Removing tartar – cleaning the dog’s teeth

Dogs have impressive teeth, inherited from their ancestors, the wolves. However, many dogs today have problems with tartar, plaque, bad breath, and inflamed gums. Unlike wolves, dogs seem to be more susceptible to these problems, as wolves only develop a little tartar, if any, in old age. Well, where humans have a hand in it, things have rarely turned out well for animals.

Unfortunately, unsuitable food and chewing materials, overbreeding and small-breeding, and humanization are the main reasons. Fortunately, there is now a consensus that dental care is important for dogs as well. But unfortunately, not all dog owners know how to do it properly. They continue to listen to the recommendations of friends, breeders, veterinarians, and pet food industry advertisements, giving their dogs so-called dental sticks full of additives and actually believing that discount food is healthy and that dry food cleans teeth.

“Strange people,” a dog would say now. “Why don’t they learn what’s good for me? I’m a family member, and it can’t be too much to ask that I read a book on the subject. But they don’t have time for that. Opening a bag and tipping strange morsels into the bowl is so convenient. If only they would read the label, but even if they did, they wouldn’t understand it. And then I have to eat it, too. Even a blind person can see that something like that can’t have anything to do with nutrition. Well, and then I got tartar.”

Why should you care for your dog’s teeth?

Many dog ​​owners wonder why they should take care of their four-legged friend’s dental care. After all, a wild wolf doesn’t need a dental cleaning, right? That’s not true, though. Wolves also need dental cleaning, but nature has built tartar prevention into their dogs. But in dogs, it no longer works, and humans are to blame.

For centuries, dog breeding has placed less emphasis on healthy teeth than on external characteristics such as coat. Furthermore, some breeds were bred to be unnaturally small, resulting in teeth that are far too close together. Other factors that can lead to dental problems in dogs are clearly the food and chewing material.

Unlike a wolf, which devours its prey whole, skin and hair, thus performing its natural tartar prevention, today’s dog food is often not optimal for dental health. Ingredients such as hidden grains and sugar (grain- and sugar-free doesn’t mean it isn’t present) can promote plaque and attract harmful oral bacteria, which can ultimately lead to tartar. Furthermore, standard dog food offers little opportunity for manual cleaning of the teeth. Your dog, your responsibility, and tartar, unfortunately, are self-inflicted in 90% of cases.

How does tartar develop in dogs?

Tartar in dogs is caused by a combination of factors. During eating, food components, mixed with saliva and bacteria found in the mouth, form plaque on the teeth. The bacteria in these deposits produce acids that attack tooth enamel and produce foul-smelling gases that lead to bad breath.

Over time, these deposits harden due to the mineral components of saliva, forming hard, brownish tartar that cannot be removed even with a toothbrush. Certain dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, Poodles, Dachshunds, Pugs, and Shih Tzus, are more susceptible to tartar formation than others due to their breeding-related narrow jaws and narrow teeth. Nature did not intend it this way.

If you happen to have one of these tiny dogs and certainly love them very much, these breeds would not exist in nature, as they would be barely able to survive. Humans have had a hand in this. Breed-specific diseases such as increased tartar buildup, patella luxation, joint, vertebral, and disc problems are just some of the potential consequences that breeds bred primarily to meet human needs have to deal with today. This places an even greater burden on the shoulders of owners to ensure their health is appropriate for their species.

What does the term “species-appropriate” mean?

The term “species-appropriate” refers to the keeping and feeding of dogs in a manner that meets their natural needs and instincts.Species-appropriate husbandry means that the dog’s living environment meets its natural behaviors and needs. This includes sufficient opportunities for exercise, access to fresh air and sunlight, appropriate social interaction with other dogs, the fulfillment of breed-specific instincts, and safe and comfortable accommodation.

Species-appropriate nutrition for dogs is about providing them with food that meets their biological requirements. Dogs are only about 70% carnivores and require a balanced diet. A species-appropriate diet usually includes a basic mix of muscle meat, heart, lungs, stomach, offal, tendons, cartilage, skin and fur, bones, vegetables, fruit, berries, herbs, nuts, eggs, and fats. It is important to choose high-quality and natural ingredients and, above all, to avoid industrial wet and dry food with artificial additives, preservatives, attractants, flavors, and colorings. Unfortunately, very few people know how to correctly interpret a label, nor what a correct declaration of meat and other ingredients should look like, nor that “free of sugar, grains, and artificial additives” does not necessarily mean that these are not included. Behind this, however, lies a system of the feed industry that refers to feed law, which has little to do with food law. For example, a food needs only 4% meat to be marketed as a complete feed—so much for feed law.

Species-appropriate housing and nutrition aim to promote the well-being and health of the dog by meeting its physiological and psychological needs. Learning this is the responsibility of the human to the dog. If this cannot be met, species-appropriate and healthy housing is hardly possible.

I assume that every reader will agree with this. But what is the reality? Unfortunately, it is very often completely different. Industrially manufactured wet or dry dog ​​food, often from discount stores or the usual (online) snack bars, too little exercise, minimal mental stimulation and social interaction, and excessive humanization are commonplace and lead not only to illness but also to behavioral problems.

Dogs pee with joy, bark at strangers, or yelp over the smallest thing, don’t get along with other dogs, jump up on you like a circus dog, and are then trained to have their teeth brushed. Proper dog care has nothing to do with circus lessons.

The Consequences of Tartar

In addition to frequent bad breath, inflammation of the neck of the teeth can become more frequent and lead to chronically inflamed gums and bleeding gums. This, in turn, can lead to receding gums, pain when eating, refusal to eat, and loosening or even loss of teeth. In the worst case, germs and bacteria from the mouth enter the body via the bloodstream and infect other parts of the body. This can also lead to heart, kidney, and liver damage, for example. Therefore, it is important to remove tartar.

Can the veterinarian help with tartar?

A dental cleaning at the veterinarian can be a solution, and the veterinarian is happy to welcome every new customer. Easy money, so there’s no need for them to explain how to avoid tartar in the future. Dogs also usually react very stressed to the unpleasant treatment, which is why general anesthesia is necessary to avoid panic reactions and injuries to the dog and the veterinarian due to resistance.

However, you should carefully consider whether to undergo general anesthesia “just” for a dental cleaning. Fortunately, many dog ​​owners consider this excessive, as the risk of death can be increased, especially for very small, pre-existing, or older dogs.

The costs should not be underestimated either. Calculated at the single rate, it starts at around €250, but this can quickly rise to around €450. Dental cleaning at the vet is also not sustainable – prevention is not in the interest of many veterinarians. Fortunately, there are also very good and, above all, fully trained veterinarians, but you have to find them first!

That’s why many dog ​​owners are looking for alternatives that are gentler on the dog and the wallet. There is an effective and completely stress-free alternative for the dog to remove even stubborn tartar onFind out what method it is now!

Dental care with the power of nature

Before considering an “alternative” method, it’s important to feed your dog a proper diet and give him suitable chews. This is essential; natural dental care only works if the entire chain is natural and species-appropriate. This is a prerequisite! A pill in the food and the dark, hard plaque disappears like an annoying headache—no, there is no such thing.

But why do so many people still feed such foods? The answer is simple: It’s convenient to open the bag and pour the odd morsels into the bowl. Cans are just as practical, and they all keep beautifully long (I wonder why?). Many dog ​​owners also believe that the food is good because the manufacturers “promise” it in their advertisements. There are only a few exceptions, and very few people know about them, because small, responsible manufacturers can’t compete with the millions of dollars spent on advertising by large corporations. But good foods do exist – even good wet foods from cans are still ready-made foods and should be regularly enhanced with fresh ingredients.

Book tip: “Dogs would live longer if…” by Dr. med. vet. Ziegler. The book is, so to speak, a driver’s license for all dog owners and provides understandable information for laypeople on how dogs should be fed, how many veterinarians and the pet food and pharmaceutical industries work hand in hand, and, above all, how such food is actually produced.

How it all began…

Over 20 years ago, our team was looking for a stress-free and healthy solution for dental care for dogs. Even back then, it was clear what our dogs would face, and in the last 15 years, dental problems in dogs have literally exploded. In discussions with our veterinary practitioners and herbal experts, we became aware of certain types of algae, plants, and herbs. After further research and the development of a manufacturing process for extracting the active ingredients from the raw materials, DOG FIT by PreThis^® WHITE dental plus was born.

WHITE dental plus is vegan and 100% natural. It is now recommended by many modern veterinarians, such as Dr. Sibylle Ott, animal health practitioners, and our partners.

The most important benefits at a glance

• 100% natural and vegan
• Ideal dental care for hard and dark plaque
• No stressful brushing or dog training required
• Simply mixes into the food
• Contains naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and more. Trace elements
• GMO-free, free from gluten, fructose, yeast, soy, artificial flavors, and additives

How to use

WHITE dental plus is simply mixed into the food.

For every 10 kg of dog’s weight, add 1 small scoop daily (it is included, of course). One pack is sufficient for 2 months for a dog weighing up to 10 kg. The recommended dosage for very small dogs up to 2 kg is one scoop every other day, and this only contains 0.75 g.

Important to know: Natural products take time. Therefore, you should be patient and wait at least 6 to 8 weeks for initial results. For thick and old tartar, it can take 12 weeks or longer – if the conditions are right. WHITE dental plus is not a miracle solution that can instantly brighten teeth; it treats the symptom, not the cause. Make sure your dog has a healthy diet and plenty of chew material.

Our tip

Normally, WHITE dental plus costs €26.95 (RRP), but thanks to this promotion, you can get WHITE dental plus for only €22.95 in the shop.

Ensure healthy teeth now! (click)

Take advantage of the 5% new customer discount! Code: DOGFIT

We wish you and your furry friend all the best!
Your team at DOG FIT by PreThis^®