How To Clean Your Dog’S Teeth At Home %%Sep%% %%Sitename%%

Doggy breath shouldn’t smell bad. If it does, that might be a sign of dental disease. Regular teeth cleaning keeps their gums and teeth clean and healthy and prevents their breath developing a bad odour. Read on to learn how to clean your dog’s teeth at home.

Written by

Petbarn Team

Contents:

Why do dog’s teeth need cleaning?
How to clean your dog’s teeth at home

Why do you need to clean your dog’s teeth?

80% of dogs and cats over the age of 3 have dental disease. Dental disease is caused by tartar and plaque build-up on the teeth, which leads to inflamed gums. Untreated dental disease can lead to mouth pain, tooth decay, gum recession, tooth loss, and, in severe cases, it can contribute to heart, kidney, and liver problems.

Fortunately, dental disease is easily preventable. Just like in humans, regular teeth cleaning is the best way to prevent dental disease in dogs.

SHOP DOG DENTAL CARE

In addition to teeth cleaning, regular dental checks are important

Regular dental checks at the vet allow any potential issues to be caught early. Your vet may recommend that your dog be put under anaesthesia. This will allow them to perform a more thorough exam, including checking under the gums, assessing your dog’s back molars, and performing dental x-rays, without fear of causing your dog pain or discomfort.

While your dog is under anaesthesia, they will likely get a scale and polish just like you get at the dentist, cleaning their teeth more thoroughly than what you can achieve at home.

If your vet diagnoses an issue with your dog’s teeth, they will work with you to develop a dental care plan to manage your dog’s dental health.

Book a dental check-up at Greencross Vets so your dog can have fresh breath and you can have a fresh start to their dental care.

Book a vet

How to clean your dog’s teeth at home

Brush your dog’s teeth

Daily tooth brushing is one of the best ways to prevent dental disease in dogs. The movement of the toothbrush and toothpaste physically removes plaque from the tooth and gumline.

While it does take a bit of patience and training to get your dog used to a tooth brushing routine, it is strongly recommended by vets. You can learn more about how to start brushing your dog’s teeth here.

Some key things to keep in mind before you start brushing your dog’s teeth:

Never use human toothpaste—it may contain ingredients that are toxic for dogs. Stick to toothpaste that is made for dogs.
Take your time introducing tooth brushing to your dog. Don’t force it.
Use a toothbrush that is the right size for your dog’s mouth – you can get finger brushes and small pet toothbrushes

SHOP DOG TOOTHPASTE
& TOOTHBRUSHES

Feed your dog an oral care diet

If your dog isn’t on a special diet prescribed by your veterinarian, one of the simplest ways to reduce plaque and tartar build up on your dog’s teeth is to feed them a scientifically-proven dental care dry food. The clinically proven recipes help to freshen your dog’s breath each time they eat.

Some dental diets are veterinary prescription diets. Only feed these to your dog if your vet recommends it.

SHOP DENTAL CARE DIETS
FOR DOGS

Give your dog dental chews and treats

Dogs love their treats, and we love seeing our best friends happy. So, why not reward them for being good dogs with dental treats and chews? Not only do they taste delicious, but they are an easy way to clean your dog’s teeth.

Dental treats are good for your dog’s oral health because they encourage your dog to take the time to chew. This mechanical action helps remove plaque and tartar from their teeth. Some treats also contain enzymes to help improve how effectively they clean teeth.

SHOP DOG DENTAL TREATS

Sprinkle your dog’s dinner with a dental powder

Dental powders like ProDen Plaque Off are diet additives you can sprinkle over your dog’s food. When used daily, it helps soften existing plaque and tartar to aid removal and prevent the formation of more.

Add a dental health solution to their water

If your dog will not tolerate tooth brushing and refuses to chew on dental treats, a dental health solution may help. They’re a liquid solution you add to your dog’s water. These natural solutions help reduce plaque and tartar build up and freshen bad breath.

Although they rarely notice the product in the water, always be sure to provide multiple water sources for your dog, at least one without the dental solution. If they don’t like it, they still need a water source to drink from.

SHOP DOG ORAL CARE
WATER ADDITIVES

Give your dog dental toys to play with

If your dog loves chewing on toys, they may enjoy playing with a dental chew toy! These toys stimulate your pet mentally while also cleaning their teeth and freshening their breath.

These toys are available in a range of shapes and sizes for all types of dogs. Some dental toys you can even fill with teeth gels for some further cleaning action.

Make sure to swap out your dog’s dental toys regularly so they don’t get bored with them.

SHOP DOG DENTAL TOYS

Once you establish a good daily routine, cleaning your dog’s teeth at home will become an easy and fun part of your everyday life together.

For more advice on how to clean your dog’s teeth at home, speak to your local Petbarn team member or book a dental appointment at your local Greencross Vets clinic.

Frequently asked questions about cleaning a dog’s teeth

What do vets recommend to clean a dog’s teeth?

Brushing is the most effective way to clean your dog’s teeth – that’s why dentists recommend humans brush too! Combining it with other methods will help maintain a healthy mouth.

When looking for products to help with your dog’s dental health, look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal. This seal is an indicator that the product has met vigorous scientific criteria for managing dental disease in dogs and cats.

What happens if you never brush your dog’s teeth?

If you don’t do anything to clean your dog’s teeth, it is very likely that they will develop dental disease. You will see large amounts of tartar around their gumline, they may show signs of oral pain, and their breath will develop a foul odour.

If you never brush your dog’s teeth but do utilise other cleaning options, your dog’s dental health should be okay. They may still develop a level of dental disease over time, but not as severe as if you never cleaned them.

What is the brown stuff on my dog’s teeth? How do I get rid of it?

The brown stuff on your dog’s teeth is likely tartar. It is too hard to remove with regular brushing. The only way to remove tartar is via a dental procedure at the vet, where they can use an ultrasonic scaler to remove it.

Can I take my dog to an anaesthesia-free dentist for teeth cleaning instead of a vet?

Veterinarians do not recommend “anaesthesia-free dentals”, which are scale and polish procedures in a conscious patient. They are more painful and stressful for dogs than the same procedure performed under anaesthesia.

For anaesthesia-free dentals, a dog must be tightly restrained for the procedure. The sensation of having calculus scraped off their teeth and the noisy equipment can be painful and stressful. Plaque just under the gumline is often missed as this is tender to clean this area and near impossible in a patient that may move. If they do move, it may result in injuries to their gums, lips or cheeks during cleaning.

In a conscious patient, abnormalities cannot be probed and checked properly, especially if they are painful, diagnostic dental x-rays cannot be taken, and access to molars at the back of their mouth is difficult.

This procedure done without anaesthetic is not only very stressful and dangerous for the cats but puts the person performing the anaesthesia-free dental at high risk of bite injuries.

How do I tell if my dog has periodontal disease?

Signs your dog may have dental disease include bad breath, oral pain, reluctance to eat, drooling excessively, swellings around their jaw or cheek area. Learn more about the signs of dental disease in dogs here.

Are bones good for my dog’s teeth?

Before dental treats and pet toothpastes were available, bones were a popular way to clean dogs’ teeth. The act of gnawing on the bone had a similar mechanical action to dental chews.

However, bones come with their own risks, such as:

Tooth fracture
Intestinal perforation or obstruction
Constipation
Pancreatitis

If you choose to feed bones over dental chews, only feed raw bones that are too big for your dog to swallow and remove them within a day of chewing.

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