February is National Pet Dental Health Month. What better way to celebrate than to learn about 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh. Kisses from Fido are sweet until you get a whiff of stinky dog breath in your face. Fluffy sleeping on your head is sweet, but her fish breath is not! Keep cuddle time and kisses sweet by following these steps to keep your pet’s teeth & gums healthy and their breath fresh. 

1) Brush their pearly whites!

Number one on our list of 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh is, brush their pearly whites! Bacteria is present in everyone’s mouth. After eating it mixes with saliva, turns into plaque, and settles under the gumline. Over time if not removed by daily brushing, plaque turns into tartar. Daily brushing removes the plaque a helps keep bacteria from building up under the gum line. You can find a variety of pet toothbrushes & pet toothpaste at your local veterinarian. Here is a friendly reminder, make sure you use a toothpaste that is made for pets. Human toothpaste includes fluoride, which is extremely poisonous to dogs.

2) Place water additives in your pet’s water to kill bacteria

Number two on our list of 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh is place water additives in your pet’s water to kill bacteria. Additives are easy to use and they kill bacteria and freshen breath when daily brushing is inconvenient. All you have to do is measure out the additive according to the directions and add it to the water in your pet’s water bowl. There are many additives on the market. Check with your veterinarian to see which product they recommend. 

3) Give dental chews treats & food to your pet

Number three on our list of 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh is, give dental chews treats & food to your pet. Dental chews come in a variety of shapes and flavors. Be sure to only give dental chews that are accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council they include Greenies®, Del Monte Tartar Check® Dog Biscuits, Bright Bites, OraVet® Dental Hygiene Chews, and Vetradent Dog Chews.  Hills Pet Nutrition, Royal Canin, and Purina Veterinary Diets also have prescription foods that assist removing tartar while your pet eats. You can find a list of accepted products from the Veterinary Oral Health Council by clicking here.

4) Dental chew toys for Fido

Number four on our list of 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh is dental chew toys for Fido. Dental chew toys can help keep your pet’s teeth clean and keep Fido busy at the same time. There are many differents chew on the market. Kong & Nylabone are some of the more popular options. Just be sure to get a chew that can stand up to Fido’s chewing style. 

5) Veterinary dental cleanings and exams

Number five on our list of 5 ways to keep Fido & Fluffy’s breath fresh is veterinary dental cleanings and exams. Tips 1-4 are a great way to keep your pet’s breath fresh and help tartar form forming on their teeth, but only a cleaning under anesthesia at your veterinarian will truly remove all tartar from and bacteria from the teeth and under the gum line. Don’t be fooled by ads for “anesthesia-free dental”. They only cosmetically clean your pet’s teeth and leave the bad stuff under gums which can lead to heart disease & kidney disease. Your veterinarian will do a routine dental exam at your pet’s yearly vaccination appointment and will recommend when a teeth cleaning needs to be done. Some pets will need a dental once a year while others may not. Make it habit to schedule your pet’s dental cleaning every February during National Pet Dental Health month. Your pet will thank you!

This blog post was written by Julie Gajewski. Julie has been pet sitting and working in the veterinary industry as both a technician and hospital administrator since 1997. She is a pet business consultant and a guest blog writer for pet sitters across the world. She lives in Florida with her husband and furry children, 2 Pugs and 4 cats.