Veterinarian Uğur Selin Çelikten, an expert in dental health, emphasized the importance of dental x-rays. Noting that detailed health screenings prevent many serious illnesses, Çelikten shared important information about dental health in dogs.
Bad breath, one of the problems that dog owners often encounter, is not only an uncomfortable situation, but can also be a sign of serious underlying health problems. Veterinarian Uğur Selin Çelikten, an expert in dental health, shared the causes of bad breath in dogs, treatment methods, and precautions that can be taken to prevent this condition.
“You need to take care of your dog’s teeth as well as you would your own teeth. Bones produced for teeth or medicines dropped into water will never replace brushing your teeth! You need to brush your dog’s teeth twice a day with a toothbrush,” warned Uğur Selin Çelikten, explaining the causes of bad breath as follows:
What Causes Bad Breath?
“Although your dog’s bad breath may seem like a simple hygiene issue, it can sometimes indicate serious health problems. The most common situations where bad breath occurs are as follows:
Dental stones: The most common cause of bad breath is tartar. When tartar forms, thinking that it will be done when tartar accumulates a little more and postponing it will damage the tooth root and melt the jaw bone. Therefore, even if there is a very thin layer of tartar, professional cleaning should be done immediately and a detailed dental examination should be performed.
Dental X-Rays Are Very Important
If you have not had your little friend's dental plaque cleaned and x-rayed and had a detailed dental examination, then you have only had a cosmetic cleaning. Because even if it looks perfect from the outside, if there is a cyst or other bone disease at the root of a tooth, we can only see these on dental x-rays.
If your little friend's dental x-rays are not taken by the veterinarian, there is a 30 percent chance that your cute pet will be sent home sick. In this case, your friend's dental disease will continue to progress.
Periodontal disease: Gum disease and plaque buildup are the primary causes of bad breath in dogs.
Alveolar bone and jaw bone diseases: Other dental diseases such as cysts on the roots of the teeth that are not visible from the outside
Malnutrition: Feeding only soft foods and consuming foods that are not balanced and beneficial for health can lead to bad breath.
Metabolic diseases: In cases of diabetes, kidney or liver diseases, the increased urea in the blood causes such substances to be detected in the breath. If you smell acetone on your little friend's breath, definitely consult your veterinarian.
digestive problems: Problems such as high stomach acid, stomach ulcers, and an unbalanced gut microbiota can also contribute to bad breath.”
Ways to Freshen Your Dog's Breath
“There are many ways to freshen your dog’s breath,” said Veterinarian Uğur Selin Çelikten, who made the following recommendations to improve bad breath in dogs:
Regular Dental Cleaning: Just as we brush our own teeth every day, we should brush our little friend's teeth every day and provide mechanical cleaning. Do not be fooled by products that claim to remove dental plaque added to water.
Do Not Neglect Veterinary Checkups: It is critical that you consult your veterinarian to understand the underlying cause of the bad breath. This will help your veterinarian identify not only dental disease but also the underlying cause of bad breath and attempt treatment.
Healthy Eating Habits: Avoid unhealthy nutrition by paying attention to your dog's diet. This is important not only for oral health but also for the health of other organs.
Precautions are more effective than treatment
Çelikten warned, “Although it is possible to treat bad breath, prevention is always easier and more effective.”
Healthy Breath Means Healthy Dog
Veterinarian Uğur Selin Çelikten said, “Bad breath is not just a smell problem; all diseases start in the mouth. When your little friend swallows saliva from an inflamed and bacteria-filled mouth, these microbes will mix with his blood. In such a case, the heart that pumps diseased blood and the kidneys that filter that blood will be damaged. You can easily overcome this problem with regular care and veterinary support,” and invited dog owners to be aware.
Emphasizing that dental health in cats and dogs is a separate area of expertise, Uğur Selin Çelikten drew attention to the fact that the number of veterinarians who specialize in dental health is limited in Turkey and around the world. Çelikten continued his words as follows:
“Our clinic has X-rays that allow us to visualize the roots of teeth, instruments that allow us to perform detailed examinations, dental devices specifically designed to intervene only in teeth, and many other dental equipment. We specialize in veterinary dentistry and general surgery. We are one of the first clinics that come to mind when it comes to dental health in Istanbul. Last year, we treated many cases in the field of dentistry, such as gingivoplasty, advanced surgical tooth extractions, and removal of broken and trapped tooth root residues. In 2024, hundreds of patients applied to our clinic due to health problems such as jaw bone loss and tooth root residues in the alveolar bone.
I completed my advanced surgical techniques training in Vienna and Italy in 2022-2023. Since dental cases are my area of expertise, this year I am receiving training in advanced extraction techniques and flap methods in the veterinary dental field from Denmark. Every week, we meet with our colleagues in Europe, share our cases and have scientific talks on these cases together.
"Especially our business partner Hachiko Association sends us many cases in this field. We would like to thank all our patient families for trusting our expertise."
