February Is Pet Dental Health Month
Mom says that the number one priority for a pet’s preventative wellness lifestyle is diet…followed closely by good oral health.
The American Veterinary Medical Association sponsors National Pet Dental Health Month every February. It is such an important topic that it warrants a whole month of attention, so let’s get serious about it!
The Importance Of Pet Dental Health
Our dental health is a very important part of our overall wellness, just as it is for your overall good health. Poor dental health can lead to gum disease and loose teeth, and even worse, cause heart, liver and kidney disease which can eventually lead to death. Yikes!
It is recommended that you have your pet’s teeth checked by your vet at least once a year to assess the condition of your pet’s mouth. But that is just the beginning because daily oral care needs to be introduced and practiced, well, daily, in order to ensure good oral health.
Thankfully there are many tutorials online on how to brush your pet’s teeth…whether your pet is young…or an adult who is already set in their ways – in other words – “you are not getting in my mouth with that thing!”, which is basically my position too!
Tools to Help Keep Your Pet’s Teeth & Mouth Healthy
Check out the Cornell University Veterinary School and the American Veterinary Medical Association for more information on how to brush our teeth.
In addition, there are mouth gels, oral washes, plaque-fighting drops for the water bowl and certain supplements that help deter plaque such as kelp…mom says “every little bit helps!”.
One important note – a raw diet helps a lot with dental issues as the food is pure animal protein with no junk that sticks to our teeth. It has been proven that the raw diet aids in better oral health with less plaque and better breath.
Speaking personally, my teeth and gums have been a big discussion point in our house lately. And as a raw diet devotee, the concern is that I might have the autoimmune disease, Stomatitis, because I have some inflamed gums.
Types Of Teeth Cleaning
I recently wrote about my visit with holistic vet Dr. Gerald Buchoff of Holistic Pet Care in Little Falls, NJ. His clinic offers a non-anesthesia dental cleaning which mom says is ideal for a few reasons…I don’t have to be knocked out, the time is shorter and the cost is lower.
In full disclosure, sedation-free pet dental cleanings have their fans and critics, and there are plenty of opinions online as to the pros and cons.
There is a good chance that your pet will need to have its teeth cleaned a few times in its lifetime. So please do your research as you consider the best options for your pet! And if your pet needs to be sedated, it is better to have the teeth cleaned, than not to because you are concerned about the anesthesia.
As it turns out, I am not a candidate for it as I have the gingivitis to deal with first. Mom is trying to heal my gums from the “inside out” and I am on a regime of Colostrum power, Coenzyme Q10 power and Thymex to boost my immune system and heal the gums. My teeth appear healthy so fingers crossed and we will keep you posted.
So let’s celebrate National Pet Dental Health Month by committing to better oral and dental care decisions and sticking to a schedule of regular teeth care and routine vet visits to check our teeth.