Just like with humans, your dog’s oral hygiene is a critical component of their overall health. Not keeping your dog’s mouth healthy can harm its body and affect its heart, kidney, digestive system, and liver health.

If your dog has a dental ailment, don’t be alarmed; it’s pretty common. However, it does require urgent care. Here are a few dental diseases that can affect your dog:

Canine Periodontal Disease:

This is one of the most common and severe problems that affect dogs. More than 80% of dogs face periodontal disease by the time they turn three. Bacteria from dental plaque is the main culprit.

This plaque can build up, and saliva minerals cause hard tartar to form on the teeth. The tartar can then begin to dig under and infect the teeth and surrounding tissues.

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Plaque:

Plaque is a soft layer that’s made up of bacteria and food particles. These particles accumulate and stick to your dog’s teeth. Brushing your pup’s teeth daily can help remove plaque and keep their gums and teeth healthy.

If plaque is left to stay, minerals from the dog’s saliva harden it to form tartar, which firmly stick to the teeth.

Gingivitis:

When the tartar starts to dig into the gum tissue and get below the surface, your dog’s gums will get irritated and inflamed.

This condition is called gingivitis, and once the tartar gets below the gum line, the plaque finds it easier to get under the gum line. This results in many gum infections to happen.

Periodontitis:

The bacteria from plaque get below the gum line and give out toxic substances that can damage tissue. Additionally, this bacteria causes inflammation and tissue damage, provoking your dog’s immune system to work.

The immune system tries to kill the bacteria by using white blood cells and inflammatory chemicals, but this can damage a lot of the soft, bony tissues in the teeth. This condition is called periodontitis.

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Tooth root abscess:

Once your dog’s teeth develop gingivitis and periodontitis, the bacteria can get into the tooth’s root and destroy it. This causes the tissue’s death, and the immune system tries to fight it with a flood of white blood cells, but this causes pus, or abscess, to form.

If your dog has a swollen and painful area under the eye, you may want to check its premolar teeth for any abscesses.

Tooth Loss:

Extreme cases of periodontal disease can cause permanent tooth loss. This can cause a lot of pain for your canine, so it is best to prevent it from happening by stopping disease development at its first stage.

Take care to check your dog’s mouth once a week or bring them over to The Grand Paw for a day of dog grooming in Indio, CA. Our trained pet caretakers give your pooch the Canine Dental Treatment it needs at our luxury pet care near Palm Desert. Book your dog’s slot here.