Got Your Pet's Teeth Cleaned? Now What?

When you bring your pets in to see a veterinary dentist for professional teeth cleaning, you set them up right to enjoy excellent dental health. To retain the benefits of having professional cleaning performed, however, you will need to work toward establishing supportive oral health care routines. You can accomplish this goal by utilizing the best at-home care practices at your disposal. The guide below will assist you in identifying and following the next steps in caring for your pets’ dental health after completing professional teeth cleaning.

Schedule the Next Teeth Cleaning Appointment

Before you leave the clinic, schedule your pets’ next teeth cleaning appointment to avoid any unnecessary delays in the future. Your pet could likely benefit from professional cleaning appointments every six to twelve months. Your pet dentist will utilize the exam findings and dental information for your pet to determine the optimal cleaning interval. Attend these appointments as recommended to stay on top of oral health care for pets.

Complete All Recommended Follow Up Dental Care

If the veterinary dentist indicated that the examination revealed cavities or other repairable problems, you should go ahead and schedule an appointment for the recommended treatments. The follow-up care appointments will revolve around the restorative procedures needed to repair the tooth or other damaged structures. Completing these appointments in a timely manner is important, as it helps ensure your pet lives without pain and discomfort related to untreated dental health conditions.

Establish a Daily Toothbrushing Routine for Your Pets

The most important thing you can do for the upkeep of your pets’ oral health is to establish a daily toothbrushing routine. The routine helps ensure that food deposits and biofilm are removed before they have a chance to harden into plaque. To be truly effective in the support of your pets’ dental health, acquire the right toothbrush and toothpaste for pets. Also, always utilize the correct brushing techniques, such as using gentle, circular motions, to protect the overall condition of the teeth and gums.

Acquire an Effective Toothpaste for Pets Formula

You cannot acquire just any toothpaste for pets and hope to achieve great results. You need to have a toothpaste on hand that is Veterinary Oral Health Council, or VOHC, accepted and made with human grade ingredients. Furthermore, the formula should utilize Calprox, as found in Petsmile toothpaste, to dissolve biofilm as you work to mechanically remove it with the toothbrush. A high-quality toothpaste for pets can prevent plaque adherence to the teeth both above and below the gumline. By preventing plaque from affecting the gums, the toothpaste for pets can also help keep gingivitis and advanced gum diseases at bay.

Perform Regular Tooth and Gum Inspections

During your daily dental care routine, examine your pets’ teeth and gums for signs of a developing problem. Check for yellow and brown spots on your pets’ tooth surfaces, as those are signs of plaque accumulation and tooth decay, respectively. While you look at the gums, check for redness and inflammation that often signals the development of gum diseases. Also, check for trauma to the teeth and gums as certain bones and chews can have a negative impact on oral health. As you look at the teeth and gums, take a peek at their tongue and roof of the mouth as well. If you notice any abnormalities, you can report your findings to your pet dentist to ensure your pet receives the level of care needed to resolve the issue.

Always Provide Fresh, Clean Drinking Water

Great oral health care for pets depends on the availability of fresh, clean drinking water at all times. The clean water can help support tooth and gum health by washing away food deposits and bacteria. As your pet drinks, the water gently cleans the tooth surface until you can complete a full cleaning at your scheduled care period. Staying hydrated also helps boost saliva production, which has a similar effect on oral health care for pets.

Have Dental Health Chews Available at All Times

You can support the dental health of your pets by having teeth cleaning chews available at all times. These chews work to mechanically remove biofilm and food debris before it can harden and become a problem. Before it fully hardens, plaque can even be removed by the chews. Without its removal, the plaque would eventually harbor harmful bacteria that could lead to the development of cavities and other dental health issues.

Watch Your Pets’ Daily Dietary Intake

Your pets need to eat a healthy, balanced diet to protect the health of their teeth. If your pet regularly has cavities or other dental health problems, it may be wise to switch to a prescription food from your vet. The dental health formulas can help reduce the formation of plaque and overall improve the condition of your pets’ teeth and gums. Despite common misconceptions, dry kibble will not help remove plaque deposits on the teeth. You can feed wet, dry or a mixture of both types of food without impacting the dental health of your pets.

Work Toward Wellness for Your Pets with Daily Dental Care

You can support the health and wellbeing of your pets by providing daily dental care and using the best products in the industry. A high-quality toothpaste for pets, for example, can help you achieve your goals in maintaining the dental heal of your pets. For all your pets’ daily toothbrushing needs, consider Petsmile toothpaste as your go-to dental healthcare product. This toothpaste for pets will dissolve biofilm to help you effectively clean every surface of your pets’ teeth.