Dog dental care—it’s an important area of pet care that you can easily fall behind on. If your dog is a breed that is prone to dental disease (Greyhounds and every small-breed dog), or they have had manydental health issuesin the past, it’s important to offer more than one type of at-home dental care in addition to the regular dental cleanings at the vet’s office.
Dog Dental Care Tips
Here are the best ways to keep your dog’s teeth and mouth as clean as possible and eliminate bad breath.
用犬牙膏刷狗的牙齿。
Some dogs truly enjoy having their teeth brushed because canine toothpaste is usually flavored to suit a dog’s taste buds. Chicken, beef, and peanut butter are the most popular flavors. If your dog has a food allergy, use caution when choosing a flavor of toothpaste to use.
Dogs that are food-motivated and can sit still for a couple of minutes will generally do well with having their teeth brushed.
For large dogs, you can use a regular human toothbrush. For small dogs, it is best to either use a baby toothbrush or a fingertip brush. You can purchase a dog toothbrushing kit that includes the toothpaste, a regular brush, and a fingertip brush. (Example:Virbac C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Kit for dogs)
Brushing your dog’s teeth类似于刷自己的牙齿。只需弄湿牙刷，然后在牙刷上涂一层牙膏，然后刷狗的牙齿即可。如果您的狗不允许您刷牙，那没关系。完成刷牙后，您也无需将牙膏从嘴里冲洗出来。
尝试每周2-3天刷狗的牙齿，但是如果您有时间并且您的狗喜欢它，那么每天刷牙会更好！如果您担心如果您的狗刷牙可能会咬您，请不要尝试。相反，请尝试以下一些选项。
Add dental powder to your dog’s meals.
Vetriscience Perio支持is a flavored dental powder that is easy to apply to the top of your dog’s food. It contains a probiotic that helps promote healthy bacteria in your dog’s mouth and simultaneously kills plaque-building bacteria.
这powder should be applied to every meal your dog eats. It helps freshen your dog’s breath and prevents tartar and plaque from building up on your dog’s teeth.
Try a dental water additive.
狗有几种不同的水添加剂，它们都可以使用。这些口服解决方案无味。根据瓶子上的方向，您每天将在狗的水碗中添加一定数量的水添加。该解决方案有助于新鲜狗的呼吸并杀死plaque-building bacteria in your dog’s mouth.
Ask your vet about prescription dental food.
For dogs that are opposed to the other options or are very prone toperiodontal disease，一些狗食公司制作的处方牙科食品已在临床上证明有助于减少牙齿疾病。
当您的狗咀嚼食物时，粗磨会清洁其牙齿的表面，并减少牙垢的积聚。千里布尔还含有有助于杀死细菌的成分，导致牙菌斑和牙垢形成。
Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diets DH Dental Health,Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care, and饮食皇家(兽医牙科formula for medium/large dogs和小狗have all been formulated by boarded veterinary nutritionists and have gone through clinical trials to prove their efficacy. Since these diets require a prescription from a veterinarian, you will need to ask your vet about trying one of these formulas for your dog.
Give your dog dental treats.
当您为狗挑选牙齿零食或咀嚼时，请确保它们在包装上具有兽医口腔健康委员会的接受印章，因为此密封件表示这些产品有助于控制Tartar的堆积。
一个例子是Oravet可咀嚼每天给出一次。这些咀嚼物减少了牙菌斑和牙垢的堆积，并在狗的牙齿表面产生保护性屏障，从而使细菌更难粘贴并形成牙垢。这Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Dental Chewzalso help significantly reduce tartar buildup and are to be given occasionally as treats.
Take your dog for regular dental cleanings.
无论您为狗提供多少室外牙科护理，牙垢仍然会随着时间的流逝而在狗的牙齿上积聚，就像我们的牙齿一样。我们可能每天刷牙，但我们仍然需要牙医定期清洁牙齿。狗也是如此。
When enough tartar and gingivitis are present in your dog’s mouth, your veterinarian will recommend a dental cleaning (called dental prophylaxis). Your dog will need to go under general anesthesia in order to allow a veterinarian to properly clean off all the tartar on their teeth as well as the layer of tartar under the gumline.
Some dogs need dental cleanings yearly, and others every few years; it depends on the breed of the dog and the dental care that they receive at home.
参考
Pet dental care. American Veterinary Medical Association.https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pet-dental-care
Featured image: iStock.com/Liliboas
