Why Dental Hygiene Is Important for Pets
- posted: Jun. 11, 2025
The most common health issue among pets in America is dental disease. Dental diseases cause pain, reduce your pets’ vitality, can compromise their health, and result in higher veterinary bills for you. To ensure your pets’ dental health, practice effective dental hygiene at home and ensure your pets receive a comprehensive pet dental exam annually. If you are in the Orlando, FL, area and need a veterinarian near you for ongoing or emergency care, consider our 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando team.
Dental Problems and Symptoms
Owning a pet can provide endless joy, but it also comes with the responsibility of ensuring your pets receive proper dental and general veterinary care. Dental diseases generally affect your pets’ mouth and food consumption, and inadequate dental care can lead to infections that can threaten your pets’ internal organs.
Your pets will naturally hide pain, since this behavior signals weakness to predators. As an owner, you should monitor your pets for signs of dental problems. These include bad breath, problems chewing, and discolored teeth. Other signs of dental issues include:
- Excessive drooling and bloody saliva
- Gulping dry food (not chewing)
- Consistent pawing at the mouth
If your pets display these symptoms, they need an examination, though we encourage preventing dental problems through proper pet oral hygiene.
Pet Dental Hygiene Practices
Consistent teeth brushing is the most important step toward preventing pet dental issues. Daily brushing helps limit plaque and tartar buildup, which otherwise leads to periodontal disease developing under your pets’ gums.
While pets often resist brushing initially, you can train them to accept and enjoy the process using rewards and pet toothpaste with appropriate flavors. Also, since many human toothpastes contain ingredients harmful to pets, you should use pet toothpastes only.
Of course, despite your best efforts, periodontal disease can still develop, just like with humans. That means you should schedule a yearly dental exam during their annual wellness visit. Ideally, the exam includes a full oral exam, X-rays, and a teeth cleaning that addresses the surfaces beneath the gums that brushing misses.
Achieving Pet Dental Hygiene with 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando
Our 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando team offers dentistry and veterinary services for pets in or near Orlando, FL. We are available 24/7, so call us at (407) 298-3807 to schedule a veterinary appointment or if your pets need emergency care.
- posted: Jun. 11, 2025
The most common health issue among pets in America is dental disease. Dental diseases cause pain, reduce your pets’ vitality, can compromise their health, and result in higher veterinary bills for you. To ensure your pets’ dental health, practice effective dental hygiene at home and ensure your pets receive a comprehensive pet dental exam annually. If you are in the Orlando, FL, area and need a veterinarian near you for ongoing or emergency care, consider our 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando team.
Dental Problems and Symptoms
Owning a pet can provide endless joy, but it also comes with the responsibility of ensuring your pets receive proper dental and general veterinary care. Dental diseases generally affect your pets’ mouth and food consumption, and inadequate dental care can lead to infections that can threaten your pets’ internal organs.
Your pets will naturally hide pain, since this behavior signals weakness to predators. As an owner, you should monitor your pets for signs of dental problems. These include bad breath, problems chewing, and discolored teeth. Other signs of dental issues include:
- Excessive drooling and bloody saliva
- Gulping dry food (not chewing)
- Consistent pawing at the mouth
If your pets display these symptoms, they need an examination, though we encourage preventing dental problems through proper pet oral hygiene.
Pet Dental Hygiene Practices
Consistent teeth brushing is the most important step toward preventing pet dental issues. Daily brushing helps limit plaque and tartar buildup, which otherwise leads to periodontal disease developing under your pets’ gums.
While pets often resist brushing initially, you can train them to accept and enjoy the process using rewards and pet toothpaste with appropriate flavors. Also, since many human toothpastes contain ingredients harmful to pets, you should use pet toothpastes only.
Of course, despite your best efforts, periodontal disease can still develop, just like with humans. That means you should schedule a yearly dental exam during their annual wellness visit. Ideally, the exam includes a full oral exam, X-rays, and a teeth cleaning that addresses the surfaces beneath the gums that brushing misses.
Achieving Pet Dental Hygiene with 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando
Our 24/7 Animal Hospital of Orlando team offers dentistry and veterinary services for pets in or near Orlando, FL. We are available 24/7, so call us at (407) 298-3807 to schedule a veterinary appointment or if your pets need emergency care.
