Maintaining your pet's dental health is key to a longer, healthier and happier life for them.

Dental care is just as important for our furry family members as it is for us. However, keeping your pet’s smile healthy and bright isn’t quite as simple as taking care of your own pearly whites.

Our four-legged friends don’t have the ability to clean their own teeth, and, as you’ve probably noticed, they don’t love you poking around in there either. Because pets can be prone to painful or even life-threatening dental disease, it’s important to consider setting up cat or dog teeth cleaning appointments with your vet.

How do pet dental cleanings work?

To clean a dog or cat’s teeth, they’re usually put under general anesthesia at the vet’s office or animal hospital. This is necessary both to keep the vet’s hands safe as they work inside your pet’s mouth, and to keep your best pal comfortable as the vet scrapes at and cleans the teeth both above and below the gum line.

While this may seem like a big procedure, it’s important to remove plaque and germs to avoid gingivitis, infected teeth, and other dental conditions that can become serious. Luckily, most cat and dog teeth cleanings are recommended only once per year. In between, you can take a proactive role in keeping their mouth healthy.

Home tooth brushing

You can most certainly brush your dog or cat’s teeth without employing general anesthesia to get the job done. There are several different sizes and styles of pet toothbrushes available on the market, and you can choose the one that makes the most sense for your family, based on the size and temperament of your favorite fluffball. From large toothbrushes with 360-degree heads and long handles, to brushing thimbles that fit on your finger, there’s something for every size and breed.

And don’t forget toothpaste! Far from the traditional mint flavor varieties that we humans, enjoy, dog and cat toothpaste comes in flavors such as cheddar, peanut butter and vanilla. Find a flavor your pet really loves, so that brushing time feels like a treat.

Most cat and dog teeth cleanings are recommended only once per year.

Treats that do the trick

Finally, you can trick your pet into cleaning their own teeth. How? With treats. There are many different types of treats that work to clean teeth and freshen breath.

Some treats, like our Porky Puffs, help to scrape food and plaque off of teeth as your dog chews on them. Plus, they’re safer and tastier than rawhide. Similarly, our Premium Cow Ears are gentle on tummies, while being tough on plaque.

Another dog favorite that gets the job done is our Water Buffalo Bully Sticks. Sold in a pack, these meaty, healthy sticks provide a satisfying chewing experience while maintaining your dog’s dental health by helping to reduce tartar.

Finally, sometimes you just need a treat specifically created with dental health in mind, like our Gourmet Dental Treats. With treats like these, your dog gets to eat something delicious (ours are honey and peanut butter flavored), and you get to rest easy knowing they’re providing your precious pooch with nutrients like calcium and phosphorus that are essential to bone and tooth health.

Our pets keep us smiling. The least we can do is take care of their smiles, so that they can stay happy and healthy for years to come.

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