Dentists and veterinarians recommend the same thing: regular dental cleanings and checkups are a must. I and my dogs have learned this through some rather painful experiences. (that’s Diva to the right, playing hide and seek as a puppy).
Except for a lapse of judgment in college when I thought I was invincible and didn’t see a dentist for a few years (I had to have several fillings, thanks to my laziness) I take care of my teeth: I brush, floss and visit my dentist regularly.
And except for a lapse of judgment in college when I didn’t realize the importance of taking care of my puppies’ teeth, I also take my dogs’ dental health seriously. Veterinarians say dental health is extremely important for pets for the same reasons as it is for humans. Lack of care can lead to bad breath at the least, and infections leading to early death at the worst.
One of my dogs, Aja, is a rough ‘n tumble type of girl. She’s always been highly active, and loves running, jumping, and chasing and biting things (thankfully, not humans). For a while though, she was quite the grouch, and when I took her to her first dental cleaning several years ago, our veterinarian (highly rated on the List, of course) asked me, with a straight face, “Does she chew on rocks?” I thought he was joking, but he wasn’t: Aja doesn’t chew on rocks, but somehow one of her molars was completely split down the middle, lengthwise.
This probably caused her a lot of pain for quite some time, hence her grouchiness. I felt like a horrible puppy papa after that, so now I’m vigilant when it comes to all of our dental care. I brush their teeth regularly with special doggy dentifrice, take them to professional cleanings every six months and feed them dog food without added sugar (you’d be surprised how much sugar most dog foods contain.)
In spite of my dogs’ nicknames (Aja, at left in the picture, is “Snaggletooth” and Diva is “Stinkbreath”), they’re still happy to flash big, toothy grins whenever I take their pictures. But when I tell them “Say cheese!”, I’m sure they aren’t thinking of smiling: instead, they’re hoping for a big chunk of cheddar with their names on it.
I forgot to mention: one reason I wrote this post was also because I’ve been experiencing some mild pain at random times in my left jaw. Thought it was a sinus infection, but antibiotics didn’t do the trick. I guess I’m just delaying the inevitable: another visit to my dentist.
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Wisdom teeth?
Nope, had those removed in high school. The surgery (hackjob?) made me look like a Cabbage-Patch Kid for awhile.
I should’ve named this post “Words of Wisdom Teeth.” Ba-dump-bump!