{"id":2016,"date":"2026-01-19T14:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T21:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/holladay\/?p=2016"},"modified":"2026-01-30T11:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T18:21:34","slug":"why-is-dog-dental-care-so-important-and-when-should-you-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/holladay\/why-is-dog-dental-care-so-important-and-when-should-you-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Dog Dental Care So Important \u2014 and When Should You Start?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"676\">Dental health is one of the most overlooked parts of a dog\u2019s overall wellness, yet it plays a huge role in their long-term health and comfort. Lucy Ordaz, owner of <strong data-renderer-mark=\"true\">K9 Smiles<\/strong>, specializes in non-anesthesia dog teeth cleaning and works closely with pet parents who want proactive, preventative care for their pups.<\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"990\">K9 Smiles serves dogs of all ages, but Lucy often recommends starting professional teeth cleanings around <strong data-renderer-mark=\"true\">two years old<\/strong> as a preventative measure. When tartar and plaque are left untreated, they can lead to gingivitis, gum recession, infection, and even more serious systemic health issues. Just like humans, dogs can experience worsening health problems when dental care is ignored \u2014 including pain, inflammation, and bacteria entering the bloodstream.<\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"1445\">For puppies and younger dogs, there\u2019s a lot pet parents can do at home to set them up for success. Using a <strong data-renderer-mark=\"true\">soft-bristle toothbrush<\/strong> and gently introducing tooth brushing early helps puppies become comfortable with the routine. Starting young reduces buildup over time and makes professional cleanings easier and less stressful later in life. Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement go a long way in building healthy habits.<\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"1879\">K9 Smiles provides <strong data-renderer-mark=\"true\">non-anesthesia teeth cleaning<\/strong>, making it a great option for dogs who may not be ideal candidates for anesthesia or pet parents looking for a less invasive approach. Lucy travels to clinics and locations throughout Utah, making her services accessible and convenient.<\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"2166\">To find out where K9 Smiles will be next, the best resource is Lucy\u2019s Instagram, where she regularly shares upcoming clinic locations and availability.<\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"2166\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2045\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/235\/2026\/01\/lucycard-127x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"127\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"2319\"><strong data-renderer-mark=\"true\">Contact Information:<\/strong><br \/>\n\ud83d\udcde Phone: 385-312-0054<br \/>\n\ud83d\udce7 Email: <a class=\"_ymio1r31 _ypr0glyw _zcxs1o36 _mizu194a _1ah3dkaa _ra3xnqa1 _128mdkaa _1cvmnqa1 _4davt94y _4bfu1r31 _1hms8stv _ajmmnqa1 _vchhusvi _kqswh2mm _syaz13af _ect41gqc _1a3b1r31 _4fpr8stv _5goinqa1 _f8pj13af _9oik1r31 _1bnxglyw _jf4cnqa1 _30l313af _1nrm1r31 _c2waglyw _1iohnqa1 _9h8h12zz _10531ra0 _1ien1ra0 _n0fx1ra0 _1vhv17z1\" title=\"mailto:k9smiles801@gmail.com\" href=\"mailto:k9smiles801@gmail.com\" data-renderer-mark=\"true\" data-is-router-link=\"false\" data-testid=\"link-with-safety\">k9smiles801@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-renderer-start-pos=\"2396\">If you\u2019re looking for a simple way to support your dog\u2019s long-term health, dental care is a powerful place to start. Preventative attention today can help avoid bigger issues tomorrow \u2014 and keep those puppy kisses fresh for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dental health is one of the most overlooked parts of a dog\u2019s overall wellness, yet it plays a huge role in their long-term health and comfort. Lucy Ordaz, owner of K9 Smiles, specializes in non-anesthesia dog teeth cleaning and works closely with pet parents who want proactive, preventative care for their pups. K9 Smiles serves &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/holladay\/why-is-dog-dental-care-so-important-and-when-should-you-start\/>Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1110,"featured_media":2028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/s3-prod.dogtopia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/235\/2026\/01\/lucy.png","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.6 (Yoast SEO v22.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Is Dog Dental Care So Important \u2014 and When Should You Start? - Holladay<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dogtopia.com\/holladay\/why-is-dog-dental-care-so-important-and-when-should-you-start\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Is Dog Dental Care So Important \u2014 and When Should You Start?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dental health is one of the most overlooked parts of a dog\u2019s overall wellness, yet it plays a huge role in their long-term health and comfort. 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