Your Dog's Teeth: Toothaches and Other Problems - Pt 2

4. Take Care of Your Dog’s Oral Health

Taking care of your dog's oral health is similar to taking care of your own. To maintain a healthy mouth, many vets recommend:

Annual oral examinations, dental X-rays, and cleanings done under general anesthesia. A full oral exam and X-rays are the only way your vet can look below the gum line, where gum disease hides. General anesthesia is necessary so that your vet can check for pockets around your dog's teeth, remove calculus and tartar above and below the gum line, and take out dead tissue. Exams and cleanings done without X-rays and anesthesia are of very little use.
Daily tooth brushing. Cleaning your dog's teeth every day is a great way to prevent or slow the progression of oral diseases. All you need is some pet toothpaste (which comes in lots of pooch-pleasing flavors, like seafood, vanilla-mint, malt, peanut, poultry, and beef), and a pet toothbrush (brushes made for humans are too big for most dog's mouths), along with a bit of patience and guidance, and you can go far toward keeping your pet's mouth healthy and pain-free.
Daily chew time. Another way to keep your dog's mouth in top form is to give them safe toys to chew every day. Go for hard, rubbery toys, or thinner rawhide bones that easily bend. (Rawhide can cause gastrointestinal problems if the dog swallows a large piece.) Vets also recommend staying away from all hard treats and toys like nylon bones, rawhide that doesn't bend, cow or pig hooves, and animal bones of any kind, raw or cooked. And steer clear of fuzzy tennis balls, whose abrasive surface can wear a dog's teeth down as they chew.
Good-quality dog food. You may want to talk to your vet to see if a "dental diet" is right for your dog's needs. This may mean feeding your pooch foods with additives that help keep plaque from hardening, or dried foods that help scrub your dog's teeth as he chews.

5. Regularly Examine Your Dog's Teeth

You can't be expected to diagnose gum disease or other serious oral issues in your dog's mouth, but there are things to look for between annual cleanings by the vet.

Look for broken or discolored teeth.
Check your dog's mouth for odor, especially odor that returns within one or two months after a cleaning.
Look for bleeding in the water bowl, or when your dog is playing with a chew toy.
Check for lumps or bumps in or around your dog’s mouth, especially any swelling present on one side but not the other.
Be alert for increased resistance to toothbrushing.
Notice if your pet is turning away from food.
Listen for chattering jaws when your dog eats.

If you see any of these issues while caring for your dog's teeth, talk to your veterinarian right away; your pooch may be in pain and need urgent oral care.