Do Whippets Have Bad Teeth? Top Signs + Prevention Tips

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When you start noticing a particularly bad smell coming from your whippet’s mouth you may start to wonder if they have bad teeth. After taking a look, you might see they have inflamed gums or that they have yellowish, brownish teeth.

Is it normal for a whippet’s mouth and teeth to look like this or is something wrong?

Do Whippets Have Bad Teeth:

Whippets are not known for being a breed that has bad teeth. However, studies have shown that almost 90% of all dogs will develop some form of periodontal (gum) disease by the age of 2. Which means without a good oral hygiene routine whippets are likely to get bad teeth.

In this post you’ll discover:

5 signs that your whippet has bad teeth
What causes whippets to get bad teeth
Health issues that come from poor oral care
3 tips to help prevent your whippet from getting bad teeth (Less than 2% of all dog owners do tip #2 but it’s the most effective!)

Let’s jump right in.

Table of Contents

Top 5 Signs That Your Whippet Has Bad Teeth

Studies have found that almost 90% of dogs will develop some form of periodontal (gum) disease by the age of 2.

Which means if you’re not actively caring for your whippet’s dental hygiene there’s a high probability that they’ll have bad teeth.

Here are some of the more obvious signs that your whippet’s mouth and teeth are becoming worse.

1) Blood On Toys

If you frequently notice blood on your whippet’s toys this could be a sign that their mouth is becoming unhealthy.

When you see blood in their saliva or when you lift their lip to take a look at their teeth and notice they have bloody gums or teeth, this is an indicator something’s wrong.

It could of course simply be a cut in their mouth if you’re just noticing it now.

But when you frequently notice blood in their water bowl on their toys, or wherever they put their mouth, it’s likely a sign your whippet has bad teeth.

2) Terrible Breath

One of the most noticeable signs of your pup’s teeth taking a turn for the worse is terrible breath.

If you don’t brush your whippets teeth they’ve likely always had rather off-putting breath.

But when it starts to become really smelly it’s typically a sign their oral health is getting worse.

Just like how you can easily notice when someone forgets to brush their teeth in the morning, imagine how bad it would be if they didn’t for weeks or months.

Not to mention the build up of bacteria as well as the possibility of infection.

3) Loose Adult Teeth

Healthy adult teeth will be firmly in place.

If when taking a look at your whippet’s mouth you notice that one or a few of their teeth wiggle and wobble when you touch them, this is a sign their mouth is unhealthy.

While it’s perfectly normal for puppy teeth to wiggle and fall out, if an adult whippet’s mouth is healthy their teeth shouldn’t move when touched.

Also, if you notice that one of their teeth is broken or split this is a sign of unhealthy teeth.

There’s always a possibility that they accidentally bit down hard on something rock solid which split their tooth.

But if you notice other signs of their teeth being in bad condition their tooth likely split because they’re becoming weaker.

4) Discoloration Of Tooth Or Gums

When a whippet’s mouth is in poor condition you’ll notice some abnormal colors on their teeth and/or gums.

If their teeth are different shades of yellow or even brown, this is a clear sign that their teeth are in poor condition.

You may also notice their gums and possibly their tongue aren’t a pinkish salmon color.

Pink is healthy, red and inflamed shows there’s something irritating their mouth.

Important note: Some dogs are born with black spots on their tongue and gums. If your whippet has always had black spots on their tongue or gums this isn’t a sign of poor oral health. It’s simply a pigment difference.

5) Uninterested In Eating

If your whippet starts becoming uninterested in eating this can be a big sign that their mouth is in rough shape.

Typically a dog will have to be in quite a lot of discomfort to make them not want to eat.

Some may choose to eat on one side of their mouth if the other side is really causing them pain.

If you notice any other signs that their teeth might be in bad shape and also see they aren’t eating as much you should take them to the vet.

Another potential sign their teeth are really hurting is if they don’t want you to pet their head.

When teeth get infected the nerves around their mouth and head become much more sensitive.

Which means they may flinch or move away when you pet them on the head.

What Causes Whippets To Get Bad Teeth?

Whippets don’t have physical disadvantages that cause them to get bad teeth.

It’s almost always because their owner isn’t aware how important oral hygiene is for their pup.

Small dogs are more prone to dental issues because they have the same number of teeth fitting into a smaller mouth.

Which causes them to have more bacteria build up quicker.

But in whippets’ case, the major reason why they get bad teeth, and same for the 90% of dogs who get some form of periodontal disease by the age of 2, is because they don’t get their teeth brushed.

While you might feel silly at first brushing your pet’s teeth…

It’s incredibly important for their oral health.

In fact, almost all cases of periodontal disease could have been avoided if the dog got their teeth brushed daily or at least a few times a week.

Just imagine if you didn’t brush your teeth for weeks at a time or months.

Not only would your breath stink but you’d likely have some problems starting to show up in your mouth.

Your whippet uses their mouth the same way you do each day, to eat and drink.

And without a good cleaning the bacteria in their mouth will build up and eventually become a problem.

Unfortunately, when your whippet’s teeth are in bad shape it usually leads to other health complications.

Below are a few health conditions that can come from an unhealthy mouth.

Immune System Complications

Inflammation is your whippets’ body’s response to a buildup of plaque and tartar.

And while this natural response is meant to defend their body against the bacteria or potential infection, it also damages their gums in the process.

The inflammation makes their gum tissue weaker which allows bacteria to get into their bloodstream.

This then compromises their immune system as it has to fight off the bacteria entering their bloodstream.

Diabetes

When it comes to diabetes it’s difficult for veterinarians to determine whether it was bad teeth that caused a dog to get diabetes, or if it’s diabetes that caused their teeth to go bad.

What they do know is if your whippet has diabetes it’s very difficult to manage until their oral health improves.

Certain periodontal diseases affect their blood sugar levels which makes managing diabetes much more challenging.

Disease

Kidney disease, heart disease, as well as liver disease can all come from poor oral health.

PetMD says that if an infection/disease in your dog’s mouth reaches later stages they are as much as 6 times more at risk to have endocarditis (a certain heart disease).

Weakened Jaw Bone

If your whippet has a serious infection or disease in their mouth it can severely weaken their jaw bone.

Which means it’s more likely to become fractured or even broken.

The structure of the bone becomes weak which means basic, everyday movements have an increased chance of causing a fracture.

Things like jumping off the bed or couch, playing tug of war or simply running up and down the stairs.

How To Prevent Your Whippet From Getting Bad Teeth

Hands-Off Teeth Cleaning

Your whippet already plays with toys, eats treats and drinks water on a daily basis so if you can make these activities also clean their teeth it would make your job much easier.

Thankfully, someone has already thought of this and designed toys and treats to help keep your pups mouth clean.

Dental chews like Dentastix or Greenies make giving your pup a treat a win-win situation.

They get a cleaner mouth while also enjoying a tasty treat.

It also leaves their mouth with a fresher scent than doggy breath.

Also, some toys are designed to massage your whippets’ teeth and gums to ensure there’s less of a build up of bacteria.

One of the better dental chew toys is from M.C.Works that you can check out by clicking here.

The last hands-off teeth cleaning method is a water additive.

You simply add it to their water bowl daily and as they drink it helps remove bacteria while helping freshen their breath.

One of the better water additives is this Fresh Dental Water Additive.

Brush Them Often

Without a doubt the best way to prevent your whippet from getting bad teeth is by rolling up your sleeves and brushing them.

By brushing your pup’s teeth every day, or at least a few times a week, you’re making it significantly less likely they ever have problems with their oral health.

It can be a pain in the butt at first while your whippet gets used to your hands being in their mouth.

But overtime it’ll simply become a habit for both you and your pup that you don’t have to think about, it’ll just happen.