Often, if your pet has an odor, the mouth is a great place to start looking. How many of you out there brush your dog’s teeth daily? Do you brush your own teeth daily? Maybe even a couple times per day? Many people are shocked when I tell them that they should start brushing their puppy’s teeth daily. These people are also shocked years later when I tell them that their dog has advanced dental disease, numerous loose teeth, and needs a professional cleaning under anesthesia. Why are we so surprised that our pet’s teeth are any different than our own?
Without daily brushing, tartar/calculus will build up on your pet’s teeth, leading to dental disease. Dental disease can start simply with inflamed gums, then lead to gums receding and tooth roots showing, to teeth becoming loose, to tooth root abscesses, to difficulty eating, to odor, etc, etc, etc. Wouldn’t it be easier to prevent all of this with a few short minutes of brushing every day?
Supplies…..what do you need? Super simple….a toothbrush and water. Yes, that’s it. But, get a real toothbrush, not one of those silly finger brushes. You actually need the longer, soft bristles to scratch away at the tartar forming on your pet’s teeth. If you have a small dog, get a toddler sized toothbrush. If you have a big dog, get an adult sized toothbrush. Always get soft bristles! 
Do you need toothpaste? Nope. Can you use it? Yep. But, make sure it is dog toothpaste. Human toothpaste has fluoride, sodium and it foams. Dog toothpaste has different ingredients and comes in lots of yummy flavors to make it more fun for them…….vanilla mint, malt, poultry, beef, and others. Check with your Veterinarian first, but if they don't have it, click here to purchase this toothpaste on Amazon. For page transparency: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Many people tell me that they give their dogs rawhides or bones or hard food, and ask “why isn’t that enough?” Everyone remember the Dentastix ad picture on the right? I always ask them what they think their teeth would look like without daily brushing and usually that sends the message home. However, it is a good question….why isn’t that enough? The answer is that many dogs don’t chew their food or treats, they simply gobble or swallow without chewing. Those expensive dental chews don’t do much if the dog isn’t actually chewing on them for at least 20-30 minutes. Brushing is by far better than any other method for dental hygiene!
Now, you might question all of this if you have a large breed dog, maybe 5-6 years old at home and you look in their mouth and see barely any tartar. Yes, there is a HUGE difference between small and large dogs and degree of dental disease at different times in their life. Small breed dogs (Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, Bichons, Malteses) will have tartar and therefore dental disease very early in life. I will often examine a 2 year old Chihuahua and find loose teeth heavily coated with tartar. Large breed dogs on the other hand may not accumulate much tartar until 8-10 years of age. At one point there was even a vaccine introduced, the Porphyromonas vaccine, to help protect smaller breed dogs against the oral bacteria leading to dental disease. It was later discontinued as it was found to not help enough.
Alright, grab that grocery list, add a toothbrush to it, and get started on brushing your dog’s teeth daily. I guarantee you will want to snuggle more with your dog, those doggy kisses may not be so stinky, and you will have the satisfaction of helping your dog live a longer and more comfortable life!
Without daily brushing, tartar/calculus will build up on your pet’s teeth, leading to dental disease. Dental disease can start simply with inflamed gums, then lead to gums receding and tooth roots showing, to teeth becoming loose, to tooth root abscesses, to difficulty eating, to odor, etc, etc, etc. Wouldn’t it be easier to prevent all of this with a few short minutes of brushing every day?
While tooth brushing may not go perfectly the first 5 or 10 times, with the right amount of encouragement, hugs, and positive reinforcement after (dog cookies, etc), it will get easier over time, and your dog might even get into the habit of seeking you out to brush his teeth. The mouth is the portal to the body, and clean teeth will help your pet have an overall healthier life!
Let’s get started! In my opinion it is easiest to do with your dog laying on his/her side. The floor works as a backstop on one side so that the dog cannot move its head too much while you are brushing. A sitting dog can move its head in all directions to get away from you, at least as you are a beginner at this. I gently raise the lips so that I can see all the teeth on one side all the way to the back and gently brush all of the teeth. Yes, you need to get alllllll the way to the back! All of the teeth matter equally! Then, when you are done with the first side, reward your dog, then ask them to lay on their other side and repeat. Huge hugs afterward and lots of positive reinforcement. Now, do it daily!
Now, you might question all of this if you have a large breed dog, maybe 5-6 years old at home and you look in their mouth and see barely any tartar. Yes, there is a HUGE difference between small and large dogs and degree of dental disease at different times in their life. Small breed dogs (Chihuahuas, Shih Tzus, Bichons, Malteses) will have tartar and therefore dental disease very early in life. I will often examine a 2 year old Chihuahua and find loose teeth heavily coated with tartar. Large breed dogs on the other hand may not accumulate much tartar until 8-10 years of age. At one point there was even a vaccine introduced, the Porphyromonas vaccine, to help protect smaller breed dogs against the oral bacteria leading to dental disease. It was later discontinued as it was found to not help enough.
Alright, grab that grocery list, add a toothbrush to it, and get started on brushing your dog’s teeth daily. I guarantee you will want to snuggle more with your dog, those doggy kisses may not be so stinky, and you will have the satisfaction of helping your dog live a longer and more comfortable life!
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