Five Ways Dental Disease Can Affect Your Dog’s Health

Oral hygiene in dogs is an often overlooked yet important aspect of caring for a dog. Many dog owners actually wonder about how essential it is for keeping their dogs healthy. In this article, you’ll learn the true importance of keeping your dog’s mouth clean by learning how dental disease can affect your dog’s health. 

 

Unseen Pain

It takes a great amount of pain before your dog will show notable signs that something is wrong. In many cases, their hunger may be enough to offset the pain they feel in their mouths when eating. Dental diseases can leave your dog suffering in silence without you even knowing. It’s essential to have them scheduled for routine care, so your vet can assess them for any current problems and prevent them in the future.

 

Triggers Your Dog’s Immune System

Your dog’s mouth is essentially a premier breeding ground for bacteria. When the buildup of bacteria gets particularly bad, it can trigger your dog’s immune system in harmful ways. When suffering from a dental disease, your dog’s gums will become inflamed and destroy its tissue in the process. Furthermore, the more severe it gets, the more bacteria have a chance to enter the bloodstream, where they can do the most damage. 

 

Increased Risk of Heart and Liver Diseases

Dogs with periodontal disease have a significantly increased risk of heart and liver diseases. This is because the bacteria found in the mouth are the same as those found in diseased livers and hearts. 

 

As mentioned earlier, severe inflammation of the gums can allow the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and make it to these areas. When your dog suffers from both periodontal disease and heart complications, it can’t be sedated to get the dental cleaning they need. For that reason, yearly dental cleaning is the best practice you can do to prevent this from happening!

 

Weight Loss

Dental diseases are often accompanied by severe pain in the mouth area. Even though dogs are good at hiding their pain, it may get to a point where they can no longer function properly. The pain in their mouths may be too much to bear, and eating will be a difficult, painful task for them, ultimately resulting in rapid weight loss. 

 

Broken Jaw

You may be surprised to know that poor oral hygiene increases your dog's risk of fracturing its jaw. It’s something more commonly found among small breeds, but it can happen to any canine companion. An oral infection can weaken their jaw muscles and teeth to a point where a simple jump can break them. Remember that you can truly never know how bad a dental disease is until your vet gets a good look under your dog’s gum line!

 

Prevent Dental Disease With Monroe Animal Health Center

Monroe Animal Health Center has over 40 years of experience caring for the beloved pets in the community. When working with us, you can rest assured knowing we work hard to keep our AAHA accreditation, which means only the best available service for you and your pet. Don’t wait until the dental disease gets bad; call us to book an appointment and keep your dog healthy!