My dog's gums are red and teeth loose. Can I treat this at home?

Unfortunately, in many dogs it comes down to genetics and breeds. While brushing your dog's teeth on a daily / semi daily basis is great and something that I wish all my clients (and myself) would do, often in small breed dogs they are a ticking time bomb in terms of when a dental extraction will be required. I would not beat yourself up about this since you obviously have been doing all you can to avoid this. If you are seeing gumline recession and are feeling loose teeth, I would strongly recommend having his anesthetized for a full dental cleaning plus dental radiographs, to determine which teeth may require extraction. While the ones that are loose are obvious, there can sometimes be tooth root abscesses brewing beneath the surface that ultimately result in the tooth requiring extraction. Hopefully this will not be the case, but x-rays are the only way to know for sure. The radiographs will also help in the event an additional dental is ever needed later in life, in order to compare / contrast earlier findings. Hope this makes sense. Best of luck on whatever happens / whatever you decide regarding Oscar.

Tartar buildup on a dog’s teeth is very common. The best way to prevent it is by brushing their teeth daily, usually in the evenings after their last meal. In most cases, unless the pulp cavity (the inner, live part of the tooth) or the crown (the whitish part of the tooth you can see) is damaged there is no need to remove the tooth. With a good dental cleaning (that must be done under general anesthesia) the tartar can be removed and the tooth polished so that the tooth can remain with the dog. If you are going to have a dental performed on your dog ask the veterinarian about performing dental x-rays. This will help determine the viability of the tooth. Once the x-rays are performed the veterinarian can make a better decision on whether or not the tooth needs to be removed. If tartar on the tooth is the only issue, there is no discoloration, cracks or fractures, or anything abnormal about the tooth, your dog will likely be able to keep the tooth. Pricing of dental cleanings very from clinic to clinic. Once you have your initial consultation with your veterinarian they should be able to provide you with an estimate. In the States a typical dental cleaning, depending on the size of dog and the problems present, can be anywhere from $300-$1000. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Best of luck.

The canine tooth looks like it might have a little evidence of gingivitis but it can be difficult to tell from a picture. I also would not prescribe antibiotics for dental disease in most situations - if the tooth is infected removing it is the best treatment option. Even though the tooth probably will fall out there may be other diseased teeth since it can be difficult to evaluate the extent of disease without sedation - you may want to ask your vet about a dental cleaning or if your vet does not do this procedure see another vet.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Benji has a loose tooth, it may indicate infection. It sounds as though he may have dental disease already from last year's cleaning. I would recommend having his teeth cleaned again and have this tooth that is loose addressed. If the tooth is left in the mouth and is infected, it is likely that the infection could spread to the surrounding teeth and cause issues with those teeth as well. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Good on your for recognizing that loose tooth may affect dogs the same way as they do humans. You are absolutely correct it will affect them the same way, and I would have Mercee seen by a vet tomorrow. The tooth likely needs to be pulled, which the vet can do, and she will likely need a dental cleaning, scaling, and polishing. Like humans, dogs need dental care and cleanings, and they can and do get periodontal disease. Definitely have her seen by a vet for this issue. Great job for picking up on this!

Akilla appears to have severe dental disease from these photos. She needs to see a veterinarian for assessment and probable dental cleaning and and extractions under anesthesia. The loose teeth are usually painful and she is at risk for dental abscess or systemic infection from her mouth. Here's some more info. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dental-disease-in-dogs https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dogs-nutrition-and-periodontal-disease https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dog-care/promoting-wellness/common-dog-dental-problems https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dental-cleaning-in-dogs Best of luck. Thank you for using PetCoach.

Active chewing on a bone may well loosen and encourage it to fall out without resorting to anaesthesia and extraction. There are many oral tooth gels which help to improve hygiene and reduce the risks of infection for the remaining teeth but would be unlikely to help a loose, infected tooth