It is a fact that 80% of dogs and cats over 3 years old have dental problems in the form of plaque and tartar. If this is not addressed in time, the chances of irreparable damage to gums, teeth, molars and jaw are high.
Symptoms of dental problems
1. Bad breath
Bad breath is often caused by bacteria hiding in the sheltered areas of the mouth. When these bacteria are not removed quickly, it leads to the formation of bad breath and inflammation.
2. Chewing
Once gums come into contact with bacteria, gums can become inflamed and chewing can be painful. As a result, animals chew less well and often swallow kibble whole.
3. Games
When an animal has inflamed gums, it will not like playing tug-of-war with toys or a rope. This can be a good indication of dental problems.
4. Smell
An inflammation in the upper teeth such as root infection can affect the dog's sense of smell. Attention by the owner to good dental hygiene of his dog is therefore important.

Emergence of dental problems
It starts with plaque at the base of the teeth; a white-yellow deposit of food particles and bacteria. When this remains, it hardens into tartar. This spreads further all over the tooth and also gets under the gums. There it causes a painful inflammation (Gingivitis). If the infection spreads further along the roots, this is called Periodontitis. Over time, teeth lose their hold and become loose.
Good to know: without chewing, most dogs and cats will gulp down their food, which can lead to the mistaken belief that they do not have dental problems. Regularly checking the teeth or having them looked at by the vet is not an unnecessary luxury. To help dogs and cats eat more slowly, Eat Slow Live Longer feeding bowls are a good option.
Brushing
How can dental problems be prevented? The answer is brushing: when your dog is still young, teach it to brush its teeth. You can't start early enough. You can buy ‘starter kits’ from us, containing dog toothpaste, finger brushes and a special brush.
Nutrition
At least as important for teeth is what you feed your dog or cat. Make sure you get chunks of sufficient size, MAX Dog Food is a food line that meets this requirement. The chunks are of a large size with sufficient texture. For dogs where brushing fails, or where plaque or tartar builds up quite quickly despite brushing, we offer Dental Oral Care. Dental Oral Care ensures that plaque has no chance and prevents tartar from forming.
You can also get all kinds of chews and bones, such as the Wonder Snaxx. We also have various toys in the house, which can be used to clean the teeth while playing.
Dog teeth facts
Dogs and cats are true carnivores and therefore have typical carnivore teeth. This means that the teeth are suitable for catching prey (strong canines) and tearing up (large incisors). The development of the teeth starts already in the womb where the tooth germs are laid down in the unborn foetus. Like humans, dogs and cats have milk teeth and permanent teeth.
Teething
Puppies and kittens are born without teeth. After two to four weeks, the first teeth of the milk teeth come through. When the young dog or cat is about 7 months old, the entire set of teeth will have erupted.

A dog's permanent teeth contain 42 elements:
- 12 incisors (6 upper jaw and 6 lower jaw)
- 4 canines (2 upper jaw and 2 lower jaw)
- 16 premolars. False molars (8 upper jaw and 8 lower jaw)
- 10 molars. True molars (4 upper jaw and 6 lower jaw)
The cat's permanent teeth contain 30 elements:
- 12 incisors (6 upper jaw and 6 lower jaw)
- 4 canines (2 upper jaw and 2 lower jaw)
- 10 premolars. False molars (6 maxilla and 4 mandible)
Untreated tartar and gingivitis
Tartar/dental plaque and gingivitis can eventually give rise to chronic inflammation. Then teeth, attachment of teeth in the bone tissue of the jaw, the jaw itself and the gums can be severely affected. At this stage, the animal has a lot of pain in the mouth. Your dog may also get sick and fever due to the infection, this happens when the bacteria enter the bloodstream. Especially in heart and kidney patients, dental problems are very dangerous.
Wear down the teeth in dogs
Many dogs like to play with sticks and tennis balls. Other dogs like to chew on the bars of the crate or a dog chain. If this is done often enough, the teeth wear down very quickly. Therefore, get toys specially made for dogs and dog teeth. That way, your dog's teeth will remain undamaged despite hours of playtime.