To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases seen in dogs today, affecting 8 out of 10 dogs 3 years of age and older.

To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

---

To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth, gums and bone. If left untreated, periodontal disease will finally lead to periodontitis, bone loss, followed by the loosening of, and loss of teeth.

Worse yet, the vascular nature of the gums can allow secondary diseases to organize by allowing bacteria from the mouth to enter the blood stream. Once blood borne, these bacteria can make their way to the liver and kidneys. The bacteria then colonize in these organs and wreak havoc! Bacteria that reach the heart can cause vegetative endocarditis (infected heart valves). Not good!

The Main Cause of Canine Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is not something new, it's been observed in the domestic pet for the last 70 years, right about the time that market pet Foods entered the picture. Coincidence? fantasize the shape that your teeth would be in if you ate nothing but canned Spam, or Cheezies every day for the rest of your life And, let's say that you didn't own a tooth brush and had never heard of dental floss. A pretty scary plan eh?

Contrary to the marketing, soft market dog Foods (canned and kibble) do not clean teeth, in fact they stick to the dog's teeth feeding the bacteria in their mouths, contributing to and/or worsening existing periodontal disease.

Is it authentically any wonder that periodontal disease is so prevalent in dogs today, when every particular day of their lives they're being feed soft market dog Food?

To Brush or Not to Brush, Is That the Question?

From the time we're old enough to brush our own teeth, what two things does the dentist say? "Brush and floss your teeth everyday!" Flossing is a must to get below the gum line, but if you do one and not the other, in time the condition of your teeth will reflect that, and normally not in a good way.

Veterinarians propose that you brush your dog's teeth at least 3 times per week and that you also Massage her gums. Now, let's just fantasize for a moMent that it's authentically possible for you to get your dog to sit still long enough to brush his teeth, and do a good Job. Is he going to let you floss them after too? I know, yeah right! So much for cleaning below the gum line.

Mother Nature's Solution to Canine Dental Health

Archaeological records show less than 2% of wolves suffer from periodontal disease. The reason? The wolf's natural prey diet involves lots of crunching of bones that scrape and clean its teeth. The tearing and cutting of flesh and connective tissue acts like natural dental floss, cleaning in the middle of teeth and massaging gums.

"But my dog is not a wolf" you say? Well, authentically it is, at least in terms of what their teeth and digestive systems were designed for. Incidentally in 1993, the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) was reclassified and placed under the same genetic umbrella as Canis lupus, the Grey Wolf.

The best thing you can do for your dog's dental condition is to normally (ideally every day, but minimum 3 times per week) feed them nutritionally beneficial, size appropriate, raw meaty bones such as chicken & turkey wings, backs/necks. Their teeth, gums and jaw and mind will all get a authentically good workout.

Note:It's always a good idea to supervise dogs at mealtime.

One Small Glitch

Smaller dogs such as the toy breeds can still benefit from size acceptable raw meaty bones, but because of the closeness with which their teeth are situated in their mouths, they may still wish brushing and/or dental cleaning performed by a veterinarian.

Chews and Chew Toys

A few other ways to help keep your dog's teeth clean are through toys and chews. A good tug rope, and bully sticks are a integrate of good options. I'd stay away from most of the "dental chew" products out there, if you look at the ingredient panel on the packaging you'll understand why I say that. And what's with the ones that are shaped like a toothbrush?

To Brush Or Not to Brush? Is That the Question?

Recommend : Weber GasGrill Outdoor