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3 oral health benefits of walking your dog
7th May 2022 | Posted by: Vanessa GiraudJust as dogs need regular exercise, so do we! There are even oral health benefits for people from walking the dog!
The benefits of walking your dog include:
#1 – Developing good habits and routines
Dogs enjoy routines. They know when you’re late feeding them and when they haven’t been taken out for the walk they were expecting. Many a dog’s day follows a predictable pattern and they know when something’s missed out. Building routines into our own day helps us to get everything done and achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
Oral care benefit: Regular routines matter if we want to have good oral health. We need to make tooth-brushing twice a day and flossing once a day a habit, and teach it to children too. Home routines are essential to good oral care.
#2 – Reducing stress
Have you ever seen a dog look unhappy when it’s out running free? Whatever the weather, dogs love to be out and about in the fresh air, noticing their environment and just being in the present having a good time. A cooped up dog is often a stressed dog. That’s when barking becomes a problem, or they develop bad habits.
Oral care benefit: Being outside, walking or running is what our bodies are built for. Even though the weather may not be inviting, or you’ve got other chores you should be getting on with, a brisk dog walk can refresh your mind and your energy levels. Regular exercise helps us to reduce stress, which helps to prevent tooth grinding or jaw clamping that can damage our teeth or cause TMJD.
#3 – Keeping fit
Dog owners are used to paying attention to their dog’s health – checking what they eat, making sure they get out on walks, and not letting them eat chocolate because it’s bad for them. Walking a dog is about getting a good balance between energy input and output, as well as providing a healthy, balanced diet.
Oral care benefit: Keeping our bodies moving, whether it’s walking the dog or running regularly, is good for our teeth too. So is thinking about how we fuel it. Moreover, it’s important to encourage children to be aware of the impact their food choices have. It’s an adults responsibility to help children learn that what they eat and how they exercise affects their long-term well-being.
Have you thought about dental insurance?
If you have a dog, then you’ve probably taken out an insurance plan with the vet, in case of an accident or health concern.
Have you thought about taking out a similar policy for your teeth? Most dentists offer reasonably priced dental insurance plans that help you to spread the cost of regular preventive treatments over the year. There are also plans that include a wider range of services too. It’s worth asking about. It may well be a better deal than the vet offers!
SpaDental Plans vary from practice to practice. So please contact your nearest SpaDental to find out more.