Though bad breath may not seem like a big deal, it can be the first symptom of gum disease. In fact, without proper dental care, your pets can suffer from gingivitis, halitosis, and more. Fortunately, many serious health problems can be avoided through simple measures, such as an oral health-conscious diet, chew toys, and brushing. If you are regularly examining your pet's mouth, you can also catch some symptoms of serious conditions, such as kidney disease or cancer. Read on to learn more about oral conditions as well as some ways to keep your dog or cat's mouth healthy.

Basic Symptoms. So first, you can assess your pet's oral health with a simple breath test. Naturally, your pet's breath is not going to smell great. But if it is repellent, this could point to dental or digestive issues. Keep an eye out for further warning signs. If you notice your pet pawing the mouth area a lot, that is another sign that you or a vet may need to investigate. You can carefully push back their lips and examine the gums. A healthy mouth will have gums that are pink and firm. If you see brown tartar, white or red gums, or gums that are swollen, then this could indicate a problem. More serious symptoms would be a dark red line across the gums, ulcers, loose teeth, and pus. If your pet seems to have trouble chewing, or is drooling a lot, then these too are bad signs.

Mouth diseases and conditions. Even though it may not seem so serious, the simple wear and tear on teeth can lead to tooth decay if your pet's teeth are not being cleaned on a regular basis. If plaque and bacteria are allowed to form and then become crusted on as tartar, then your pet could have gingivitis, a receding gum line, and tooth loss. The symptoms of this condition could be bleeding gums, inflamed gums, and bad breath. Fortunately, you can treat gingivitis with consistent teeth brushing; you will just have to be extra gentle at first.

If swollen gums are particularly serious, this could prevent your pet from eating. In cats, this swelling could be due to kidney disease or feline immunodeficiency virus. If a cat has either kidney disease or a respiratory disease, this might be signaled by a mouth ulcer. A salivary cyst can develop, beneath the tongue or close to the corners of the jaw, when salivary glands or ducts are clogged up. These cysts appear as a blister, swollen with liquid. To treat this, the damaged saliva gland has to be removed, and the cyst needs to be drained (a job for a professional).

Periodontal disease is an infection in the tooth socket that can reach the whole body; the warning signs include loosened teeth, horrible mouth odor, toothache, sneezing, and nasal discharge. If your pet has a mouth tumor, then you can see lumps along the gums, which will require surgery to be removed. If your dog had canine distemper while a puppy, then their adult teeth can come in already decayed. There is no undoing this damage, so a vet should remove these teeth.

Dental Care. One of the simplest things you can do for your pet is to brush their teeth. If you have a cat, you can use a cotton swab or mini toothbrush with feline toothpaste. Salt and water will work just fine though. Never use human toothpaste on your cat. For a dog, you can use a canine toothbrush or some gauze, and special toothpaste or simply a mixture of baking soda and water. If your dog is younger than six months, never give them fluoride. And again, no human toothpaste for your pet. It is a considerable health risk to do so. If you want to use mouthwash on your pooch, there are some specific mouthwashes available.

Here is how you can set up a tooth-brushing routine: First, you might want to see a vet beforehand to see whether or not your pet has gingivitis. If they do, then you have to brush carefully at first, as the gums will be highly sensitive. But you have to get your pet used to having their teeth brushed first. You can use your finger to massage their lips for up to a minute once or twice daily. After you have done this for a few weeks, you can massage their teeth and gums. When your pet seems ready, you can put specialized toothpaste on their lips so they can become familiar with the new flavor. You can then accustom them to the toothbrush, before you are ready to add toothpaste to the mix. You can put your toothbrush (or swabbed or gauzy finger) at a 45-degree angle to the teeth as you make small circles. (If a dog fights against your brushing the inner sides of their teeth, just ignore that part, as not much tartar can end up there.) Brush teeth two to three times a week.

Chew toys can also be very beneficial for your pets. They can massage gums and scrub teeth clean. Ideally, these toys will be made of toxin-free rawhide, nylon, or rubber. Your vet can help you choose these, as well as help you come up with a diet that will promote dental health. If you have any questions about your pet's health, be sure to contact a local vet as soon as possible.