You’ve probably heard a lot in recent years about the gut microbiome — healthy “good” bacteria that live in you and your pet’s digestive tract that help keep things running. Probiotics, like Fera Pets Organic Probiotics with Prebiotics, can help with the inner gut biome. However, bacteria microbiomes exist all over the body, including your pet’s mouth. The oral microbiome is the second largest microbiome in the body. It works to create a biofilm that not only protects your pet’s teeth, gums, and tongue, but has a cascading effect on their entire body. 

More than 80% of pets will experience some dental disease in their lifetime, such as gingivitis, periodontal disease, tartar, plaque, and more which is why it’s important to maintain a healthy oral microbiome. Yet that’s not all — keeping the balance in your pet’s mouth can also help keep the rest of their body healthy. Here’s how the oral microbiome affects more than just your pet’s teeth, and how you can maintain full-body health and happiness with good oral care.

What Is the Oral Microbiome?

While pets and humans both have an oral microbiome, the bacteria that live in our mouths are very different from that of our dogs and cats. Pet mouths contain bacteria from a number of groups including “good” and “bad” bacteria. Good bacteria work to form a healthy protective layer, called a biofilm. This keeps “bad” bacteria and other pathogens from harming your pet.

In addition, the oral microbiome plays a role in the rest of your pet’s body. This includes helping to support good digestion and energy production through the breakdown of foods. These good bacteria also play a part in maintaining the immune system and the body’s inflammatory responses. It’s important to keep the population of good and bad bacteria in balance. When the balance is upset, issues such as dental disease can occur. In the mouth, this can result in problems such as gingivitis, tooth decay, and bad breath.

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How Dental Health Affects Overall Health

A lot can go wrong when you don’t take care of your pet’s teeth or promote a healthy oral microbiome. Bad bacteria that are out of control in your pet’s mouth can make their way to other parts of your pet’s body via the bloodstream. There, they can cause a host of health issues. This includes heart disease, kidney disease, and liver problems — and can even affect your pet’s brain. This can lead to other issues, such as secondary infections, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and more. 

Luckily, maintaining your pet’s oral health can help prevent these issues. Good dental care can help reduce the incidence of secondary health issues caused by bad oral bacteria. If you notice your pet has signs of a problem, however, it’s time to visit your vet. Issues to watch out for include bad breath, discolored or plaque-covered teeth, or having trouble eating,

What Affects the Oral Microbiome?

Just like other bacteria populations in the body, the microbiome can be affected by what your pet eats. How you care for your dog or cat’s teeth and gums also changes it. Probiotics, just like for the gut, can help keep the good bacteria in balance with beneficial nutrients. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean and gums healthy can also remove bad bacteria that can cause dental issues, allowing the healthy biofilm to flourish instead. Keeping the immune system running well, such as with a supplement like Fera Pets Organic Mushroom Blend, can also help the body naturally protect itself against inflammation.

What Is Dental Powder?

Dental powder is a supplement that can easily be added to your pet’s food. It can help reduce bad breath, and provide a variety of micronutrients beneficial for a healthy oral microbiome. Dental powders can also help with the prevention of plaque buildup. Powders don’t replace the need for regular brushing or dental cleanings from your veterinarian. However, they can act as a great in-between to keep your pet’s mouth healthy longer. They’re also great for pets that may be picky about brushing by offering an alternative method of cleaning that creates less stress.

Fera Pets Dental Powder Can Help Improve the Oral Microbiome

What makes Fera Pets Dental Powder better for your pet’s oral microbiome? It’s all in the blend of natural ingredients that combine for a palatable, effective product. Fera Pets uses a blend of natural probiotics, antioxidants, and natural ingredients without artificial fillers to ensure your pet gets a nutrition boost without any extras. It’s also flavored with chicken bone broth, to help your dog or cat enjoy it — even if they’re picky about their food. The blend of ingredients can also help reduce bad breath and support a healthy immune system to reduce inflammation.

Here are the ingredients that help keep your pet’s oral microbiome healthy and balanced:

• Organic brown kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) works to freshen breath and support healthy teeth and gums.

• Oravestin™ is an antioxidant that can help support good periodontal health.

• Deo-Pet® (Yucca schidigera) works to promote a healthy inflammatory response.

• Bactase Pet™ feeds beneficial bacteria with healthy nutrients, to provide a good-bacteria biofilm in the mouth.

• Heat Treated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CECT 9162 helps to balance the bacteria on your pet’s gums, to promote healthy tissue.

Together, these ingredients can support the myriad bacteria that make up your dog or cat’s oral microbiome. 

It’s important to maintain oral dental health to support your pet’s entire body — not just their teeth and gums. Whether you’re regularly brushing, or have a picky dog or cat, a dental powder can help promote a healthy oral microbiome in between regular health checkups. It’s a great way to add an additional health boost without any additional hassle, helping to support healthy teeth, gums, and body while giving you peace of mind.

Sources:

[1] Ruparell, A., & Inui, T. (2020, February 28). The canine oral microbiome: Variation in bacterial populations across different niches - BMC Microbiology. BioMed Central. https://bmcmicrobiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12866-020-1704-3 

[2] Cueva, K. (2025, January 22). How the bacteria in your dog’s mouth affect their oral health. Embarkvet. https://embarkvet.com/resources/bacteria-in-dogs-mouth-dog-oral-health/ 

[3] Hou, K., & Wu, Z.-X. (2022, April 23). Microbiota in health and diseases. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-00974-4 

[4] Barnes, C. (n.d.). Dental disease in dogs: VCA Animal Hospitals. VCA. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dental-disease-in-dogs 

[5] Kanwal, M. (2023, February 3). Dental issues in dogs. PetMD. https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/mouth/dental-issues-dogs 

[6] Deo, P. N., & Deshmukh, R. (2019). Oral microbiome: Unveiling the fundamentals. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6503789/