A Bite as Healthy as Their Bark

A Bite as Healthy as Their Bark .
By LAURA JOHANNES
Pet dental health, largely ignored by many owners, is moving into the spotlight. Many veterinarians are recommending you brush your pet's teeth, daily, just as you do your own.

A wide array of "dental care kits" for cats and dogs are intended to make it easy and effective for you to brush your pet's teeth. Leslie Yazel has details on Lunch Break.
.You may not know your dog or cat has dental problems—it won't complain of tooth pain and it probably won't get cavities. But if it has bad breath, it is a likely sign of dental disease—including tartar buildup, gingivitis and a chronic infection called periodontal disease, veterinarians say. In 2010, 89% of dogs and 83% of cats over age three seen at some 800 Banfield Pet Hospital facilities in the U.S. suffered from dental disease, according to the Portland, Ore., chain, owned by Mars Inc., which also makes pet food and pet products.....

You also can use any human soft-bristled brush with a small head, veterinarians say—but don't use your toothpaste since some ingredients, including fluoride, may be harmful to pets, veterinarians said......