.
There are cholrhexidine gluconate rinses
and gels, but you should always check
with your veterinarian before doing
anything beyond the basics of
brushing.
The second article gives you the message
in its title, "Brusha, Brusha,
Brusha! Save your dog's teeth, gums and
more," (February 2002). Written by
Phyllis De Gioia, this article warns
that you have to get rid of plaque
before it forms into tartar. It is the
mechanical action of brushing that helps
to remove plaque above and below the
gumline. She states, "While dogs on
soft diets accumulate plaque more
quickly than those on hard foods, you
need to remove plaque from all
dogs' teeth."
Dr.Laura Le Van, DVM, Clinical Assistant
Professor, veterinary dentist at Tufts
University Medicine and a Diplomat of
the American Veterinary Dental College
recommends a soft bristled toothbrush
and believes that the rope toys used as
a dental aid, "may cause problems as the
loose string may get caught between the
teeth causing a traumatized place for
periodontitis to center." She goes on
to emphasize the fact that pet
toothpastes are usually "antibacterial
through enzymes that work with
lactoperoxidase and more importantly
found in saliva-to essentially form
hydrogen peroxide, which is
antibacterial."
Although both articles mentioned the
Petrodex dental products, both articles
agreed that the C.E.T. products were
better and the product specifically used
for tartar control has more
concentration of enzymes and is more
abrasive.
Finally, Dr. Scott Kellogg,DVM and
USKBTC H&G Chairman summed it up very
succinctly in his recent post to the
USKBTC elist. Dr. Kellogg stated, "All
dogs accumulate tartar on their teeth,
just like people. Once-a-year cleaning
at your veterinarian is ideal--they
should use an ultrasonic scaler and
polisher. Groomers are not trained to
clean teeth correctly (hair stylists do
not clean human teeth--dental
technicians do). Daily brushing helps to
retard tartar formation, but typically,
teeth will still need professional
cleaning.
Carol Kearney
Last Updated: 01/28/2005, 6:02 pm
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