Healthy teeth and gums are crucial to your dog’s overall happiness, whether they are playing tug of war or chewing on treats. A great way to keep your dog’s teeth healthy and avoid dental disease is to establish a daily oral care regime care against a build-up of plaque and tartar on dog’s teeth.
Plaque begins to form on your dog’s teeth after your dog has eaten food. The bacteria from the food mix with your dog’s saliva which stick to the surface of their teeth. An off-white sticky substance coats the outside of your dog’s teeth, commonly known as plaque.
Within 3-5 days, if the plaque remains in contact with the tooth, it will harden and become tartar. Tartar is formed when the existing plaque mixes with minerals in your dog’s saliva.
Tartar is noticeable from its brown appearance, which looks rough on the surface of your dog’s teeth. Bad breath and inflammation of the gums also go hand in hand with the build-up of tartar. If the tartar on dog’s teeth is not removed, it can cause many dental issues including gingivitis and periodontal disease in dogs.
Removing plaque from dog’s teeth daily will help to maintain good oral health. There are easy changes you can make to remove plaque from dog's teeth naturally, as well as preventing a further build-up, including: