Do friends politely excuse themselves when your dog is panting nearby? Do you suddenly lose your appetite when your cat gives you a kiss? Oooh, that smell. It's enough to make a grown dog wince.

If your pet's breath packs a potent punch, chances are the culprit is plaque, the same bacteria-laden film that develops on your teeth if you don't brush for a while and can lead to a smelly and sometimes dangerous gum infection.

With a little care, however, you can help prevent your pet's breath from turning too pungent.

For Dogs and Cats

Attack the plaque. "Think of how your mouth would smell if you didn't brush your teeth for a few days, much less a few years," says Anthony Shipp, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Beverly Hills, California, who specializes in dentistry and is co-author of The Practitioner's Guide to Veterinary Dentistry. Brushing twice a day would be ideal, says Dr. Shipp, but twice a week is okay.

Start 'em young. Brushing your pet's teeth may sound like a scene in a horror flick, but if you begin when your dog or cat is only a few months old, the experience can quickly become a pleasant one, says Dr. Shipp.