Seriously, Guys, you brush your dogs' teeth every night?
Yes. We didn't before but then Beau developed CUPS..
Chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis "CUPS" is a is a painful condition in dogs. It is an exaggerated response by the immune system to the tartar on teeth.
The ulcers will happen on the roof of his mouth, the insides of his cheeks, under his tongue. For controlling this, we have to keep his mouth immaculate. The girls get their teeth brushed every night too because, well, why not? lol A dental cleaning here for an older dog can easily go up to $1,200. After all we spent on Beau, I'm glad to not have a dental cleaning bill for the next few years.
As with people, bacteria entering the blood stream through the gums will cause all kinds of health issues and make present health issues worse. I am very pleased that I have a 13 yr old girl with a healthy mouth. I hope she stays with me a long time yet, and this is within my control to have her healthy longer. Once we forced ourselves to get into the habit, it got easier.