Top tips to improve your dog’s oral health

Prevention is better than cure and these simple steps will help you improve your dog’s oral health and reduce the risk of tooth and gum disease.

• Brushing your dog’s teeth is the ‘gold standard’ of dental care because it is the most effective way to remove plaque. Always use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for pets as some of the ingredients in human toothpaste are toxic to dogs
• If you find it difficult to brush your dogs’s teeth, you can use a water additive, like Vet Aquadent, which is simply added to drinking water to reduce plaque formation and freshen breath 
• Use can also use an oral rinse, like Hexarinse, once a day in your dogs’s mouth. Hexarinse contains chlorhexidine which is a well-known anti-plaque agent.  It will help to reduce the level of bacteria and remove food debris
• Adjust your dog’s diet. Wet food diets provide no abrasive action against the teeth but dry food kibble, like HPM is more abrasive and can help to prevent plaque build-up.
• If your dog will tolerate it, look inside his or her mouth regularly to check for signs such as red, sore-looking gums or brown staining on the teeth. If you have any concerns, consult your veterinary surgeon.