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Doggy Dental Care

I love my dog, but his breath sure does smell some days (don’t lie and say you don’t relate). While oral health is an important aspect of your dog’s overall health, it’s one that’s often overlooked. If your dog ever suffers from a toothache, bacteria on their teeth left untreated can lead to health problems that impact their heart, kidneys, or liver. Veterinarians report that an estimated 85% of dogs over the age of 4 are suffering from some form of periodontal disease. But not to worry! We are going to go over some different ways to care for your dog’s teeth. 

Brushing their Teeth
Sounds simple right? If you’re someone who’s conditioned your dog to enjoying and/or tolerating having their teeth brushed-then yes. But if you haven’t conditioned your dog to enjoying tooth brushing or adopted your dog later in their life-then this is definitely not easy. This is the single most effective way to maintain your dog’s oral health, but it’s not doable for everyone. There are a variety of pet-safe products at dog stores or online that you can purchase (do not buy human toothpaste please, it’s toxic for your dog). 

Toothbrushes designed for dogs are soft and angled to assist in brushing the back teeth. There are also finger toothbrushes that you can purchase-only use this if you feel comfortable and safe inserting your finger into your dog’s mouth without losing a finger. With any of these options, you don’t want to just stick your finger or toothbrush into your dog’s mouth without doing any work first. 

Spend time handling your dogs mouth by turning your hand and fingers into treat dispensing machines by rubbing peanut butter, cream cheese, or baby food onto them. Let your dog lick your finger while you are gently brushing their teeth and gums. Practice moving their lips in this exercise to expose more of their teeth and reapply treats to your fingers as needed. In addition to practicing handling your dog’s mouth, you need to get them used to the toothbrush or finger brush. First, allow your dog to sniff and lick the toothpaste off of the toothbrush. Gradually work towards lifting your dog’s lip and brushing one to two at a time in a circular motion. Once you are able to brush the front teeth, move to brushing the back teeth by gently opening their jaw. Conclude all of this with a special reward like a stuffed Kong, play, treat, or affection (even if the process didn’t go well). Keep in mind that conditioning your dog to their teeth being brushed should happen over a period of time (puppyhood will be easier than adulthood). 

For a great video on how to use clicker training as a way to brush your dog’s teeth, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=46&v=XloVsG36Pfs  

Oral Rinses and Gels
Oral rinses are substances that you can add to your dog’s water to help with plaque and tartar removal. There are also gels that you can apply directly to your dog’s tooth with your finger or by spraying it onto their teeth. An example of a gel is Oravet-this prevents plaque from attaching to the tooth. 

Chews and Treats
Long chews such as a rawhide or knuckle bones are good products to help scrape away existing plaque on your dog’s teeth. Avoid giving your dog items such as hooves or bones from steak, these can fracture teeth which is at the very least counterproductive for what we are trying to accomplish. There are also dental chews (example: Dentahex) specifically designed for your dog’s dental health. If your someone who is not able to brush their dog’s teeth-be comforted by knowing that giving your dog daily dental chews can reduce your dog’s plaque and tartar by up to 69%. Chews should be the length of or longer than your dog’s muzzle to prevent choking. Lastly, dental treats such as, Greenies, can be a great addition to your dog’s life. Most dogs find Greenies to be highly irresistible (my dog will do every trick he knows out of excitement when he sees a Greenie). These have been approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. Chews and products such as Greenies should be given daily. If you are struggling to get your dog excited about dental chews and/or treats-rub something they do enjoy on it like cream cheese, peanut butter, and/or baby food.

We encourage you to talk to your vet about what the best plan of action is for taking care of your dog’s dental health. But at the very least, head to the store to get some dental chews or Greenies for your furry friend! 



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