7+ Dog Breeds Prone To Dog Dental Disease

Do you love reading articles about your favorite dog breeds online? They can be chock-full of fun facts about their personalities, behaviors, physical traits, and yes—their health. This includes susceptibility to dog dental disease.

While you might be perusing the internet to learn more about a dog breed before taking them home as a pet or, you want to learn about your dog’s breed and how you can care for them, having an understanding of their health needs and possible issues is important as a responsible pet owner.

Every dog breed needs its owner to help care for its teeth, but some dog breeds are more prone to dog dental disease than others. In fact, smaller dog breeds in particular are at a higher risk of canine periodontal disease.

Here, we’ll share the dog breeds that tend to need more TLC when it comes to their dental health.

THESE BREEDS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DENTAL DISEASE

Keep these types of dogs in mind when it comes to minding your dog’s teeth or when buying or adopting a dog.

1. Small dog breeds

It’s said that the smaller the dog, the higher their risk of periodontal disease. Those little dogs might be more likely to have stinky breath, too, due to the dental disease. Chihuahuas in particular have small mouths and 42 teeth that are fighting for space in there.

2. Greyhounds, Whippets, and other sighthounds

These gentle sprinters are more likely than some other dogs to have problems with their teeth due to the shape of their mouths. When a dog’s mouth is narrow, their teeth are more likely to get cramped and overcrowded, causing a higher susceptibility to dental disease.

3. Short-muzzled dog breeds

These dogs tend to be at a higher risk of overcrowding of the teeth—which can make it easier for plaque to build up. Some of the short snout dog breeds at risk for dental disease in this category include Bulldogs, Dogue de Bordeaux, Bullmastiff, Chow Chow, Neapolitan Mastiff, Boxer, Boston Terrier, Shar-Pei, Shih Tzu, English Toy Spaniel, Brussels Griffon, and the Affenpinscher, to name a few.

4. Toy breeds

These particular breed of small dogs—especially Yorkies, Maltese and Poodles—are known for having problems with periodontal disease. They have teeny-tiny mouths and comparatively large teeth in there! Crowded conditions create more places for bacteria, plaque and tartar to lurk. If their baby teeth never fell out and their adult teeth grew in anyway, this can worsen the situation.

5. Dachshunds and Collies

These dog breeds are susceptible to dental health problems called periodontal pockets due to their narrow, elongated snouts. When bacteria get trapped between the gum and tooth and cause the gum tissue to break away from the tooth, that’s called periodontal pockets. It can lead to the tooth decaying.

If you’re wondering how to prevent dental disease in these dog breeds—or any other—try these steps:

• Brush your dog’s teeth daily or a few times a week.
• Give your dog a dental chew that helps fight tartar and plaque buildup. Wellness WHIMZEES dental chews does the trick and they’ll love the taste.
• Feed your dog high-quality dog food.
• Offer up a safe chew toy for your dog breed and age that can help clean their teeth and massage gums.
• Schedule annual visits at the doggy dentist for a cleaning and checkup.