Home Care Strategies

Preventative dental care at home can significantly reduce the risk of your pet developing ongoing dental disease. It’s a vital part of keeping your much-loved companion healthy and comfortable.

Did you know?
Around 70% of cats and dogs over three years old show signs of dental disease.

With regular veterinary check-ups and consistent at-home dental care, you can help keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy — and reduce the risk of painful periodontal disease.

The most effective way to keep your pet’s teeth clean is regular brushing.

Always use a pet-specific toothbrush and toothpaste – human toothpaste contains ingredients like fluoride and foaming agents that can make pets sick if swallowed.

Brush using gentle up-and-down and circular motions, making contact with each tooth. Some pets even tolerate (or prefer) an electric toothbrush, which can make brushing easier.

Daily brushing is ideal, but every second day is still effective. Brushing less often offers minimal benefit.

Diet plays an important role in your pet’s dental health. Specially formulated dental diets can help reduce plaque and tartar through the gentle abrasive action of the kibble.

Products like Hill’s T/D™, Hill’s Oral Care™, and Royal Canin Dental™ are designed to clean teeth as your pet chews.

For best results, choose a diet with the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of approval to ensure proven effectiveness.

If your pet doesn’t tolerate tooth brushing, dental chews are the next best way to help reduce plaque and prevent periodontal disease.

Not all chews are created equal — we recommend choosing products with the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of approval to ensure they’re effective.

For best results, offer an approved chew daily or every second day. One example is Virbac’s Veggiedent™.

Some smaller dog breeds, and many cats aren’t keen on dental chews. For these pets, an oral gel used after meals can be a great alternative for managing dental health.

We recommend Maxiguard Oral Cleansing Gel™ – a non-chlorhexidine gel containing Zinc Ascorbate, which helps:

• Reduce plaque build-up
• Reduce gingival inflammation
• Neutralise offensive mouth odours

Apply a small amount along the gumline after meals.

For more information as us at your next visit.

Aquadent® Fr3sh™ is a palatable water additive that helps keep your pet’s mouth healthy with minimal effort.

It works as your pet drinks to:

• Freshen breath
• Reduce plaque and tartar
• Support healthy gums

With natural ingredients like pomegranate and erythritol, it’s safe for daily use in both dogs and cats.