26 Apr Best Products for Removing Plaque and Tartar from Your Dog’s Teeth
As pet owners, we all want the best for our furry friends, and that includes keeping them healthy and happy. One essential aspect of your dog’s overall health is oral hygiene. Just like humans, dogs can develop plaque and tartar on their teeth, which can lead to a range of health problems, including bad breath, gum disease, and even tooth loss.
In this blog, we’ll explore the best products for removing plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth, helping to maintain their oral health and keep their smile sparkling.
Oral home care is an integral part of maintaining dog oral health in addition to annual dental cleanings. Dog plaque and tartar (calculus) accumulate on the surface of the teeth and contribute to periodontal disease. Plaque can form within 20 minutes of a professional cleaning. Calculus (tartar) is mineralized plaque and forms in 72 hours in the absence of brushing. Calculus can only be removed through a professional dental cleaning. Daily tooth brushing and the use of different oral home care products can help remove plaque dog teeth and therefore minimize calculus accumulation.
Why is Dog Oral Health Important?
Good oral hygiene is crucial for dogs for several reasons:
- Prevents Bad Breath: Plaque and tartar buildup contribute to bad breath, which can be unpleasant for both you and your dog.
- Avoids Gum Disease: Plaque buildup can irritate your dog’s gums, leading to gingivitis and potentially more serious periodontal disease if left untreated.
- Protects Teeth: Plaque hardens into tartar, which can predispose your dog’s teeth to more severe periodontal disease over time, leading to tooth decay and tooth loss.
- Prevents Other Health Problems: Poor dog oral health can contribute to systemic conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease. While periodontal disease does not cause diabetes, it will complicate the management of this troubling condition. All of these negative systemic changes are due to bacteria and inflammatory factors entering the bloodstream each day from periodontal infection and seeding in other organ systems.
Products that Reduce or Remove Dog Plaque & Tartar
Oral home care products that may remove plaque include dental treats, dental wipes, pet-specific toothpaste, or gels used in tooth brushing. Tooth brushing is considered the gold standard in oral home care. Oral rinses and water additives are generally marketed to remove plaque accumulation, however, they are considered largely ineffective without mechanical removal of plaque through brushing. Clenz-a-dent, a chlorhexidine rinse, is often prescribed to reduce gingivitis and bad breath. The main benefit of water additives is a reduction in bad breath.
Dental Treats & Chews
Dental treats can be a beneficial component of an oral home care regimen. The goal of dental treats is to slow down periodontal disease progression between consistent dental cleanings by your veterinarian or veterinary dentist. But be aware that not all dental chews work in the same manner.
Some dental chews contain natural ingredients that inhibit the formation or adhesion of plaque to the teeth. Other products contain anti-calculus agents that inhibit the mineralization of plaque into calculus, while others have antimicrobial properties that kill harmful microorganisms and bacteria in the mouth.
There are also dental chews that reduce plaque via mechanical action. These chews act by scraping harmful substances off teeth as a pet chews on them. To determine whether a particular dental treat or chew is safe for your pet, you can visit the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) website. They provide a seal of approval for various products that have undergone testing and demonstrated efficacy as plaque-inhibiting products.
Dental Wipes
Dental wipes are a less effective but viable option for pets that will not tolerate tooth brushing. Dental wipes work by removing some of the biofilm and plaque that adheres to your pet’s teeth. They are not considered as effective as a toothbrush in cleaning the dentition, particularly in the gingival sulcus where the gum meets the tooth.
DentAcetic dental wipes contain a substance called sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP). SHMP aids in breaking down calcium, one of the minerals that form calculus. It then mixes with the pet’s saliva to help wash away some of the biofilm. Maxiguard dental wipes contain a neutralized zinc gluconate formulation that decreases the bacteria that form on the tooth surface. Several other pet dental wipes have chlorhexidine gluconate, which like zinc gluconate, decreases the bacterial burden in the mouth.
Pet Toothpaste
Pet-specific toothpaste and gels are important to consider with dental brushing. The vast majority of human toothpaste contain fluoride, which causes GI upset in pets and possibly more serious reactions. Two good options are C.E.T. enzymatic toothpaste and Healthymouth oral gel.
- C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste is formulated specifically for dogs and cats. It contains no foaming agents and is safe for pets to swallow. Flavors include poultry, malt, beef, seafood, and vanilla mint. The vanilla mint flavor is hypoallergenic and can be used in pets with food allergies.
- HealthyMouth Oral Gel. A 2014 study showed that brushing with HealthyMouth oral gel was more effective than brushing with a placebo gel. HealthyMouth gel comes in 11 flavors to tempt even the most finicky of pets.
Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist in Colorado
Although there is not a specific product that will quickly remove plaque from dentition, daily dental brushing along with dental treats and routine COHAT procedures can keep your pet’s mouth clean and healthy. If you have concerns about your pet’s oral health, call us at Animal Dental Care and Oral Surgery to schedule an appointment.
Photo by James Barker on Unsplash(4/26/2021)
