Just like us humans, our dogs require the same level of oral hygiene to maintain clean and healthy teeth. Notice your dog has stinky breath? Well, this could be a way your pooch’s mouth is telling you it needs a little extra TLC now and again. Your dog’s breath is a massive indicator of anything usual happening in your dog’s mouth. Overly stinky breath can be a sign of gum or even renal disease so it’s vital more than ever to keep an nose out for any dramatic changes in your dog’s oral aromas.
From tooth brushing to dental treats, there are many ways you can care for your dog’s teeth at home. Regularly brushing and providing your dog with daily dental care can help reduce the likelihood of them develop gum disease, tooth infection and even tooth loss!
Why is Fresh Breath Important for Your Dog’s Health?
Needing their teeth for chomping and chewing, keeping your dog’s teeth in tip top condition can ensure they lead a healthy and happy life. Whether your dog is on dry or wet food, they require healthy teeth to help make digestion and the absorption of key vitamins and minerals from their diet easier than ever. Stinky breath caused by health issues such as gum disease or even oral infections can lead to reduced food intake possibly leading to other health risks down the line.
Helping your dog to maintain a fresh and clean breath can help reduce the likelihood of developing tooth decay – the primary factor in your dog developing gum disease and even tooth loss. For those of us who adore those doggy kisses, maintaining healthy breath can ensure we enjoy those sniffs and licks just as much as they do
What Causes Bad Breath in Dogs?
There can be many indicators that can lead to your dog’s stinky breath, be that poor diet or problems with their teeth, identifying the cause is the sure fire way of keeping your dog’s oral hygiene healthy and wholesome.
If you are noticing changes in your dog’s breath, it is always best to discuss with your dog’s veterinarian who will indicate it is likely to be one of the following reasons:
- Poor diet – lack of proper nutrition and healthy ingredients in their food
- Buildup of plaque and tartar on their teeth
- Broken or splintered tooth that has a developed an infection
In extreme cases, bad breath – often an ammonia like scent - can also indicate signs that your dog is experiencing kidney problems (renal failure) when combined with vomiting, lethargy, mouth ulcers and pale gums. It is vital that any changes in your dog’s breath are discussed with a vet who can recommend the required treatment dependent on the problem.
Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene for Your Dog
When it comes to caring for your dog’s teeth, daily care is the best way to keeping their mouth healthy and wholesome. Like us humans, dogs require their teeth to be brushed to help fight plaque and tartar. From brushing teeth to dental chews, here’s the wonderful ways you can care for your dog’s teeth from home.
Regular Brushing
Brushing your dog’s teeth during their puppy years also helps to ensure a reduced anxiety of the action in their adult years. Dogs who have not grown up with having their teeth brushed from a puppy often develop worry or avoidance making teeth brushing more difficult than ever. Investing in tooth paste with fabulous flavours like beef or even peanut butter can entice your dog to having their teeth brushed helping to keep worry and anxiety at bay.
Invest in Dental Chews
For those in-between brush days, dental chews are a wonderful way of caring for your dog’s teeth with ease. Usually long and rectangular in shape, these tasty treats are packed with breath freshening ingredients such as green apple, parsley, and mint to help massage gum lines, brush away plaque and tartar and keep breath smelling clean and healthy.
Visits with the Vet
During your dog’s annual health check, their vet will check their teeth for signs of tartar build up and decay. If there are changes in your dog’s dietary habits such as appetite loss, foul breath, or swollen/pale gums, visiting your vet will help identify any issues with your dog’s health and the correct treatment can then be recommended.
Best Products for Fresh Breath in Dogs
Caring for your dog’s teeth is now easier than ever with products available at your local pet store. From tasty toothpastes to delicious dental sticks, there is no simpler way of keeping their oral health in tip top shape. If your dog’s diet consists mainly of wet or raw food, you may find their breath a little smellier than those with a dry food diet. Try adding breath freshening solutions to their water bowl to keep their teeth and breath smelling and feeling cleaner than ever before.
Does your dog hate toothbrushing? Purchasing finger tooth brushes can help reduce the worry about tooth brushes and will help you get into those hard to reach places often missed when brushing our dog’s teeth. Meat, mint, or peanut butter flavour toothpastes can increase the likelihood of your dog having their gnashers brushed.
When choosing dental treats, try and seek chews that contain natural ingredients suited to freshening breath. Often given daily, opt for dental chews that are low-calorie and low in fat to help reduce any unwanted weight gain. Opting for dental stinks with ridges and grooves will aid in massaging gums whilst brushing away any food build up as your dog chomps away.
Say Goodbye to Bad Breath
Maintaining your dog’s oral hygiene can ultimately reduce the likelihood of your dog developing problems with their teeth and mouth. Combining regular brushing with dental treats are the best way to reducing the build-up of nasty plaque and tartar – the primary culprits leading to oral infections and tooth loss.
Any significant changes in your dog’s breath must be discussed with your dog’s veterinarian to help rule out any problems with your dog’s overall health. Ultimately, with just some simple changes to your dog’s daily routine, you can eradicate that stinky breath and keep their pearly whites cleaner and fresher than ever before.