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There are more health issues to consider than bad breath and periodontal disease when it comes to keeping your dog’s mouth healthy. Keep reading to learn about other issues that can be caught early with routine dental checkups and dental care.
Loose Teeth
You may be brushing your dog’s teeth at home and thinking you are doing a great job keeping their teeth in tip-top shape, but the unfortunate truth is that plaque and tartar can still build up on the teeth and turn into tartar. This buildup can cause inflammation to the gums, leading to gum disease, which can also cause loose teeth.
Fractured Teeth
If your dog loves chewing on bones, antlers, or nylon bones, then your pet is at high risk of fracturing their teeth. Bones and antlers are very hard and the pressure from biting is absorbed by your dog’s teeth, which can lead to stress fractures. To reduce the risk of broken teeth, your dog should be chewing on toys or treats that are small enough for them to chew without having to open their mouth too wide, but big enough that they will not swallow it accidentally. A rule of thumb is to not give them anything to chew that would be painful for you to hit your knee on.
Retained Puppy Teeth
As with humans, dogs have puppy teeth that eventually will get pushed out when the adult teeth are coming in, usually around at six months old. However, sometimes those puppy teeth do not fall out. Regular dental checkups will catch this issue and the veterinarian can pull those teeth to prevent overcrowded teeth and tartar buildup.
Contact your veterinarian today to schedule your dog’s dental visit.