If you have recently purchased a dog, you will no doubt be making sure that they have had a health check at the vet's office. The vet will give them jabs to protect them from infections and diseases and will give you advice on how you can keep your pet dog healthy. One area the vet will cover is your dog's dental health. Read on to find everything you need to know about this subject.

How to recognise the signs of bad oral health

It is important that you are able to identify the signs of bad oral health in dogs. One of the first things you may notice is that your dog's breath begins to smell really bad. The bad smell is caused by the waste products produced by bacteria in your pet's mouth. The bacteria feed on food particles which become trapped between your dog's teeth. As the bacteria feed and multiply, they can cause serious damage to your pet's teeth and gums. You may also notice a buildup of tartar between your dog's teeth. Tartar is formed when plaque hardens. Over time, a buildup of tartar can weaken teeth, causing them to decay or become loose.

As your pet's oral health declines, you may find that they struggle to eat their food without spreading it everywhere. This is a result of your dog avoiding chewing with certain parts of its mouth due to dental pain. You may also find that some of their favourite toys become stained with blood from damaged gums. If you spot any of these signs, you need to take your pet to a vet.

How your vet will treat bad oral health

Your vet will assess the oral health of your dog. They will then sedate your pet so they can easily access their oral cavity. They will then use special tools to remove any build up of tartar from the teeth and below the gum line. They will then extract any badly decayed teeth. If your pet has gum disease, they may prescribe antibiotics to tackle this problem.

How to prevent bad oral health

You should ask your vet about special dog toothpaste which can be used to brush their teeth. However, if you dog won't hold still, you may find it challenging to reach all of their teeth during brushing. If this is the case, you should consider investing in hard chew snacks for your pet. As your dog chews on the snack, the hard sides will help to remove plaque and bacteria from the surface of their teeth and gums.

If you are interested in finding out more, you should contact a pet clinic which offers veterinary dentistry services like Adelaide Animal Emergency & Referral Centre.