Why Brushing your dog's teeth is essential.

Brushing your dog's teeth is essential because it cleans your dog's mouth while preventing gingivitis, tooth decay, and tooth extraction. Brushing also removes plaque, a sticky film made of bacteria that forms on teeth before it turns into tartar. Over 90% of dogs over the age of 3 have some degree of periodontal disease. The infection could spread from the gums to the jawbone and the ligaments that hold your dog's teeth in place.er time this causes significant pain, tooth loss, and can even cause damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys. It all begins when plaque forms on the teeth. If not cleaned, the plaque turns into tartar and eventually inflammation of the gums, which is gingivitis. Without intervention, this will turn into periodontal disease. Periodontal disease means around the tooth, it attacks the gum and surrounding tissues. The stages of this disease are gingivitis, and dental cleaning will be recommended. If your dog's periodontal disease is more advanced, a vet will perform dental cleaning along with some other steps. For example, they may give you an antibiotic gel to put where pockets form in the gum, encouraging them to close. Dog's who are severely diseased and painful will need tooth extractions and pain meds following surgery. If you see signs of periodontal disease, do not start a tooth brushing routine; it is already past the point of fixing it and may be painful for your dog. I know it is a big commitment to brushing your dog's teeth daily, but it could potentially save you thousands of dollars in the future. We all want to feed our dog's the best and give them the best life. Their best lives include cleaning their bacteria-ridden mouths.