Reasons Why Your Dog's Dental Health Is Important
Posted on: 22 December 2015
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When it comes to being a responsible dog owner, many people are aware that they need to take their dog in for their regular vaccinations as well as if they show signs of illness or injury. However, many dog owners are not aware of another important element of their dog's care; their dental health. Get to know some of the reasons that your dog's dental health is so important so that you can schedule a dog dental cleaning appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
An Unclean Mouth Can Cause Halitosis And Other Mouth Problems
Your dog's teeth and gums need cleaning just like yours to remain healthy and to remove bacteria that can take up residence and cause a myriad of oral health problems. Halitosis (chronic bad breath) is one such result of a canine mouth that does not get cleaned regularly. If your dog has bad "dog breath," it likely means that your dog needs a trip to the vet for a cleaning and that you need to begin brushing their teeth daily if you do not already do so.
Other oral health issues that your dog can suffer from, if you have not made their dental health a priority, include gum disease, missing or rotten teeth, eating problems, and the like. Additionally, if your dog's mouth is not examined often, it is possible that they will also develop squamous cell carcinoma in their mouth that will go undetected until it is advanced and metastasized into other areas of the body.
Periodontal Disease Can Spread To Other Body Systems
Periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) is a common condition in dogs that do not get regular tooth brushing or dental cleanings. If periodontal disease is not detected and treated early, the bacteria that infect the gums can get into the bloodstream.
Once these bacteria have entered the bloodstream and infected the blood, your dog could suffer from a myriad of other health conditions. Heart, liver, and kidney disease and infections could easily develop and can be very difficult to treat because by the time symptoms arise, the infection will be advanced. Regular dental exams as well as cleanings can prevent any gum disease that does occur from becoming advanced enough to penetrate into the bloodstream.
Based on these potential issues that could occur from a lack of dental care for your dog, you now know how important regular dog dental cleanings can be. As such, you can schedule your dog's next dental cleaning as soon as possible so you can be sure that you're doing everything possible to keep your dog healthy now and going forward.