When you have a pet, you should always be concerned about their health.  It would help if you gave special attention to dental care and oral health for both teeth and non-teeth. Dogs usually lose their teeth as they age and can also lose their teeth due to various diseases and accidents.  Due to this, they can be pretty challenging to eat.  So if you are wondering how to give them the nutrients they need, this article will be helpful for you.  This article covers the causes of dog tooth loss and how to care for a toothless dog.

Causes of tooth loss in dogs

First, we must know some basic facts about dog teeth.  Between 3-6 weeks, a puppy develops 28 teeth, known as baby teeth.  These puppies lose their teeth at about 30 weeks of age and replace the lost teeth with 42 new teeth at about four months.  These teeth remain until the dog ages and help crush and tear food.

They develop severe gum disease, or periodontal disease mainly affects tooth loss.  This disease is prevalent among older dogs, and affected teeth will last a long. Studies have shown that 85% of dogs four years or older are more likely to suffer from periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that weakens the tissue that binds to the bone beneath each tooth.  The illness gradually increases and deepens, creating an opening between the tooth and the bone, eventually causing the socket to loosen due to loss of bone mass and the tooth to fall out.  If not appropriately treated, the inflammation and infection of the tissues around the tooth can lead to losing all the teeth.

After contracting this disease, the dog’s mouth smells bad, and if bacteria from the infected teeth enter the bloodstream, there is a greater risk of infection of the major organ systems.  If the periodontal disease is severe, removing all the teeth in the dog’s mouth is recommended.  This way, after removing the diseased teeth and cleaning the area from the infected waste, the dog is completely free from the disease.  A lifetime without teeth is better for a dog’s health than a lifetime with diseased teeth.

In addition, dogs’ teeth extract for other reasons.  Fractured teeth mean removing the tooth to prevent infected roots and painful abscesses if the tooth’s pulp is exposed and fractured. Also, removing the adjacent teeth and treating the lumps is usually better if a bone in the mouth is broken. Also, trauma caused by fighting with another dog or suffering a head injury can cause tooth loss.

How to identify the dogs who are suffering from dental problems?

Like humans, dogs can have dental health problems for various reasons.  But for this treatment to be effective and to prevent dental problems, you should always check the dog carefully.  As this is an external problem, you can easily monitor it and try the following methods.

• Foul-smelling breath from the dog’s mouth
• Loose teeth
• Bleeding gums (Bleeding with saliva)
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty chewing food
• Your dog is acting more aggressive or sluggish than usual
• Emotions associated with pain (Whining, drooling, bared teeth, and other signs)
• Having some discharge or swelling around the nose or face

If you notice the symptoms mentioned above, you should visit a veterinarian to examine the dog.  Early detection of these problems is also easier to treat and helps prevent other complications.

Tips for keeping your dog without teeth  healthy

Keeping your dog without teeth, well-fed, and healthy is a responsibility.  Be especially careful in providing them so that your dog, without teeth, can live a healthy life.

Feeding raw meat can cause food and oral health problems; Raw meat can be dangerous for older dogs, and overeating can lead to gastrointestinal upset. And eating dry food can be challenging for your dog without teeth.  But a grinder can grind dry food into small pieces and mix it with water. With this, you can also provide excess nutrients and fresh foods of high quality and low preservatives.

A kibble meal with large chunks can be risky and challenging to choke or digest.  Accordingly, this kibble can be broken into small pieces, mixed with hot water, chicken curry, or goat’s milk, and given to the dog after some time for them to be absorbed.  This factor also increases calories and nutrition and is easier for a toothless dog to eat. Kibble soaked in this way can be considered canned food and should not be left open for more than 30 minutes and then refrigerated.

Also, homemade food is an excellent option for your dog without teeth.  Soups are ideal for this, and by adding chicken, vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans, carrots, and cooked white rice to it, the dog will also get the nutrients it needs.

In addition to food, you should also take care of their hygiene.  If your dog has multiple teeth, you should clean the rest of the dog’s teeth, and if your dog doesn’t have complete teeth, dog gums need health care. Brushing your toothless dog’s gums increases blood flow and helps remove bacteria and debris that can collect in the mouth’s tiny pores.  Be sure to use soft brushes for this.  In this way, it is essential to clean the gums at least 3-4 times a week.  Spray a small amount of chlorhexidine solution on each side of the dog’s mouth twice a day, especially after meals.  If your dog only has a few teeth, you should clean his teeth thoroughly before spraying with this solution. Also, all dogs like to chew, so give your dog, without teeth, some soft-playing rubber toys. It will help keep him happy and be sure to keep a close eye on the dog’s activities whenever possible.

Conclusion

Your dog’s mouth may be completely missing or have a few teeth.  Special care should be taken about the dog without teeth compared to other dogs.  Their mouths should be kept clean, and you should monitor the dog’s behavior for signs of pain or reluctance to eat.  Also, they should continuously be fed a safe, softer diet, and consult your vet before making any changes to your toothless dog’s diet.