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The Tooth Fairy

© Kathi Mitchell

Let's talk about teeth. The fur kids are divided on this issue. Part one they dislike intensely, but they love part two.

Part one is the physical examination of teeth and gums which should be done at least once a month to insure that no problems are developing. Look at all of their teeth, upper, lower, inside, outside, front and back. Look for plaque buildup, broken or chipped teeth or any swelling, inflamation or redness of the gums. Check for any loose teeth while you are at it. The kids do not particularly enjoy this but most will submit to it without too much grumbling. If you detect any potential problems, a trip to the vet is in order.

My kids get their teeth brushed twice a week, much to their disgust. I use a tooth brush specially designed for this purpose and beef flavored toothpaste (not that they appreciate my attempts at flavor) but you can use a plastic finger brush if you are more comfortable with that. Either way, you have to be sure that every tooth surface is throughly cleaned. Most of the kids do not appreciate this procedure at all, although they eventually resign themselves to the fact that their human is going to inflict this misery on them twice a week no matter what and figure out that they might as well cooperate and just get it over with. I used to rinse their mouths out when I was finished but discovered long ago that they prefer to take care of that part themselves. We finish up with a mouth spray obtained from our vet to keep their breath fresh and to kill bacteria.

Now the part they do like. Keep them supplied with effective chewies. The Denta-bones work great and the kids love them. They also like the dental wafers, either with or without mint. Other edible bones are also well received and effective, although they can cause a mess with them for their person to clean up. Chipped, compressed rawhide is another option, but some of the fur kids do not tolerate the rawhide well, so check with your vet on this subject before you offer them. Many edible bones come in a variety of flavors and are made from cornstarch or other easily digestible materials.

My kids have chewies available at all times, this can be a chore at times because with so many, inevitable someone has either hidden or eaten half of them and there is no longer enough to go around when they all decide at the same time they want one. I buy them by the case so I am never without replacements.