How to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth?
Human teeth should always need to be cleaned twice a day or if they smell unpleasant. We use a certain brand of toothbrush and toothpaste. In addition, we employ a variety of mouthwashes. Dog dental care—it’s an important area of pet care that you can easily fall behind on. If your dog is a breed that is prone to dental disease (Greyhounds and every small-breed dog), or they have had many dental health issues in the past, it’s important to offer more than one type of at-home dental care in addition to the regular dental cleanings at the vet’s office. Unlike their humans, dogs don’t spend a lot of time worrying about their oral hygiene. They’re too busy chewing sticks, rolling around in mud, and sniffing the smelliest things they can find on the sidewalk. Most dogs aren’t so big on personal space, either—frequently jumping in laps and giving slobbery kisses.
That means, as a dog owner, you’re inevitably going to get some bad breath in your face every so often. But when it comes to keeping your pet’s teeth clean, there are steps you can take to support your dog’s dental health—namely, keeping up with regular teeth cleaning to avoid a potential dental problem.
Why Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth Crucial for Their Health?
Every day, the pet in your home is busy chewing everything in its path, including your shoes, the grass, the soil, as well the food you provide. A dog’s dental care is a crucial aspect of its life. Maintaining the health of your fury’s teeth should become a daily practice. The following list includes a few reasons for doing so.
- Freshening breath: The accumulation of bacteria in your pet’s mouth can lead to poor breath. Your dogs’ breath can be made more pleasant to be around by brushing their teeth regularly.
- Preventing dental decay and diseases: Dental diseases are among the most prevalent medical problems in dogs, affecting 80% of them by the age of 3 years. Dental conditions can hurt, result in teeth loss, or even trigger infections that might spread to other body areas. Plaque and tartar built-up can contribute to dental disorders, thus regular teeth cleaning can help avoid them.
- Improving overall health: Dogs with poor dental care may experience major health problems, such as kidney and heart diseases. You can keep your pets healthy and happy by practising good oral hygiene and assisting prevent certain health issues. In some cases, a sick pet will avoid you, refuse to leave its bed and avoid eating food. It can even cease playing and barking due to its dental issues.
- Saving money: Dental treatments for pets can be expensive, especially if your dog requires teeth extractions or undergo other surgeries because of advanced dental conditions. Routine teeth cleaning can keep your pet healthy and strong, help prevent such issues, and ultimately save your expenses.
Signs of Dental Diseases in Pets
When you don’t care for your pet’s teeth, over time, dental disorders, such as smelling of mouth, bleeding gums, reddened decayed teeth roots and yellowish teeth are a few symptoms that can develop. If the cavities are severe enough, they may even lose teeth.
How to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth?
Cleaning your dog’s teeth regularly is an important routine to prevent serious health problems. Here are the important steps to follow while cleaning your pets’ teeth:
- Visit the vet: Ask your vet to recommend a suitable toothbrush and toothpaste for cleaning your pet’s mouth. This is recommended because different types of breeds have different mouth structures. So, the brush you need and the toothpaste you use depend on these factors.
- Choose the right toothbrush and toothpaste: You need a toothbrush specifically designed and toothpaste made just for your pet. Never use human toothpaste on your furry friends, it may be toxic to them. You can find these products at pet stores or online only designed for your furry.
- Get your dog comfortable:Start by getting your dog used to having his mouth touched. Gently hold their muzzle to lift their lips and show their teeth. Make them comfortable to the touch of the toothbrush.
- Start brushing:Put a small amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and begin brushing your dog’s teeth in a circular motion. First, focus on the outside with just a few front teeth and gradually work up to brushing all their teeth, inside and outside.
- Be gentle:Be gentle when brushing your pets’ teeth, as their gums are sensitive. If your dog seems uncomfortable or shows signs of pain, stop and try again later.
- Reward your dog:Be sure to praise them and reward them for their collaboration. Offer a treat after each brushing, so they are interested in associating this teeth cleaning activity with positive signs and experiences.
- Maintain good dental hygiene:Brush your dog’s teeth regularly, preferably at least once a day. Also, provide your dog with chews or dental toys to help freshen up their breath and keep their teeth clean.
The basics
When should you start brushing your dog’s teeth?
- It’s a good idea to introduce your dog to having their teeth brushed when they’re a puppy. For dogs of any age, toothbrushing needs to be introduced in a gradual and positive way
- Ideally, brush your dog’s teeth daily
- If your dog pulls away or is uncomfortable at any point, stop what you’re doing and take a break
- During your next session, go back a stage to when your dog was comfortable and practise that step slowly and gradually before progressing again
- If you’re struggling to brush your dog’s teeth or they show any signs of being worried, speak to your vet or seek support from a qualified behaviourist.
What should you use to brush your dog’s teeth?
- You can buy enzymatic dog toothpaste and a brush or rubber thimble from your vet/pet shop. Enzymatic toothpaste helps break down plaque and reduces bad breath. They also come in enticing flavours like chicken or liver.
- Never use human toothpaste as it can be toxic for dogs.
Do you need to brush your dog’s teeth?
- It’s important to look after your dog’s teeth. Dental disease is one of the most common health problems experienced by dogs and can result in significant pain from sore teeth and gums.
- Daily teeth brushing can help prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar which can lead to gingivitis and dental disease.
Possible signs of dental problems
It can sometimes be difficult to recognise if a dog is in pain because of dental disease — they will often continue to eat which can mask the severity of the problem. But there are a few signs to look for that could indicate that your dog has dental problems.
These include:
- bad breath
- a change in your dog’s eating habits
- red or swollen gums (gingivitis– A thin red line along the gum will indicate inflammation of the gums)
- discolouration of the teeth (plaque– this is a sticky, colourless film of sugars and bacteria that builds up on the teeth)
- Plaque can then lead to (tartar- a hard calcified deposit that will build up and cause dental disease)
- fractured or missing teeth.
Your vet will check your dog’s teeth on a regular basis but if your dog shows any of these signs, seek veterinary advice. Many vet practices offer free dental clinics with their vet nurses or free nurse checks with pet care plans.
To get started, you’ll need to teach your dog how to rest their chin on your hand.
- Hold your open hand flat with your palm up in front of your dog’s snout slightly below chin level.
- In your other hand, hold a treat in front of your dog just below their nose. As your dog reaches for the treat, slowly lower your hand holding the treat towards your open palm. As your dog places their chin across your open palm, mark that they got the behaviour right by saying ‘yes’ or ‘good’ and reward them.
- Repeat this a few times and once your dog is getting it right, start to fade out the treat by repeating the steps with the same motion but with no treat in your hand.
- Reward them with a treat when they place their chin onto your palm. Once you have practiced this, start to fade out the moving hand by moving it less and less until you are able to present just your palm and your dog will place their chin across it.
- Reward your dog every time they get it right. Once they’ve got the hang of it you can add a verbal cue like ‘chin’, wait for a second, then present your palm for your dog to place their chin on. You can also start to increase the duration over sessions by waiting a second before marking and rewarding your dog.
To conclude, remember that regular dental care is crucial for your dog’s overall health and can help prevent many serious health issues later in life. Still after reading this article, if you’re unsure how to clean your furry’s teeth or have any concerns, consult your veterinarian for proper step-by-step instructions.
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
