Contrary to popular belief, dogs need their teeth brushed just as much as humans do. While you don’t need to get in all the nooks and crannies with floss, daily brushing of the outside surfaces is a must.
This is one of the parts of pet ownership that is often overlooked, but can cause serious issues down the line. Keep reading to learn more about how you should be brushing your dog’s teeth and other ways to keep them healthy.
Ideally Brush Your Dog’s Teeth Twice Daily
Just like humans and even cats, it’s best if dogs brush their teeth at least twice a day. This interrupts natural processes that cause greater health issues, but it also helps your dog understand their daily routine and familiarizes them with teeth brushing.
The minimum recommendation for regular canine teeth brushing is about 3 times a week, but this won’t be nearly as effective at warding off health problems or keeping a familiar routine. Regardless, brushing their teeth whenever possible is always better than doing nothing.
The Importance of Canine Dental Hygiene
According to the Riney Canine Health Center, over 80 percent of dogs ages 3 and up have periodontal disease. Even the most minor issues are uncomfortable, but something that starts as simple gingivitis may soon cause severe pain, tooth decay, and even infection.
Without a solid canine dental hygiene routine, bacteria gather on your dog’s teeth and becomes what we call plaque. If the sticky plaque is left alone for over 24 hours, it combines with the minerals in your dog’s saliva to create tartar (also known as calculus), which is much more difficult to remove and causes those severe periodontal diseases.
Bad breath is just the start of the issues. Without help, tartar buildup may cause their gums to pull back from the teeth, leaving new spaces for the bacteria to settle in and potentially get in the bloodstream. Beyond being painful, this can cause a full-body infection that may negatively impact your dog beyond their mouth.
Luckily, this is easily prevented with a solid dental hygiene routine.
How to Introduce Teeth Brushing to Your Dog
Dogs don’t understand the importance of dental health like we do–they just know they don’t want their mouths messed with. If your dog isn’t keen on the idea of brushing their teeth, you must take baby steps to familiarize them with the habit.
When introducing teeth brushing, keep the experience positive. Lay the praise on heavy, and never resort to punishment if they aren’t cooperating. Settle into a quiet space and give yourself plenty of time to work with them.
If they’re not yet comfortable with you touching their mouth, do this several times and reward them each time. Let them know that having their muzzle touched is not a bad thing. Once they’re comfortable, start gently lifting the lip and rewarding them, then move to touching the outer surface of their teeth with your finger or a soft cloth.
Once touching is acceptable, rub the surface of the teeth using a gentle back and forth motion. If they will let you, do this close to the gum (where plaque builds up more quickly). Only work on a few teeth at a time for a few minutes a day.
Introduce a dog-safe toothpaste and allow them to lick it off your finger or the cloth. (Avoid human toothpaste, which is not made to be ingested and may contain deadly ingredients like xylitol.) When they’re familiar with the taste, you can start brushing it on with your finger or the cloth.
After Your Dog Accepts Toothbrushing
Ideally, you should transition to a specialized canine toothbrush once your dog accepts toothbrushing, but it’s fine to stick with a soft cloth if that’s all they will allow. The key is to be able to brush the outer surface of every tooth at least once a day, regardless of the tools you use.
Apply a pea-sized amount of the toothpaste to the brush (or cloth), then gently raise their lip so you can see their upper teeth. Softly brush, focusing on the gumline, until you finish the top teeth, then open their mouth so you can brush the bottom.
Your dog may not sit still for long enough to do the full mouth at first, and that’s okay. Prioritize the gumline, especially on the larger cheek molars and canines, and break up the whole mouth if needed. For example, you can brush the top teeth in the morning and the bottom teeth at night.
The key is not giving the plaque enough time to harden while keeping the experience as positive as possible for your dog.
Other Ways to Care for Your Dog’s Teeth
While brushing teeth is the most effective way to keep your dog’s mouth healthy, you can supplement it with:
- Dental water additives
- Dental treats and chews
- Dental diets
These don’t replace the need to brush, but they’re generally more accepted by dogs and can provide an extra level of care. Just make sure you look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of approval on these products.
Your veterinarian will likely inspect your dog’s teeth at their annual checkup and provide recommendations as needed. If they require professional cleaning or care, they may refer you to a veterinary dentist who will put your dog under anesthesia, use x-rays to get a more accurate understanding of their jaw health, and potentially pull unhealthy teeth before they cause bigger problems.
