As in humans with modern preventative medicine including everything from x-rays, vaccinations, heartworm treatments to fumigation and neutering along with more education and better communication on how to diagnose and treat many ailments, viruses and diseases, domesticated dogs live longer than just the recent past. Dogs living in the United States experience an average lifespan of almost 13 years. As an interesting side note, the long held belief that one dog year equals 7 human years is actually incorrect. Dogs age much faster than humans, but not at a linear rate. A more accurate estimate is to count the first dog year as 15 human years, the second as 24 years, and years 3 and beyond as 4 human years.
With this longer life expectancy and today’s canine nutrition, contemporary domestic dogs are experiencing the same increase in diseases as humans, including cancer, diabetes, heart problems, arthritis, and dental problems. Most veterinarians rank dental and oral disease as the number one health problem they examine. This fact alerts dog owners to develop and provide a good dental care program for their pets. It’s more than just cleaning a dog’s teeth. It requires constant and painstaking daily effort that involves both care at home and at the vet’s office.
Today’s dog owner is constantly trying to turn their dog into a human being. Through these contemporary lifestyles of pets and their owners, the dog has become increasingly estranged from its natural wild environment. These drastic and domesticated changes in both the natural dog’s lifestyle and diet have eliminated critical components necessary for their digestive system that begins in the mouth. The differences between humans and dogs start right there.
Human saliva in the mouth contains the enzyme amylase. This starts the human digestive process by breaking down starchy foods into sugar before they leave the mouth. Since wild dogs do not eat starches, their saliva does not contain amylase. Therefore, when today’s dog’s diet contains large amounts of starch, it has a propensity to stick to the teeth. If not removed in a timely and consistent manner, this leads to plaque and tartar buildup, which can lead to gum disease and seriously affect the dog’s health. Studies show that by the age of three, 80 percent of dogs show evidence of gum disease. Persistent bad breath is the easiest and most recognizable symptom. Bad breath or halitosis starts off mildly with just bacteria caused by tartar and plaque buildup, but quickly becomes very unpleasant with the development of gingivitis and almost intolerable with advancing periodontal disease. At this point, the buildup of tartar actually creates space between your gums and teeth, allowing further bacterial growth resulting in abscesses, tooth loss, bone loss, and life-threatening infections. Other signs of bad breath to look for include excess tartar and plaque buildup resulting in yellow and brown teeth along the gum line and red, swollen gums. One good thing is that, like in humans, sugar cavities are not a concern in dogs. Dog saliva contains the enzyme lysozyme that kills bacteria. This again comes from their wild environment of needing to eat rotten and rancid meats where humans purify and cook their food.
As you’ll learn below, dogs don’t actually chew their food. They grab, hold, rip and shred it into large pieces. The saliva you see when a dog eagerly waits to eat has only one purpose as a lubricant to swallow. Once again remembering that dogs are carnivorous in nature and evolved from wolves where wild packs have to eat quickly by grabbing, ripping, shredding and swallowing the food in large chunks and rushing out. This leads to the most visual and profound difference between dogs and humans: teeth.
First, the dog’s jaw is hinged, and although it cannot move sideways like the human jaw, it does open wider to allow larger pieces of food to be consumed. It doesn’t move sideways as the food is split and mashed, not ground like corn. The teeth are quite different from human teeth. First there are 42 instead of 32. Just like humans, dogs have two sets of teeth in their lifetime. The 28 milk (or puppy) teeth begin to erupt in the third week with adult permanent replacements beginning in the fourth month. There are 6 incisors and 2 canine teeth in the upper and lower rows. The upper rows have a total of 8 premolars and 4 molars while the lower row has 8 premolars and 6 molars. The incisor teeth are used for nibbling and throwing food. Premolars cut and tear large pieces of food. These premolars are the teeth that dogs use to chew on rawhide and other dog toys. The canine teeth (Fang) are used for grasping, holding objects and, if necessary, for defense. The molars are used to crush bones and hard crackers. The basic tooth structure in relation to the crown, pulp, roots, etc. is basically the same as that of human teeth, so canine dental care and treatment are similar and equally effective: clean dog teeth are just as important in dogs as they are in humans.
A good canine dental program consists of regular visits to the veterinarian that should include a detailed oral exam and, if recommended, a dental cleaning. But most importantly, daily dental care at home is essential. This starts with proper diet and nutrition for the dog. Feeding your pet high-quality kibble and hard biscuits helps brush and keep teeth clean. Soft foods and foods that are high in starch should be eliminated or minimized. There are treats and specialty foods on the market that are approved and recommended by dental veterinarians and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) that have been shown to be effective in multiple studies. Dog chew toys such as dental bones, rawhide, and hard rubber dental plaque removers are also very helpful in keeping your dog’s teeth clean. Frequent home oral examinations of the dog’s mouth, including the gums and teeth, should be performed. Watch for early warning signs like bad breath, yellow and brown teeth, red and swollen gums, and obviously any missing or damaged teeth. It also examines the mouth in general for any unusual lumps or masses. The same happens with the face in general in search of swelling, secretions, irregularities or unevenness. And last but not least, just like in humans, a good daily cleaning and bushing. Be sure to use an approved toothpaste for dogs. Over-the-counter human toothpaste is not recommended and can actually make your dog sick.
This type of attention to the dog’s teeth and mouth helps ensure the dog’s overall good health. You will save money in the long run. The average cost of a complete dental cleaning by a veterinarian is reported to be nearly $300; it does not have to be done as often if a good home dental program is established. Daily bushes, dog treats and dental toys average less than $100 per year and a good dental diet of proper dog food costs around $250 dollars per year which is only part of the normal cost of dog feeding. Treatment of advanced periodontal disease can easily cost thousands of dollars.