You want to keep your dog healthy throughout its life so that you can enjoy as many special moments together as possible. But, while we think about weight and other aspects of health, too many of us forget about teeth. Dental disease is the most common problem our dogs suffer from, and they can affect your dog’s whole body if left unchecked.

For dogs, diet and nutrition go hand in hand with dental health, and so choosing the right foods can make a huge difference to your pet’s overall health, including their teeth. A good diet that includes a range of foods, along with supplements,  including Alpha Paw’s 1-15 Multi Chew,  magic mouthwash for dogs, as well as our deliciously healthy dental sticks. So, where do you start?

Bones

A large raw bone is a great tool for dental hygiene, cleaning your dog’s teeth as they chew on it. Dogs love them, but there are a few things to remember when sourcing bones.

Avoid cooked bones, or anything artificial, as they can break a dog’s teeth. Cooked bones are also prone to breaking up, and smaller bones always run the risk of swallowing. Raw cow bones work best if you can get them.

It may seem the opposite of what you expect, but larger bones really are safer for your dog. The way they chew things means that the risk of breaking teeth is higher with smaller items. Larger ones, such as large raw bones, are chewed from the back of the mouth and use less force than smaller items.

Having said that, some vets still resist the idea of bones, and so if you are unsure, always seek advice from your vet. In any case, always keep an eye on your dog if they are chewing a bone, and then watch for any sign that the bone is breaking into small pieces that can be swallowed.

Snacking

All dogs love snacks, while as owners we all love to hand out snacks for our pets, but many of the commercial snacks are terrible for healthy teeth, even if dogs love them. None of us would stop treating our pets, so the answer is to find something better as a snack, and luckily there is an easy answer.

Vegetables provide the tasty snack your dog will love, but don’t have the sugars, fats and cereal grains that can damage their teeth. Carrots apple slices, or cubes of pumpkin or squash, will be a treat they love, and they won’t stick to teeth like some snacks.

Quality Food

Feeding your dog quality food is great for general health, but it is also beneficial for teeth too. Foods that use cereal grain to bulk out the contents can stick to your dogs’ teeth and cause problems, so always look for products made from meat, vegetables, and fruits.

Antioxidants, Fatty Acids, and Nutrients

Even with the best foods and healthy snacks, your dog will always benefit from a little extra help with additional nutrients in their diet. There are several of these you can find in multivitamins, and each helps your dog’s dental health.

Antioxidants provide essential dental health benefits, with several, including folic acid, helping to provide protection for gum tissue, reducing the likelihood of gingivitis and periodontitis occurring in your dog. Many of these antioxidants, including folic acid and CoQ10, are found in meats and fatty fish, however, few dogs receive enough naturally in their diets. Our 15 in 1 Multi Chews are a great way to ensure that your dog gets those valuable nutrients in a simple and reliable way. They work best when used as part of a diet that also includes good quality food to give your dog not just dental health but provide improved overall health too.

Fatty acids such as Omega-3 are an important part of any diet, we know that in humans they are beneficial for the heart and help with brain health, and the same applies to your dog. However, they also help with oral health, protecting gums against inflammation and preventing periodontal disease. Again, the best way to ensure your dog is receiving sufficient fatty acids is to use multivitamins. They provide a range of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that supplement your dog’s food and ensure that your pet has everything they need for a strong healthy body.

Multivitamins

Aside from fatty acids and antioxidants, a whole range of nutrients and vitamins provide benefits to your dog’s health, and with dental health being tied to general health so solidly within dogs, this means better oral health too. It’s important to remember that as with any food for your dog, multivitamins can vary in quality quite significantly, so choosing the right product matters.

Alpha Paw 15 in 1 Multi Chews is a great option for multivitamins, offering a high-quality, easily consumed supplement that gives your dog everything it needs to maintain good health overall, and good dental health in particular.

Summary

Your dog’s dental health is extremely important, with general health and dental health tied together so closely, your dogs’ teeth really matter. As we have seen, with quality food and a simple change to the snacks you provide, it is easy to make a real difference to their diet.

While some disapprove of all bones, raw bones provide benefits without the drawbacks, but if you are unsure, always your vet for advice, and in any case, always supervise your pet while they are chewing bones.

Finally, multivitamin supplements can make a real difference when used with these other methods, providing the strong teeth and gums that will make sure your dog enjoys a healthy life. The Alpha Paw supplements are ease of use and effectiveness, offering everything your dog could need, and adding them to your dog’s regular diet is one of the best ways to improve their health.