Do Pets Really Need Dental Cleaning?
π Summary
Dogs/cats get full teeth by 4-5 months; beyond kibble, owners add cans/snacks. More food, more tooth test; soft wet food sticks, uncleaned corrodes teeth, causing disease. So after full teeth, regular cleaning.
1 Overview
Pets, like humans, need regular cleaning once eating. If reasons: six below.
1. Bad breath and various dental disease
Illness enters the mouth; dogs lick odd things, so bacteria build; residue and bacteria on teeth, uncleaned, form plaque, tartar, even thick stones, damaging teeth/gums and fermenting in mouth, causing foul breath.
2. Endure toothache and malnutrition
Toothache isn’t a disease but hurts; loose teeth, sensitive gums, mouth sores affect eating – pain on bite, less food or can’t eat some – long term malnutrition. The speechless pet endures; shows as poor appetite, mostly unnoticed.
3. Early tooth loss
Severe tartar erodes gums, recedes them, roots weaken, teeth fall early.
4. Glass stomach
Lost teeth, poor chewing, gulping – burdens the gut, hurts digestion, eventually a glass stomach.
5. Secondary infection
Pet tooth roots sit near nose and eyes; infected pus easily threatens nose/eyes, facial infection, even blindness.
Periodontitis bacteria may flow with blood to organs, causing dysfunction even organ infection.
6. Dental care is expensive
By the time you see a vet, teeth are bad; vet visits aren’t cheaper than human! Anesthesia, cleaning, ultrasound – the pet suffers, the wallet drains; that money on regular cleaning would be wiser.
In sum, clean teeth regularly; product frequency varies – ask me. May every pet have healthy teeth and good appetite!
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