Your dog’s dental hygiene
Why good oral hygiene is essential?
Dogs’ anatomy and oral physiology is very different to humans. Firstly, their dentition is characteristic of carnivores: their teeth are pointed, to cut up food rather than grinding it. They therefore chew their food very little compared to humans. Furthermore, amylase (an enzyme used to digest starch) is not present in their saliva, which once again indicates limited chewing of food. The composition of saliva is also different to humans.
Due to these different characteristics, dogs are not particularly prone to dental caries (unlike humans). However, they are very prone to developing dental plaque (bacterial film on the teeth), when then leads to the build-up of tartar, bad breath and gum problems.
Dental plaque can even sometimes cause disease: periodontal disease. Chewing becomes painful, tartar builds up on the teeth, gums become very inflamed (gingivitis), and bacterial infection can cause abscesses or tooth loss.
85% of dogs and cats aged over 3 years currently suffer from problems related to dental plaque and tartar, including bad breath.
Some breeds are more prone to developing tartar and periodontal disease, particularly small breeds (Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon, Shih Tzu, etc.), although all dogs can have oral problems.
Bad breath may also be related to digestive problems (stomach, intestine).
In all cases, if your pet has severe tartar build-up or red gums, please seek veterinary advice.
How to maintain good oral hygiene for your dog?
Numerous solutions are available. Francodex offers different products to simplify your dog’s oral care, with a solution specifically suited to each dog:
The most effective method is to brush your pet’s teeth. We recommend the FRANCODEX TOOTHBRUSH KIT for brushing your dog’s teeth. You first need to get your dog used to the taste of the product and the sensation on the teeth and gums, by placing a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your finger and gently rubbing it on his gums. You should then start applying the product using the finger toothbrush, before switching to the standard toothbrush. You should brush from the gum to the tip of the tooth, to avoid pushing bacteria under the gum. You should also pay particular attention to the back teeth, which often present more severe build-up of tartar compared to the incisors and fangs.
You should get your puppy used to having his teeth brushed from a young age, to facilitate tooth brushing.
Another mechanical method: FRANCODEX CHEW STRIPS. Owing to their abrasive texture and specifically designed “Z” shape, these chew strips stimulate chewing and clean teeth mechanically. Furthermore, you can give them to your pet as a treat, to make cleaning teeth more enjoyable.
Use of products to be added to food or water: FRESH DENT is a liquid formula to be added to your pet’s drinking bowl, containing pomegranate extract which acts on dental plaque and bad breath. POWDERED TOOTHPASTE is made from brown algae, fructooligosaccharides and sodium bicarbonate, to combat dental plaque and digestive causes of bad breath, and is added directly to food.
Use of daily products: CHEWABLE TOOTHPASTE is practical when travelling, to freshen your pet’s breath rapidly. DENTAL TREATS also freshen your pet’s breath and are fun to give your pet. BREATH FRESHENER SPRAY is applied directly onto the teeth and gums, and prevents the build-up of dental plaque while strengthening the gums. It is simple to use with its “noiseless” spray, to avoid startling your pet.
