Natural Dental Care for your Pet

My husband asked me if we can brush our pet’s teeth. I automatically said yes, but then stopped to think…… this is never an easy endeavor and I see people struggle with the process and routine of sticking something in their pet’s mouth. So the first step was for me to do a dental exam to make sure it is their teeth that need attention and that the odor from their mouth was not actually from their gut and poor digestion.

Keep it simple and create a routine

I have seen many people succeed at pet dental brushing, both dogs and cats!  The physical action of brushing is one of the best ways to keeps pet teeth and gums healthy.  And there are natural ways to achieve that.

Click here to get your free Dental Guide for pets!

Dental health is essential for pets and people. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the winter season is associated with the kidneys and bladder where these organs govern the mouth and they believe winter is a time when the mouth may have more issues, especially during seasonal change heading into and coming out of the cold season.  

Our pet’s mouth and teeth are usually taken for granted until there is a problem such as bad breath or the dropping of food.  Teeth should be thought of as organs like the eyes or ears as they can feel & sense cold or pain.

Preventative Care

Teeth are not just little white rocks stuck into your pet’s gums. They are living organs with nerves, blood supply and they exchange fluids with the body. It’s important to do the least amount of damage to teeth in order to keep the mouth healthy. It’s easy to see from the shape of our pet’s teeth how they are natural chewers which are made for tearing at skin, ligaments, and bones. The hard dentin on the outside of the teeth can be damaged by rigorous hard chewing such as on hard nylabones and rocks. Providing your pet with proper chewing outlets can help them reduce tartar, keep their gums healthy, and naturally act as a floss.  Be careful in using cooked bones as they can splinter and cause intestinal problems.



A Holistic Dental Plan for your Pet

Diet: dry food does not remove tartar from your pet’s teeth, just as cereal doesn’t help our teeth in that way.  Feed a high-quality meat based diet. Quality counts! Choose food with natural ingredients or mix commercial food with home cooking. Use filtered water without fluoride, which can be caustic with long term use.

Brushing: there is no substitute for manual brushing.   Using just your finger or a cloth to start, gently work up to using a soft toothbrush on your pet’s teeth & gums.  Using chicken broth, coconut oil, sardine or clam juice in the beginning can help acclimate pets to this routine.  

Regular examinations: watch your pet for signs of mouth discomfort such as dropping food or aversion to chewing. Odors coming from your pet’s mouth could be a sign of dental problems. Green tea rinse or slippery elm bark slurry can help relieve ulcers.

Remember that whatever you put in your pet’s mouth will be swallowed and absorbed by the mucous membranes. NO: fluoride, salt, xylitol, hydrogen peroxide, or essential oils.

 

Don’t forget your exotic pets!

Rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils all need to chew frequently in order to keep their teeth from overgrowing.  
Birds and turtles need hard surfaces to keep their beaks from overgrowing.
Poor nutrition in these pets can lead to devastating dental problems that can last a lifetime. Ferrets can use the same dental home care as cats and dogs.


Here are some ideas for your exotic pets:
– Ferret: dental Chew Stick
– Birds, Turtles, and some reptiles: cuttle bone 
– Birds: pumice perch to rub their beak on
– All exotic pets: safe natural wood such as apple wood sticks to chew

Click here for A Natural Toothbrush for your Pet!

Click here to get your free Dental Guide for pets!

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