Cleaning Up After Pets ? Being a Good Pet Owner and Respecting Other Humans

A few years back, I remember hearing the story of a mayor in Paris who actually had his policemen start writing tickets for people that were not cleaning up after their pets. Right there in the sidewalks of Paris, things were getting out of hand. The problem had become so horrible that people just could not walk down the sidewalk without trying to dodge ‘land mines’.

I have had a similar experience in my own neighborhood. I like to walk, particularly in the morning. I faced the same ‘land mine’ situation on a certain stretch of sidewalk. This raised my anger. If a someone is really not going to clean up after her pet, why can’t she at least have the pet go somewhere other than the middle of the sidewalk?

Aside from the fact that the owner was not being respectful to her fellow humans, it is disgusting to walk down the sidewalk and suddenly realize that you have to watch where you step. The disgusting part is that this is organic waste that I have to avoid from another living creature. These animals could very well have parasites or other nasty things in their stool. This makes stepping in it a health hazard!

Sure, you can scrape the bottom of your shoe off before going back inside, but in all honesty how likely are you to get it all off – right down to the smallest particles that you might not even see? Some parasite eggs could end up on your carpet. Do you have a child that likes to put things in his mouth after crawling around the floor? How many little particles, no matter how small end up in your bed?

All right, I think the point has been made. On another note about animals, both cats and dogs have another problem that is very common to their human friends. That problem is gum disease. So many animals have it and so many humans do too! Do not forget to get your pet checked for gingivitis. Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in humans and probably is in pets too!

Save Your Remaining Teeth or Protect Them

Tooth loss, among other things, can be quite a devastating or a demoralizing experience. The most common factor or cause of tooth loss would be periodontal disease commonly referred to as ‘gum disease’. This is associated with advanced stages of gum deterioration. When the gums are afflicted with bacteria that secrete toxins onto and around the periodontal tissue. This is literally, the tissue that surrounds the tooth.

Obviously, we have all been cautioned to remain vigilant with our oral health care routines. But with our current realities especially as it relates to food and disease, it may take more than regular flossing and brushing to prevent and cure periodontal disease.

In line with this, there are some measures that one can take in order to prevent or stop the progression of gum disease.  Consider an oxygenated, pH mouthwash such as the Therabreath brand.  Make sure that you also have enough intake of Vitamin C, bioflavonoids, folic acid, calcium and niacin to combat pyorrhoea.

Another possibility is an essential oil blend that can help to kill harmful bacteria.  Oramd is one brand.  However, be forwarned, this can help, but you should also know that the daily disruption of plaque is necessary to help mitigate these problems.  An oral irrigator, like the hydrofloss may be helpful in this regard.

Periodontal disease is a condition wherein the bone structure that supports the teeth starts to erode as a result of the destructive waste products of anaerobic bacteria that accumulate under plaque.  Excessive alcohol and smoking can exacerbates already existing periodontal disease or facilitate the development of the disease. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin might help relieve mouth dryness. Mouth dryness can help the rapid proliferation and growth of bacteria.

*Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to advise upon, diagnose or treat any health problem whatsoever. Experts may also disagree with the information in this article. If you have or think you might have a health problem, including but not limited to periodontal disease,  visit your doctor or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.

Do You Also Have Gum Disease?

I heard from a woman from France yesterday. She told me about her experience with dental implants. One did not make it. Implants don’t always ‘take’. What was truly interesting about this conversation is that she never realized that her lost teeth were most likely due to gum disease. This plague on humanity is the number one cause of tooth loss.

She complained in the same way I did and many others do when they find out they have gum disease, "Why didn’t my dentist tell me?" There is not really a great way to answer that question. The focus of many dental practices is to fix teeth. This is understandable. As a result there are very few champions of prevention.  The Hydro Floss is useful tool that very few are aware of. 

When was the last time your dentist set you down and told you how to prevent cavities and gum disease? Perhaps they told you about brushing and flossing. Yet, gum disease and cavities are still very prevalent around the world despite this minimal advice

There are two troubling issues here. Is there a way to prevent dental disease beyond brushing and flossing? Second, if so, should someone tell us about how to prevent cavities and gum disease?

This assumes that someone really knows how. On the other hand, the question is more complicated than that because every human body is different and what works for one person may not work for another. Conditions, chemistry and other factors vary too much. This is why medicine is considered an ‘art’ and not a ‘science’. Some claim to get results from the hydrofloss oral irrigator.

On the other hand, doctors and dentists are bound by protocols that restrict them in what they can recommend to their patients and keeps them focused inside certain boundaries. They don’t have time to investigate or validate modalities and treatments outside the ‘standard’ care. But who is dictating that standard care? That’s a question for another article.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.

Author Dave S.