To keep a Cocker Spaniel’s teeth healthy should be not much of a brainer because she tends to have good, strong teeth and is about average when it comes to her susceptibility to dental disease. This does not mean you can be lackadaisical when it comes to her dental care, however! Soft plaque build up and hardens into tartar, causing gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) to progress into an infection of the gums and bone around a dog’s teeth.