Taking Care of Teeth - Oral Hygiene

When was the last time you took a good look inside your dog’s mouth?  If you are like most dog owners, it’s been awhile or you never have.  Time to take a look. Oral hygiene problems affect up to 80% of dogs! From gingivitis to serious periodontal disease resulting in tooth loss, these problems are affecting the health of your dog, potentially shortening the already too short time we have with them.

Why do dogs have such a high rate of dental problems?  They don’t brush their teeth 2-3 times a day like we brush ours. This allows for the build-up of plaque and tartar which then leads to overgrowth of bacteria and from there, the problems snowball.  The toxins from periodontal disease can be absorbed into the blood stream, potentially causing kidney, liver, cardiac, and even brain damage.

Having your dog’s teeth cleaned by a veterinarian is a costly endeavor. For routine cleanings, prices in the Portland area will range from about $300-$800.  Add in radiographs and potentially some extractions, you can easily double those amounts.  Dogs also have to be fully anesthetized to have dental procedures.  Anesthesia is very safe and gets safer all the time, but there is always risk involved in any anesthetic. 

So what can you do about it?  There are several options.  You can brush your dog’s teeth at least once daily.  But you have to do it every day, studies have shown that even every other day is not effective in reducing gingivitis.  You can buy dental treats which can be helpful if you have a dog who will actually chew on them rather than eat them as fast as they can.  There are supplements you can add to their food or water which have varying degrees of success.

Or, you can forget about it at home and let us do it with your dog’s regular groom!  Our oral hygiene program will gently remove plaque or tartar build up and leave your dog’s teeth clean and breath smelling great.  We use no sedation or anesthesia, our process is so gentle that the vast majority of dogs don’t have any issues.  By using our service, we can drastically reduce the need for a full dental cleaning at your veterinarian.  And so far, we are getting rave reviews from the vets who care for our clients! The cost savings are substantial as well.

So the next time you are in, ask us about adding this service to your dog’s groom.  (We also offer our Oral Hygiene as a stand-alone service.)  Call or email today for more information!