Taking Care of Your Shih Tzu's Teeth and Gums

Clean teeth and gums are very important to the overall health of your Shih Tzu. Here is some information on the most common dental problems in dogs and ways of treating them. Common dental problems - Periodontitis It is very common among Shih Tzu and all dogs to have gum disease. At the age of two or three, many dogs have either periodontitis or gingivitis. The most common dental problem for canines is periodontitis, also known as periodontal disease. The disease is caused by various factors: plaque, food debris, cell mucus, and a mixture of bacteria. This results in a film characterized by milky-white on the dog's teeth as well as the gums. When this film gets combined with saliva, the plaque it causes becomes tartar, and very hard to remove. - Gingivitis Gingivitis View the rest of this article