Symptoms :
Bad breath, bloody saliva, and problems chewing, brown and partially rock-hard coating on teeth.

Causes :
If the teeth don't get enough scrubbing because the food is too soft, tartar will form on the teeth. Tartar consists of hardened salts from the saliva and bits of food and bacteria present in the mouth.

Effects :
Tartar causes inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), which leads to shrinking of the tissue is destroyed (periodontosis), the gums (periodontitis). In time the tissue is destroyed (periodontosis), the teeth become loose and fall out or have to be pulled if they become infected.

The vet can remove the tartar and extract the loose or infected teeth. Dogs are usually anesthetized briefly for both cleaning and dental extraction. If a tooth was infected, antibiotic tablets have to be given for a week as well. Root canals, fillings, etc. also can be performed in canine dentistry.

Follow up care :
To assist healing and as preventive measures, the teeth and the gums should be dabbed with a 1.5% hydrogen peroxide solution or a product containing chlorhexidin diacetate (available from the vet or the drug store). Apply it with a Q-tip.

Prevention :
Let your dog chew regularly on a rawhide bone, a meat bone (veal or beefball joint), or dried tripe for the mechanical friction and cleaning this provides for the teeth. You can also clean the dog's teeth. Pet stores and veterinarians sell tooth cleaning sets. Dogs that tend to develop tartar should be checked by the vet every 3-4 months.