Paragon Vets in Carlisle is encouraging pet owners to pay closer attention to their pets’ dental health after a survey revealed mixed habits and confidence levels around oral care.

The survey, which gathered 120 responses, explored how often owners arrange dental checks, whether they brush their pet’s teeth, what products they use, and how confident they feel about maintaining their pet’s oral health.

Veterinary nurse Eve Dennison, who leads much of the practice’s dental care work, was encouraged that the survey found that nearly two-thirds of respondents arrange a dental check for their pet every year.

“We do advise getting a dental check done at least once, if not twice a year,” she said. “If they come in for their vaccination appointment, then we do tend to look at their teeth there and we’ll let the client know if there are any problems.”

However, a significant number of owners said they only seek a dental check when there is a problem.

Paragon Vets is currently offering 10 per cent off all dental treatments until Friday 20 March 2026. The practice also runs nurse-led dental clinics, which can be a more affordable option than seeing a vet.

One of the clearest findings from the survey was that many owners are not brushing their pet’s teeth regularly, with around half admitting they do not brush at all.

“Ideally, it should be done every day,” Eve said. “That’s the gold standard for it to make a difference. We encourage doing from a young age as well to help them get used to having their teeth brushed.”

The practice provides guidance through consultations, dental clinics and informative leaflets, including advice on using pet-friendly toothpaste.

“It’s making sure that they use a pet-friendly toothpaste, not human toothpaste – that is toxic,” said Eve, who advises owners to look for products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).

“If it’s got a VOHC approval on it, we know that’s a good product because there are so many different dental products out there on the market.

“Brushing is the best thing that they can be doing, but if they can’t do that, then the next best thing is the dental-formulated diet.”

Dental additives can also help, while chews should also carry VOHC approval.

“Some of them are classed as dental chews, but they don’t always make much of a difference. And they can be quite high in calories as well, so that’s something to keep an eye out on,” said Eve.

The survey also showed mixed confidence levels among owners, with around a quarter reporting that they feel ‘not very confident’ about managing their pet’s dental health.

Eve said that dental disease often goes unnoticed, as pets can be adept at hiding discomfort, but untreated problems can have serious consequences.

“It can cause gingivitis, which is inflamed gums. Sometimes the infection in the mouth can get so bad that it can go into the bloodstream, which can increase the risk on the organs as well.”

Other potential signs include weight loss, tooth fractures and abscesses. In severe cases, teeth may need to be extracted.

Reflecting on the overall results, Eve said: “There’s quite a lot of people who aren’t brushing their dog’s teeth. There’s a good amount of people getting their pet’s mouth checked, which is really good, but we would rather see them before there’s a problem.

“Dental disease is a painful and common condition, and that’s why it’s so important that you get your pet’s mouth checked regularly and brushing their teeth will help prevent these problems from happening.”

Owners wishing to book a dental check or nurse clinic, or to ask for advice about tooth brushing, diets or dental products, can contact Paragon on 01228 710208 / vets@paragonvets.com