What Helps Against Tartar In Dogs?

Tartar in dogs is not just a beauty problem. If the plaque is not treated, there is a risk of serious consequences. You should know this to protect your darling.

Plaque sometimes causes painful inflammation of the gums, and damage to the periodontium and teeth. If the tartar is not removed from the animal, the teeth will be lost over time. It is therefore important to deal with the topic of tartar removal. We have all the answers to keep your dog happy for a long time.

Why does your dog have tartar?

In the dog’s mouth, there are not only teeth and tongue, but also numerous bacteria that form plaque together with leftover food. This plaque forms the basis for tartar. Mineral salts (calcium phosphate) precipitate out of the saliva in the mouth and combine with the dental plaque. Brown, hard masses that adhere firmly to the teeth form: the tartar.

What promotes tartar in dogs?

Tartar in dogs is mainly deposited on the teeth in the upper jaw. Dogs with misaligned teeth are also more likely to develop tartar than dogs with correctly aligned teeth. If the teeth are close together, or if the tooth angle in the dog’s mouth is changed due to a snout that is too short, the self-cleaning of the teeth of these dogs no longer works sufficiently. Saliva can then no longer completely wash around the teeth and bacterial deposits and plaque are increasingly deposited on the animal.

Dogs’ teeth are mechanically cleaned by chewing. If your dog is unable to eat bones or chews such as B. to chew chewing roots, the coverings are not pushed from the teeth. The oral mucosa of small dog breeds is also usually drier than the gums of large dogs. Since small breeds pant more often, the saliva dries, the teeth are not washed and the tartar flourishes in the animal.

Feeding wet food also promotes the formation of tartar. If your dog’s food contains a large amount of sugar and carbohydrates, the pathogens in the oral cavity can multiply more quickly, more deposits form on the teeth and the dog’s tartar grows faster. Read here what is really in dog food.

How can you prevent tartar in dogs?

1. Good dental care is important. After feeding, you can clean your dog’s teeth with a toothbrush and special dog toothpaste. The food residues are removed in this way, and the number of bacteria is reduced.
2. Fruit acids and phytochemicals in the feed reduce plaque build-up and calcium phosphate precipitation by changing the pH value of the saliva. So add fruit or vegetables to the food from time to time if your dog accepts it. This is a particularly easy step towards more dental care.
3. After brushing your teeth, apply tooth wax to your teeth. The pathogens and plaque cannot then immediately attach themselves to the smooth tooth surface again.
4. As a reward, give your dog food (chew strips) or other chews (you can find the 15 best chews for your dog here) that use enzymes to dissolve plaque and promote your dog’s dental health.

You can see some particularly proven products here:

Why is tartar dangerous in dogs?

Plaque is not only found on the visible surface of the tooth – it moves along the tooth neck between the gum and the dentin of the tooth. The bacteria cause inflammation of the gums there, the mucous membrane swells, and is reddened and painful.

If other germs migrate into the periodontal pockets, purulent inflammation develops. The inflammation may then even spread along the tooth root, and the fibers of the periodontium are damaged and dissolve. As the inflammation progresses, the root of the tooth is attacked and begins to decompose. The teeth eventually become loose and fall out. Regular dental care is therefore essential.

What are the symptoms of tartar in dogs?

In addition to the discoloration of the teeth, tartar is also noticeable through other signs: the bacteria cause inflammation of the entire oral mucosa, your dog’s breath smells foul, and bad breath develops in the dog. The gums also recede further and further.

If the inflammation also spreads to the jawbone, it is broken down and periodontitis occurs with irreversible damage to the jawbone.

What helps against tartar in dogs?

Once hard tartar has formed, it is difficult to remove it from teeth without damaging the tooth underneath. Tooth sprays and tinctures containing enzymes and oils help remove tartar by dissolving the tartar.

Natural chews promote the removal of plaque while chewing. Dental bones often contain grains and sugars. They support the growth of bacteria and are not suitable for good dental hygiene.

A special dental toy adapted to the size of the teeth can be used for small dog breeds. This toy is softer than bone and is well accepted even by very small dogs. Try different products to see what your dog likes best.

Regular dental care, e.g. B. cleaning with a toothbrush promotes the self-cleaning power of the teeth. If too many deposits have already formed, the tartar must be removed by a veterinarian using ultrasound under anesthesia. During the tartar removal, diseased teeth are usually also removed and periodontal pockets and inflammation are treated.

Should you remove tartar from your dog yourself?

Check your dog’s teeth regularly. As soon as you discover brown deposits, you can carefully remove them yourself with a dental pick and do not have to visit a vet and incur costs. However, be careful not to scratch the tooth substance and then seal the teeth with tooth wax or fluoride varnish. If the gums are already severely inflamed, a veterinarian should check them up.

How can you remove tartar from dogs?

Apply micro bacteria and enzymes to the teeth with a cloth. If the tartar has become softer, as a result, it can be removed with a dental hook. Nourishing gels can be applied and rubbed in with a dog toothbrush. After several uses, the tartar is soft enough to be mechanically removed.

How often should you remove tartar from your dog?

It is best to brush your teeth preventively. This saves unnecessary discomfort for the animal and also costs for the veterinarian. If you have already removed the plaque, no hard tartar can form. However, if brown, hard deposits are present, you should not wait to remove the tartar. The more the entire tooth is covered with the hard masses, the more difficult it is to remove it and the higher the costs at the vet.

We wish your dog all the best and strong, healthy teeth!