We loves when you ask us questions.  This says to us that you trust us to help you make the best decision for your good dog(s) & cat(s).  We pawsitively feel that sharing knowledge is a wagnificent way to show we care.  CEO Olivia here to do just that. This week we are yapping about dental health.

With February being Pet Dental Health Month, it’s a great time to think about your good dog’s & cat’s oral healthcare routine.  Humans brush daily but when it comes to us 4 leggers, it can be a bit of a challenge but did you nose that poor hygiene is a serious issue as it can cause plaque & tartar that is dangerous for us dogs & cats. Statistically, it can affect more than 80% of dogs & cats over 3 years old. Yikes!

In the advanced stage, there is a risk of tooth loss, poor health & pawsibly lead to death. If it  reaches the blood vessel  it can result in infection, kidney, & heart diseases. That’s why it is pawsitively impawtant that our humans take good care of our toofters.

You may be asking, ‘What is plague & tartar?  Plaque is a thin film of food debris, bacteria, saliva, & dead cells that are continually accumulated on our toofers. If plaque is left on our toofters for more than 72 hours it begins to harden into a substance called tartar (calculus) that builds at the base of our toofers. This buildup irritates & contributes to the dogvelopment of diseases like periodontitis, swollen gums & gingivitis.  More seriously, it can result in kidney &/ heart disease.

You will nose your 4 legger  has tartar and/or plaque buildup if you see a yellow or brown discoloration on our toofters along the gum line. If we have gingivitis,  you will see the gums change in color from pink to red or purple, & swelling along the edge of our gums. Inflamed gums will often have plaque at the base of our toofers.  Another sign of dental issues is bad breath.

Plaque is a biofilm, a collection of many microorganisms that are more resistant to antibiotics, disinfectants, & antibacterial agents. The good news is, biofilms are easily & effectively removed with daily brushing to remove the plaque & pawvent tartar build up. Toothpaste made for humans should never be used; it can be toxic to us 4 leggers.  There are plenty of toothpaste for dogs & cats but my huMom uses organic  coconut oil. I pawsonally did not like any of the toofter paste but pawsitively love coconut oil; so do Dot & Jerry Underfoot.  Because we like coconut oil we like getting our toofters brushed.

Some  of us good dogs & furbulous cats may refuse regular toothbrushing.  If so, you can remove the plaque by wiping every 2nd or 3rd day with a finger brush or gauze pad. Remember, plaque that remains on our toofers surface for more than 3 days mineralizes to form calculus that cannot be removed by brushing.  Some toys like our natural Hemp Dog Toys & Hemp Cat Toys allows tooth penetration & can help wipe plaque from our toofters surfaces during play & chewing.

We pawfer wagnificent hemp toys for both your good dogs & furbulous cats that are wagnificent for helping with keeping our toofters & gums healthy.  We also have all Natural Hemp Finger Brushes you can simple handwash or toss in the machine.