Dog Tooth Brushing Tips

Like people, dogs also need their teeth cleaned. Canine teeth need regularly brushing to prevent cavity build-up and tooth decay. More importantly, taking care of your dog’s teeth greatly protects your dog’s health as some diseases or infections may start from the build-up of bacteria in the mouth.

Brushing your dog’s teeth doesn’t need to be an unpleasant experience. Here are tips oon how to make tooth brushing time easy and enjoyable.

Use a toothpaste for dogs. Ask your vet for a recommended brand of doggy toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste as some ingredients may be too strong for dogs and unsafe to swallow. Also, dog's would never like the mint flavor of human toothpaste.

Introduce the new taste. Put a small amount of the doggy toothpaste on your finger and let your dog get accustomed to the taste of this new treat. Do this for a few days. You may need to experiment on different doggy toothpaste flavours to find out which one your pooch likes best. Remember, it’s important that your dog enjoys the taste of the toothpaste to make brushing time fun and easy.

Introduce the brush. Once your dog is used to the doggy toothpaste, you can now introduce the toothbrush. Put a bit of toothpaste on the brush and let your dog investigate it first until he’s used to it.

Check your dog's mouth. Run your fingers along the gums and check for sores or swelling. In case of swollen gums, take him to the vet right away.

Use a toothbrush for dogs. After the introduction, use the doggy toothbrush to gently clean his teeth and mouth. Doggie toothbrushes have extra-soft bristles and long handles which are perfect for cleaning doggy teeth. At first, just brush the front teeth or the ones within easy reach. Make the brushing session short as you don’t want him to get upset.

Time to brush. As your dog gets more used to the activity, you can start spending a few extra minutes brushing the teeth to make sure that his mouth gets thoroughly cleaned. Make sure that the toothpaste sticks between the bristles of the brush to keep the paste from falling off. Gently brush one tooth at a time along with the gums until all teeth has been brushed.

Make tooth brushing a routine so your dog would get used to the habit. Regular tooth brushing for dogs should be at least once a week. It’s best to brush your dog’s teeth when he/she feels a bit sleepy or tired.

Dental chews should not replace regular tooth brushing. Dental kibble or chews may help prevent cavity build-up, brushing is still the best way to clean the bacteria in the mouth.

Don't skip brushing. If you don’t have time to brush your dog’s teeth, have someone else do the job. If no one in the house can do this important task, better take him to a pet groomer.

Make tooth brushing time a bonding time. While brushing your dog’s teeth, talk to him in a calm voice and give him lots of praises if he’s behaved well.

Reward him with his favorite treat. Rewarding your dog after brushing will make him remember that brushing time isn't a bad time after all.