Vet Scott Carpenter recommends six dental checks every dog owner should be making

It’s pet dental health month so the team at Estcourt Vets in Wiltshire have devised six simple checks that every dog owner should be doing between vet visits.

We’ve also created a Dog Dental Health Checklist for you to download and keep. Use this to brush-up on your dog’s dental routine now and if you spot anything that concerns you, book a dental check up immediately.

Book a dental check-up

All dog owners in Wiltshire need to know how important it is to keep on top of their dog’s oral health. Infections caused by gum disease and loose teeth can lead to pain and bad breath at the very least. However, in some circumstances, oral infections can spread to the heart, liver, kidney, or lungs with much more serious consequences.

Six simple checks to maintain your dog’s oral health

Here’s what our head vet Scott says you should be looking out for:

1. Bad breath
2. Painful, red, swollen or bleeding gums
3. Plaque – this will appear as a build-up of yellow material on the teeth
4. Tartar – this will appear as a hard, brown build-up on the teeth
5. Loose or missing teeth
6. Mouth pain – you’re going to need to look out for the three main symptoms:
   1. Decreased appetite
   2. Difficulty eating
   3. Reluctance to be handled around the mouth

Regular dental checks must be backed up with a weekly once-over at home.

Now you know what to look out for, you should check your dog’s mouth every week or so. Catching dental issues early is important. Just like in humans, a month is a long time for a dog to suffer from toothache. If you need any help, just give us a call or pop into Estcourt Vets and one of our nurses will show you how to examine and clean your dog’s teeth.

Preventing plaque and bad breath in dogs

We all know that prevention is better than cure. Taking one or more of these simple actions will help maintain your dog’s teeth and gums between visits to our practice.

1. Brush your dog’s teeth regularly with pet-safe toothpaste
2. Give your dog chew toys
3. Feed dry dog food or a specialised dental diet
4. Download, print, and use the extra advice in our ‘doggy dental checklist’

Download our Dog Dental Health Checklist