Do You Brush Your Dog's Teeth?

(Hey plagiarism bots - this post was originally on my website http://dogsdogsdogsforever.com/. It is my original content that I updated to post here on Steemit.)

Let's face it. Your dog is your very best friend. Every single time you walk through the door, your dog is so happy to see you that he can hardly contain himself. You might even see him smiling.

How can you show your best friend how much he means to you? Well, one way is to take care of your dog's smile.

Don't Forget About Oral Health for Your Dog

Humans need to brush and floss their teeth regularly to keep their teeth, tongue, and gums in good condition. Recent research on humans shows a link between good oral health and a lower risk of heart disease.

If good oral health can have such a profound effect on people, then it only makes sense to recognize that the impact on man's best friend is just as strong.

Dry Food Is Best

Yes, brushing your dog's teeth frequently is critical in order to keep plaque and tartar from becoming an issue. Even wiping his gums with a clean, damp cloth can be beneficial.

But your dog's diet also plays a role in your pet's oral health. Do you typically feed your dog canned food or dry dog food? What kind of treats and favorite toys do you provide for your pet? All of these things have an effect on the likelihood of trouble with your pet's teeth.

When your dog's diet is nutritionally sound with essential vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes, your pet's oral health will be at its very best. Feeding dry dog food rather than a moist canned variety is best for your dog. The hard surface of dry kibble rubs against the teeth to remove and reduce plaque.

Don't add water or gravy to the dry food. The simple act of moistening dry dog food eliminates the ability of the kibble to reduce plaque.

How About Treats?

The treats you give your pet are part of your dog's diet just like snacks are part of a person's diet. As humans, we like to overlook our snacking habits - as if the snacks don't count.

In the same way, we can easily overlook the treats we give our dogs. This is not a good idea. Carefully consider any and all items your dog will consume.

Do you give your dog bones, rawhide, jerky treats, or dog biscuits? Maybe your pet prefers greenies or corn starch chews. You may not have considered it, but tossing Spot a rawhide chew is like giving him a candy bar. The rawhide that is often provided between meals contains calories that need to be counted in your dog's daily total.

Many of the treats and snacks you provide in your dog's diet can be just empty, wasted calories. Some treats, alternatively, provide excellent opportunity to improve oral health. Greenies, rawhide, bones, and hard dog biscuits all help to keep tartar at bay. Softer snacks do not provide that same benefit. Some treats can also prevent your dog from having bad breath.

So be sure to recognize that your dog's diet must be healthy to ensure excellent oral health. Dry dog food is best whenever possible. And don't forget to select treats that will enhance your dog's diet instead of damaging it. Consciously monitoring your dog's diet will positively influence your best friend's oral health.

Are you watching out for your dog's oral health?

To find out more about me, check out my #introduceyourself post - Lazy Bum? Teacher? Tour Director? Writer? Which Is It, Kate?