Page 4 - Kind News, Jan/Feb 2022
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Healthy







             TEETH TIME
             TEETH TIME












        Why don’t animals have to                          the bloodstream and make their way to other
        brush their teeth twice a                          organs in the body and cause more problems.
                                                             Different kinds of bacteria prefer different
        day like people?                                   kinds of animals based on: 1) What types of food

        People need to brush their teeth often because     the animals eat, and 2) What the environment is
        we have a type of bacteria in our mouths that      like in the animals' mouths. Dogs and cats rarely
        loves sugar. This bacteria changes sugar into an   get cavities because they eat less sugar and
        acid which eats away at our teeth if we don’t      because they have less sugar-loving bacteria in
        brush it off. When bacteria builds up on a tooth, it   their mouths. However, starches in pet food, like
        creates layers of a yellowish substance called     potatoes and rice, break down into sugars, so
        plaque or tartar. If enough of a tooth gets eaten   cats and dogs do need their teeth brushed
        away, this can lead to a cavity. Brushing and      regularly, just not as often as us.
        flossing to remove bacteria in between our teeth     When brushing pets’ teeth, you need to use
        and near our gums also prevents gum disease.       special toothpaste or dental wipes. You may find it
        Gum disease is a serious health concern that can   is much easier to use a special toothbrush that
        be bad for people and pets. Bacteria can get into   slides onto your fingertip. You can also give cats

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