6 Reasons Why Dental Health is as Important for Dogs as for Humans

You know how important it is to get yourself and your kids to the dentist on a regular basis, but did you know it is equally important to get dental care for your dog? Just like you, your dog can suffer from a myriad of health problems if his dental care is not attended to. In fact, he can have many of the same health problems as you. Here are six health problems you can help your beloved pet avoid with regular dental care.

It sounds a bit melodramatic, but doctors have discovered that poor dental health can lead to poor health overall. When your teeth aren’t cleaned regularly, the bacteria in your mouth builds up and can find its way into your bloodstream. Once there, bacteria gets a free ride throughout the entire body where it can land in the kidneys, heart, liver and other major organs, potentially causing damage and disease. The same is true for your dog, who may develop a host of health problems that originate in his mouth.

Just like humans, puppies have baby teeth that are replaced by adult teeth as they age. If this process fails to happen smoothly, your dog may experience pain when losing his puppy teeth. Proper care at this important stage also helps ensure that your dog’s permanent teeth come in properly so that he doesn’t have trouble chewing and eating throughout his life.

Bad dog breath certainly isn’t a life-threatening condition, but it can limit the number of kisses and cuddles you share with your furry friend. A dog’s breath doesn’t naturally have a foul odor, so stinky pooch breath is always indicative of a dental issue in dogs. You and Fido will both enjoy your time together more if bad breath doesn’t kill the moment.

If you’ve ever had a cavity, you know how painful tooth decay can be. In order to fix a cavity, you’re likely to seek out a dentist like the one at Humble, TX dentist who specializes in endodontic (internal tissue) care. Your dog is also prone to painful cavities and may need the same type of care if his teeth do not receive routine care. Unfortunately, cavity-ridden teeth are usually removed rather than repaired when they are found in dogs. This means that over the course of his lifetime, your dog could experience several painful dental episodes and lose multiple teeth to them.

Often referred to as gum disease, periodontal disease is a serious issue in dogs and humans. In both species, periodontal disease causes serious infections and inflammation of the gums. This disease can ultimately find its way into the jaw bone, where it eats away at the tissue. As the jaw bone deteriorates, the teeth loosen and eventually fall out. Your dog could lose some or all of his teeth to periodontal disease, resulting in the need for a special soft food diet.

Vet care doesn’t come cheap, and specialists are even more expensive than general practitioners. Routine dental checkups allow you to treat minor issues with your dog’s teeth before they become major ones. Not only will your dog experience less pain and potential problems as a result, your wallet should take less of a beating as well. Vets are qualified to provide routine dental exams and cleanings and can do so without the need for a specialist most of the time.

In the United States, 4 out of every 5 dogs over the age of 3 have periodontal disease. Don’t let your beloved pup be a part of this alarming statistic. Make regular dental checkups part of his care and you’ll both be smiling for many years to come.