How Dental Health Affects a Dog's Immune System
If you’ve been around our blog for a while, you probably know that failing to take care of your dog dental health leads to stinky breath, bleeding gums, and even tooth loss. But did you know that a lack of or poor mouth hygiene can actually weaken dog immune system? This, in turn, has even more severe consequences we’ll dive into below.
Teeth and Immunity: What’s the Link?
Just like ours, canines’ mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. While some do good to the woofer’s organism, others are harmful. If your furry baby is healthy, the immune system keeps all these bacteria in check. However, if plaque and tartar come into the scene, harmful bacteria start multiplying at the speed of light, causing gum inflammation. If it’s not treated, it can turn into periodontal disease. It's the infection that opens the door for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
Once bacteria kick in, the immune system gets ready to fight back. All the defense mechanisms of your pet’s body try to get rid of a constant infection that gradually weakens theimmune function. This kind of nonstop stress for the immune system uses up your mutt’s energy, making them vulnerable and more likely to get sick and heal slowly even from minor infections and wounds, as a result.
Organs at Risk
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According to the research “Periodontal Disease Burden and Pathological Changes in Organs of Dogs,” oral bacteria from periodontal disease (the most common chronic infection in pooches, by the way) can directly affect several major organs:
- Heart. If you feed dog but fail to brush their teeth or use dog food for dental health, bacteria naturally grow and travel from infected teeth and gums to heart valves. This, in turn, can potentially cause endocarditis, a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining (something a healthy dog diet or toothbrush can do nothing about).
- Brain. When it comes to senior furry buddies, chronic inflammation has been linked to cognitive decline (disorientation, confusion, forgetting familiar commands, etc.).
- Kidneys and liver. Both serve as filters. If they’re bombarded with bacterial toxins, they can suffer from inflammation and work less effectively over time.
Bad Teeth Make Diabetes Harder for Pups
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Diabetic hounds are more prone to periodontal disease. Moreover, the two issues actually make each other worse. Diabetes feeds periodontal disease that, in turn, worsens diabetes. You never know what came first.
However, both infection and inflammation that the illness comes with affect blood sugar metabolism. This is especially important because high blood sugar triggers a protective immune response. The animal’s body becomes less sensitive to insulin, making it harder to stabilize diabetes.
At HealthyWoof, we recommend choosing the best dog food for dental health in tandem with dog immune system supplements. Together, they help keep teeth and gums healthy, supporting the body’s internal defenses. This, in turn, makes managing both dental disease and diabetes easier for your furry friend.
How to Keep a Dog’s Body Defenses Up
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The good news is that even a couple of simple habits can help you protect both your pup’s mouth and their immune system. Here’s what pets’ moms and dads can do:
- Brush, brush, brush! First, do it daily. Second, use vet-approved instruments only.
- Do pro cleanings. During vet check-ups, ask your veterinarian to clean your mutt’s teeth and give you an overview of their overall oral health.
- Consider adding dental supplements. If your pup doesn’t seem to be a huge fan of toothbrushes, browse our catalog for a dental powder that gives an extra boost to teeth health and the immune system in general.
- Create a nutritionally balanced menu. Whether your good boy requires extra protein, a low-fat diet, or grain-free options, provide ‘em with what boosts their body’s protection systems.
- Add dog vitamins for immune system to the pup’s food ration. Based on the “Vitamins, Minerals and Phytonutrients as Modulators of Canine Immune Function” research, vitamins and minerals tend to enhance immune function in canines. Plus, they contribute to the reduction of inflammation.
In addition to using vet-recommended dental supplements, we recommend getting into the habit of checking your pup’s teeth every single day. Thus, you’ll detect the oral issues that tend to develop slowly but steadily inside your pet’s mouth.
