Dental care is an important aspect of taking good care of your pet. Even if you're unable to brush your pet's teeth on a daily basis, there are many things you can do to maintain your pet's dental health. But where do you start? This article highlights 5 tips to achieving a healthier mouth for your pet.

Diagnose your pet's mouth

Oral disease can contribute to other adverse health effects for your pet; therefore, what you should do is pay a keen attention to your pet's mouth. For example, doggy breath isn't normal. In fact, it's an indication that your pet's mouth is unhealthy, so you want to get involved early before things get worse. In this regard, schedule a visit to your vet. An oral examination in your vet's clinic will tell you many things about your pet's dental health and what steps you can do to begin improving it.

Schedule a dental cleaning

After the dental diagnosis by your vet, you may need to schedule an oral cleaning if your dog needs one. Basically, dental cleaning gets rid of tartar and guarantees a clean surface, which helps slow down the build-up of tartar and plaque in your pet's mouth. If you're worried about anaesthesia, discuss with your vet about using safe anaesthetic agents which won't affect your pet's overall health.

Brush your pet's teeth

Yes, brushing your pet's teeth regularly is very important as your vet will tell you. And you know what? Pets actually love it. You will need to use a pet toothbrush that you can get from your vet. Additionally, make sure you use a toothpaste meant for pets, given that the kind human beings use is not supposed to be swallowed and pets cannot spit. Every day brushing is ideal; however, if you can only brush a few times a week, you will still be on the right track.

Use medicinal rinses

If you don't have time to brush your pet's teeth, you can choose the option of adding medicinal rinse to your dog's oral protocol. You can buy these products from your vet, and they work by making the tooth surface less susceptible to plaque build-up. When blended with veterinary-advised chews, you are waging an actual war against oral disease without any considerable effort on your part.

If everything fails, turn to edible toothbrushes

Assuming you lack the time, ability or resolve to brush or rinse your pet's mouth, the last option is to provide your pets with the recommended chews that can minimise plaque build-up, a major cause of periodontal disease. Remember, not all chews will do. Too hard chews should be ruled out and your vet can assist you pick those which are suited to your pet.