February is National Pet Dental Health Month!
February is pet dental health month! Good dental health is an important part of your pet’s overall health and wellbeing. Too much plaque and tartar can erode your pet’s gums, creating pockets for bacterial infections. These infections can cause tooth and bone decay, sometimes leading to more serious health issues. Many times, bad breath is a sign of too much plaque and tartar. It’s best to help control plaque and tartar before it builds up. Although brushing your pet’s teeth regularly is optimal, we understand that some pets are unwilling to allow their humans to do it.
Here are a few of our favorite dental hygiene methods and products that help keep your pet’s teeth clean with and without brushing:
Raw bones and chews – One of the best ways to keep your dog’s teeth healthy is by regularly giving him things to chew on like raw meaty bones, natural rawhide, bully sticks or sweet potato chews made by reputable companies like Primal, Vital Essentials, Barkworthies, Earth Animal, Sam’s Yams and Snook’s. Regular chewing helps polish and scrape teeth as the dog crunches and gnaws.
Ark Naturals’ Brushless Toothpaste – Brushless Toothpaste is a highly digestible dental chew made with breath-freshening ingredients like chlorophyll, cinnamon, vanilla and clove, and ridges that provide effective teeth scrubbing and support healthy gums. On the inside is a patented toothpaste center that provides three bacteriostats to inhibit the growth of plaque-forming bacteria and assist with bad breath, tartar and plaque build-up. Their new Protection+ chews contain Astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant that boosts the antibody immunoglobulin A (lgA) in the saliva, therefore creating a protective barrier against plaque and tartar on your dog’s teeth!
Emerald Feline Dental Stixx – Emerald Pet Feline Dental Stixx are the natural solution for proper teeth cleaning and rewarding your cats. Their unique shape and texture with ridges reach the back teeth while massaging the gums for optimal dental care.
Teeth & Gum Wipes –Teeth & gum wipes from brands like Earthbath, Jax & Cali and TropiClean are an easy and convenient solution for keeping your pet’s mouth clean from plaque, tartar and odor-causing bacteria. These pre-moistened wipes allow you to wipe away food and bacteria that cling to your pet’s teeth and gums.
PlaqueOff – PlaqueOff’s seaweed formula is clinically proven to reduce, help control and prevent plaque, tartar and bad breath in dogs and cats. The granulated formula can be easily added daily to your pet’s food. Additionally, their Crunchy Dental Bites treats for cats help reduce plaque accumulation, the formation of tartar and also help improve bad breath.
Oxyfresh – Oxyfresh Premium Pet Toothpaste and Dental Water Additive are made with Oxygene®, a patented formula that neutralizes bad breath and breaks through biofilm to provide a deeper clean and protection against plaque and tartar, giving pets a healthier mouth and a leg up against periodontal issues.