BY DR. MARTY BECKER
Oral disease is the No. 1 health problem in dogs, with as many as 80 percent of dogs showing signs of oral disease by the age of three. What starts out as plaque and tartar (calculus) buildup may progress into diseases such as periodontal disease (gums and bony support structures for teeth are eaten away) and systemic problems with vital organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart.

According to Jan Bellows, DVM, Diplomate of American Veterinary Dental College and owner of Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic in Weston, Fla., there are many variables as to why some dogs are more prone to periodontal disease than others. In general, the risk of oral disease is related to:

Breed: Small breeds are more prone to dental disease because their teeth are crowded together and don’t self-clean as well; the bone around their teeth is thinner and thus destroyed faster; smaller dogs live longer, thus giving the mechanisms of dental disease longer to do damage.

_Health: Animals that have compromised health can’t fight the bacteria that lead to periodontal disease.

_Diet: Animals that are malnourished or fed soft food are more predisposed than those that eat hard food.

_Age: Older animals have more time to form plaque and calculus, allowing more time for the destructive forces of periodontal disease to do damage.

For good oral health, a pet owner needs to take three important steps. The first two directly involve the veterinarian and the third relies on the pet owner for success:

1. Ask your veterinarian to check your pet’s oral health and discuss a personalized dental health program including diet and daily tooth care.

2. Ask your vet to monitor your pet’s oral health at regular intervals (experts now recommend twice yearly). See www.npwm.com.

3. Upon the recommendation of your veterinarian, start and maintain a dental care program at home.

In a “scout’s honor” version of practicing what I preach as a veterinarian, we take many steps at home to promote optimal dental health in the Becker dogs, including regular brushing, feeding dry foods, using gels weekly, wipes daily and enzyme impregnated chews. But nothing we do is more important than brushing our dog’s teeth. It’s so important my wife Teresa does it to make sure it gets done!

Brushing removes plaque from tooth surfaces and beneath the gumline before it mineralizes into calculus. This is the single most important step and Bellows stresses that success depends on the pet owner being able to brush the pet daily. There are pet toothbrushes specifically made to reach the back of large muzzled dogs (like a collie) or with small heads to fit into the mouths of toy breeds (like a Chihuahua). I highly recommend a double-headed pet toothbrush by Petosan that has dual brushes angled towards the teeth and gumline for optimal plaque removal and, like a carwash, the brushes clean both surfaces of the teeth at the same time (www.petosan.com).

Bellows cautions owners to not share toothbrushes between pets so that they don’t cross contaminate each other.

Human toothpaste should be avoided because it contains detergents that can irritate a dog’s stomach when swallowed, as well as fluoride, which can be harmful to pets. I use and recommend CET fish or poultry flavored toothpastes (www.virbaccorp.com).

To brush a pet’s teeth correctly, Bellows says to follow five steps:

1. Place the pet’s head at a 45-degree angle, causings the jaws to loosen.

2. Pull the lips back gently with the same hand used to hold the head at an angle.

3. Hold brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth and gums (Petosan toothbrush is automatically at the right angle) and use circular motions.

4. Brush for approximately five strokes for each one of the four quadrants (right and left upper and lowers). Concentrate on the outside tooth surfaces.

5. When finished, give the pet a reward (small treat, or better yet, lots of good girls and atta boys).

With dedicated veterinary and at-home dental care, your pet will live a healthier, happier, fuller life with what I call “kissable breath,” so you won’t be wincing when your best four legged friend is sleeping nose-to-nose with you at night.