Teeth & Gums – Why they can mean life and death

We take off plaque & tartar with a toothbrush. Dogs & Cats can use a raw meaty bone, chunks of meat, and dried coconut strips. (NEVER cooked bones)

Remember to always supervise, and ensure the bones are non weight bearing & size appropriate. (larger than the jaw).

What to feed:

Meaty chunks a plenty………there is so much to choose from.

Necks: chicken, duck, lamb, turkey, venison, goat.
Raw trachea, often called  moo or baa tubes, also great for joints and squeaky teeth cleaning.
Ribs: lamb, venison, goat.

A word of caution on bones. If you have an avid chewer, one who would eat until there was blood from their mouth and every morsel is gone, we do not advocate giving marrow bones, antlers or anything super hard as these dogs can break teeth. One of mine will have a little gnaw and then leave the chew, the other would happily eat every bit of a bison on the lawn! She does not get marrow! 

Kibble will not clean teeth! Telling someone kibble cleans teeth is like telling us to use crisps instead of a toothbrush!

Dentasticks are recommended by some health professionals. We find this shocking due to the ingredients within them. The poor quality, high carbohydrate ingredients turn into sugar.  We are all aware what sugar does to teeth, as well as this, it plays havoc on the gut microbiome & this in turn impacts health negatively. If you have ever tried cleaning your teeth with a mars bar first thing in the morning, you know it doesn’t work.

Sometimes a dog can be predisposed, genetically, to have poor dental health and can require a clean, or teeth taken out under anaesthesia. 

Inflamed gums & rotten teeth can lead to periodontal disease, this then can lead to other serious health issues, heart disease being one. So always get this checked & operated on, if needed.

If surgery is needed there are some lovely supportive homeopathic remedies available to support for before & after surgery. 

A good probiotic afterwards can help support & aid the microbiome to normality. 

https://www.greensforhealthypets.co.uk/product/body-biotics-probiotic/

Give gentle soft foods for a couple of days such as cooked white fish & courgette with a little dill. 

If you have a dog who prefers not to chew, or you use a brush as well, there are many different options available. You can use muslin on a finger but there are finger tools available to buy as well as pet toothbrushes, plus a doggy safe toothpaste. Some groomers offer different types of sonic teeth cleaning at regular intervals.  It is best to get pups accustomed to teeth cleaning from the start.

Instead of buying toothpaste you can make one, not only saving money but also knowing exactly what is in it. You will need:

2 Tablespoons baking soda
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
Pinch ground dried parsley or lemon balm.
Pinch dried mint
Tiny sprinkle of cinnamon.

Lots of other recipes can be found, have a play. 

Mix & brush. Cover & keep in the fridge to use as needed.

If you are brave enough to brush the cat’s teeth, power to you!

There are also supplements that can be added to the diet to help clean also.

https://www.greensforhealthypets.co.uk/product-category/supplements/dental/

For long-term health we can all agree it is important to keep those gnashers clean & if at all possible, avoid surgery.