dental health of pets is a crucial indicator for the overall health of a pet in most cases dental issues are linked or caused by other health problems the oral cavity of dogs similar to humans is home to numerous microorganisms that can give rise to plaque tartar cavities and infectionsif an infection is left unattended your dog may find it difficult to eat to keep their mouths open or to control drooling it is important to get your pets teeth and gums checked by a veterinarian at least once a year to ensure good oral health of your petslook for problems like bad breath swelling around the mouth loose or broken teeth abnormal chewing drooling or dropping food from the mouth bleeding from mouth discolored teeth or teeth covered with tartar and any signs of paindr shantanu kalambi chief veterinarian at a digital pet care platform shares some steps to keep your pets dental problems at bay1 lightly brush your pets teeth daily or as often as possible make sure to not use toothpaste made for humans use petspecific toothpaste and toothbrush or even a finger will do2 one can also opt for dental chew as a suitable alternative for brushing it significantly helps in reducing plaque and calculus accumulation gingivitis and malodor moreover the bonelike chews are longlasting and keep the pets teeth healthy and strong and also keep them occupied for longer periods these treats are made of meat or plantbased digestible material and not animal boneschoose treats that are appropriate for your pets age and size if the treat is too hard it can cause bleeding of the gums or broken teeth if they swallow a sizable chunk of the treat it can also cause an intestinal blockage which will need to be surgically removed3 give your dog an appropriate balanced diet4 schedule regular cleaning for your pets teeth with a veterinarian5 get your pets mouth checked during routine health checkups