At YuMOVE, we’re always committed to providing the best science-backed insights and solutions to support every pet along the path to wellness. That’s why we’re very happy to announce the fourth part of our ‘Ask the Vet’ series, where our expert in-house vet, Dr Jayne Laycock BVetMed MRCVS, answers your questions. So, are you ready to sink your teeth into some juicy dental Q&A’s? Let’s get started…
“Why is my pet getting smelly breath?”
This is a great place to start. Firstly, ‘smelly breath’ is a very general, catch-all term for anything making your pet’s mouth smell.
One of the most common reasons our pets get smelly breath, is due to dental problems. But it’s important to remember that dental issues are not the only reason your pet could have smelly breath. Just a few of the many other possible causes for bad breath include: a growth in the mouth, a foreign object stuck in the mouth (usually sticks, but I’ve seen all sorts!), and even some medical conditions.
We would always recommend checking with your vet if you’ve noticed your dog has bad breath.
“What is bad dental health and why is it happening?”
Poor dental health develops over several stages.
To begin with, a sticky bacterial film called ‘plaque’ naturally forms in the mouth, usually where the teeth meet the gums. If this plaque isn’t cleaned away adequately and regularly, it can harden over time to form ‘tartar,’ a tough brown deposit that sits on the teeth. Tartar then traps more bacteria and makes it even harder to clean the teeth and gum line. The result is smelly breath and sore gums.
Just like with us, our dogs’ mouths aren’t the cleanest places to begin with, as they’re constantly used for eating and drinking. This can cause problems to develop over time if we’re not diligent.
“Can I brush my dog’s teeth alongside using YuMOVE Dental Care products?”
Yes!
Both YuMOVE Dental Care products – Dental Care Daily Clean and Dental Care Sticks – are designed to work effectively alongside brushing to support your dog’s oral health.
The spiral shape of the chews helps clean the surface of the teeth, targeting areas that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. This makes them a great complement to brushing.
Additionally, Dental Care Sticks feature our unique ActivBarrier™ soft centre, which helps target bad bacteria without affecting naturally good bacteria. Because of this, we don’t recommend using antibacterial toothpastes alongside the Dental Care Sticks, as they may interfere with this unique feature.
“What is the best way to keep my dog’s teeth clean?”
A bit like with humans, brushing is a great way to help keep your dog’s teeth clean. However, brushing can be hard to do with some dogs, and it needs to be done regularly to be effective. To see the benefits, we advise that you brush your dog’s teeth at least three times a week. We know this target can be difficult to achieve, so we’ve have developed our Dental Care products to be used alongside brushing, to support your pet’s dental hygiene as best as possible.
“How do Dental Care products fit in with a healthy, balanced diet?”
Our Dental Care products vary in calories depending on size, but they’ve been developed to contain around 10% of a dog’s daily calorie requirement (in each size bracket). For this reason, we recommend adjusting your dog’s food accordingly, as is important with any extras.
Dental Care Sticks are designed to be given daily for the first four weeks, and then every other day for long-term use. This approach helps keep calories under control while still maintaining oral health benefits. Dental Care Daily Clean, on the other hand, is designed to be given every day as part of your dog’s regular routine.
Both products are made with natural ingredients and can fit into a healthy, balanced diet to support your dog’s oral health.
“Can I whiten my dog’s teeth?”
The white colour of teeth is generally cosmetic. It’s important to aim for strong, clean, healthy teeth, and it important to focus on this rather than tooth whiteness.
Discolouration can be linked to tooth health and plaque/tartar build-up, so if you’re worried about the colour of your dog’s teeth, we would recommend seeing your vet. However, in a healthy, clean mouth, the ‘whiteness’ of teeth is not a worry.
Explore our YuMOVE Dental Care products – Dental Care Sticks and Dental Care Daily Clean – and see how they can help target plaque, freshen breath and support overall dental health. Don’t forget to check out our previous ‘Ask the Vet’ blog posts on itchy skin, senior dogs, and dog weight for more expert advice.
