Oral Health Tips for Pet Owners

Pet owners need to take care of their pets whenever there are problems. Did you know that if your pet’s teeth are a mess, chances are yours will be too.  a lot of times, people don’t realize that their pet’s health can actually affect your health, which is quite surprising. 

Here, we’ll go over the common issues with a pet’s teeth, and how, as a pet owner, you can prevent these risks for your pet’s health, and your oral health. 

Oral Health Problems and Zoonotic Diseases

Your pet’s oral health can actually be shared with a human in some cases. These are called zoonotic diseases, which can transmit to humans. 

One example is plaque. The plaque of a dog can be a form of resistance to microbes, and can be shared with a human if there is close contact. So if your dog licks your face, it has a chance to share those microbes.   Children who have dogs tend to notice these genes in their plaque more than a child who grew up not around dogs.

Another is periodontal pathogens. Dogs and cats can get periodontitis just like how we do, but it can also be transmitted to different species in some cases. This is actually very common for animals in households that may share a water bowl for example.   If they are sharing various receptacles, it does increase the risk with however many dogs are within the household too. 

Dental Health and Pets 

Pets can have the same issues that humans have with their teeth. Gum disease, plaque, and even gingivitis can happen in animals. Just like with humans, these can fall out, resulting in needing to use different means to consume the foods they have. This does impact nutrition as well. 

Using oral products is a good way to prevent this from getting worse.   Brushing the teeth daily helps prevent dental disease and bad breath. Brushing on the regular does remove the bacteria that’s there, stimulate your gums, and also fights bacteria under the gumline area. 

There are plenty of different dental care items as well you can get for animals.   Some are good for them even if they’re made for humans. However, not all toothbrushes are good for animals, as some of the human ones may damage the gums, cause stress to the animal, and just be bad at cleaning.

Try to get them checkups for cleaning on the regular. While some animals like cats may not need cleanings until they’re older, dogs benefit from this, and once a year they should get in for a cleaning so that they’re able to have healthy teeth for the long run.

It’s also a great thing to do especially to find out if there are any problems with your pets. Oral health issues do pop up randomly, so keeping in mind that there is a problem with oral health is good. by properly taking initiative, you too can care for your pet. 

Overall, oral health is important, and the connection between this and a human’s oral health is unfortunately more common than you’d think. As a pet owner, you owe it to yourself to have the proper initiatives in place for your pet, and this of course, includes oral health. Taking care of this now will prevent some major issues from happening down the line, and can ultimately save your pet’s teeth if you’re not careful. 

Taking care of it now will also make things better for pet owners who want to keep their pet around for the long haul too.

Techniques to Have a Whiter Smile

We all want to have a whiter smile, and it’s important to consider these factors. However, sometimes it can be hard, due to lifestyle decisions or even just the state of our teeth. Here are some ways for you to have a whiter smile, both in the office, and also through natural means. 

Why Discoloration happens 

Discoloration happens for a variety of reasons. Some people may genetically have less vibrant smiles. 

More often than not, however, we cause this. plaque and bacteria will grow, causing your teeth to yellow. If there is gingivitis and other tooth issues, the enamel might be further ruined.

It’s also caused by the foods we eat. Are you a coffee fanatic or do you love red wine? Well chances are, you’re going to have a smile that’s a little less bright.  These foods stain your teeth and can only be taken off with a dentist’s help. 

Finally, it is caused by more harmful types of lifestyle activities we take.   Alcohol Can do this, but smoking is another. Smoking is not only bad for you, but it opens the door to oral cancer, and can cause your enamel to be permanently compromised, which isn’t fun for everyone. 

Now that you know why it happens, here’s a few ways to have a whiter smile. 

At home 

At home is the first option that we have. You can get toothpastes that whiten the teeth naturally or go to the dentist’s office for a take-home whitening kit. This can be a whitening tray, where you put it in your mouth for a period of time.

They’re good if you need a little bit of vibrancy, but they have their flaws. For starters, you’re not going to see a huge change. It might be good for a shade or two lighter. If you have serious discoloration, it might not work.

As well, it also might cause tooth sensitivity, a common problem amongst those who get whitening treatments. It can cause sensitive teeth, which isn’t always fun to deal with. 

But, for the price you pay, it’s far cheaper than other methods of trying to whiten your teeth.

In-Office 

There are also in-office whitening treatments. 

These are done in one session and can cause your teeth to get multiple shades lighter than they would if you were doing this at home.   The best part: it’s strong, so it will naturally stay.

There is bleaching, Zoom whitening, and other means to make your teeth shining and vibrant. The biggest downside to this is the costs. It isn’t cheap and might be hard to afford. 

But if you get this, you can usually maintain it for a while. It isn’t permanent, but it can give you the confidence that you’re looking for.

Natural Alternatives 

There are a few ways for you to naturally whiten your teeth. Bear in mind that they aren’t perfect and might not actually give results. 

The first is activated charcoal, which you can put in your mouth, and grab onto the plaque and other remnants, contributing to stains. The downside with this is it does interact with other medicines. 

Baking soda is another. It’s a bit rough, but it does remove the surface stains without causing damage to the enamel.

Apple cider vinegar can also remove surface stains. You dilute this with water, then swish it about to remove the surface blemishes.

Finally, hydrogen peroxide. It acts as a natural bleaching agent, in order to whiten teeth, along with disinfecting and removing the plaque that’s there.

These all work together to make your smile nice and white.