February is Pet Dental Month. Oh, and it's also Pets Heart Health Month and Spay & Neuter month. Whew! But today, we're focusing on the Dental part.

If you're like me and you're seriously outnumbered (or outweighed) by your pets, you need some alternative solutions for dental care. I learned the hard way that my cats are much quicker on the draw with teeth and claws than I am with a toothbrush, so we moved in another direction - oral gels, treats, and innovative products that help whiten teeth and keep pets plaque-free.

PetzLife Oral care products are some of the more remarkable products we've reviewed in the past. And if you don't believe me, you can see some of the more dramatic results here.

Their products work amazingly well on both dogs and cats. We loved it for both, but for those of you who want options, TropiClean just came out with a great product as well. Apply the gel to your pets gum line, and you're done. This is much easier than it sounds. You can either put it on your finger (if you're brave) and run it around your pet's gum line, or use the handy applicator bottle to "paint" the area. Do it once a week and you're good to go.

For fresh breath and made easy, check out handy water additive from Tropiclean. Just add a teaspoon of water additive to your pet's water bowl and it will eliminate bad breath for up to 12 hours. Purr-fectly simple and just in time for Valentine's Day kisses!

Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for your pet's overall health. According to the AVDS, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age three, often indicated by bad breath, a change in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face and mouth and depression. Besides causing receding gums and tooth loss, the infection may enter the bloodstream, potentially infecting the heart, liver and kidneys.