Everyone can benefit from a good dental hygiene routine. This is even more important for our pets. But sadly our dog’s teeth are often overlooked or even forgotten entirely.
Keeping your dog’s teeth and gums healthy is crucial to their overall care and continued longevity. Dental care is so important to their regularly scheduled canine grooming routine and can benefit them in many ways. Regular cleaning of your pups’ teeth brushes away at the nasty plaque that causes bad breath and bad health.
Prepare yourself for ten of the best tips to read before you become a dog teeth-brushing expert. So let’s help keep your dog away from long nights of bad breath, and the unwanted suffering from conditions like tooth decay and complications with gum disease.
TOP TEN DOGGY TOOTHBRUSHING TIPS
1.Choose a Good Time
Pick a quiet time during the day before or after work when maybe you and your dog are alone, and the house is less active and busy.
2.Get the Right Tools
Buy a good dog toothbrush, most have a long curved handle that allows for all the teeth and gum to be accessible. ONLY USE TOOTHPASTE SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR DOGS! (Human-grade toothpaste can be really harmful to your pets!)
3.Pick a Safe Spot
Look for a place in your home with good lighting, and most importantly make sure they seem to be as comfortable as possible. Maybe your canine can sit in its favorite spot while you brush their canines.
4.Be Calm and Introduce Your Dog Slowly
Be calm and introduce teeth brushing as soon as possible and at a pace that is good for your dog. You can try lifting the top of the mouth and touching around their teeth to see how they react at first. Pull away the bottom lip and touch their lower set. Slowly then move to touch the toothbrush to their teeth, if they accept this with no issues. Don’t forget to praise and reward them for their valiant efforts. Continue the steps with the toothpaste now on the dog’s brush.
5.Move From the Front to the Back
Move carefully from the front of the mouth to the sides and then back of the dog’s mouth.
6.Brush Top to Bottom
Hold the upper lip gently and start by brushing the top teeth. Give them lots of praise. Then continue on to the bottom lip and lower level of teeth.
7.Don’t Forget Sides and Way Back
Make sure you try to extend as far back as possible, getting all of the dog’s teeth, sides, and way back too. The inner side of the teeth may be harder to brush, but hopefully, each time you brush their teeth they will become more accepting of the process.
8.Praise
Praise them for putting up with the process. Teeth brushing isn’t a natural hygiene routine for them. Making teeth brushing time a positive time for them is key in getting them accustomed to you and helping them stay clean.
9.Give Rewards
Might seem weird at first. But when you are first training your dog to this routine it is okay to use rewards like treats. You can always faze these out later.
10.Repeat on a Schedule
Make sure you keep up on the dog’s teeth brushing routine so that they can feel more comfortable when it is time to groom.
WHY YOU SHOULD BRUSH YOUR DOG’S TEETH
Regular exams and regular brushing of your dog’s teeth will prevent tartar from building up in the first place. Not only does this prevent plaque buildup but it will prevent oral pain and reduce risks of infection.
By keeping up with their dental hygiene you can prevent tooth loss, bad breath, and pain. While simultaneously avoiding periodontal disease and illness in the future. Brushing their teeth weekly now, might actually save money in the end as well.
Did you know? The same bacteria that can build up around your best friend’s gums can find their way into the dog’s bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, this can lead directly into their vital organs and actually cause damage and even cause complete liver and kidney failure.
SUPPLIES YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR DOG’S TEETH HEALTHY
●Doggy Toothbrush or Silicone Finger brush
●Dog-Safe Meat-flavored Toothpaste
●Clean Water
●Natural Snacks like white bones and vegetables
●Towel
A STEP BY STEP: HOW TO BRUSH YOUR DOG’S TEETH
Step 1:
On a soft moist doggy toothbrush, put a little bit of dog-safe toothpaste and then start by lifting the lip to reveal the front canines. If your dog is comfortable with brushing you can go ahead Start with canines and move on to the molars next.
If your dog isn’t as comfortable with brushing as some, you can always start slow by using a finger to massage some dog-safe toothpaste into their gums and teeth before working the brush into the routine.
Step 2:
Make sure to lift up the upper and lower lip and brush as far back on both sides as possible. It’s in this middle step where if you need to reapply a light dab of dog-safe paste and water to the brush, go ahead and do so. Continue light brushing in circles from front to back.
Step 3:
Give praise and rewards when your dog does a great job. Hopefully, soon, your dog might even look forward to this special time each week spent with you.
Step 4:
Repeat that schedule every week and make sure your dog always has nice, clean, fresh drinking water after for a good rinse.
CONCLUSION
So you might still be wondering when is it best to start your dog on routine teeth brushing. A quick definitive answer is as soon as possible. Even though their baby teeth will eventually fall out naturally. You can start your new puppy as early as 6 weeks to get them used to the toothbrush and paste in their mouth.
If you have an older rescue at home, try as soon as the dog becomes comfortable around you and the new home. Brushing a dog’s teeth doesn’t have to be too complicated, luckily. Ideally set aside 20-minute intervals each week to corral them safely in your arms and brush away the plaque. You can both smile at their better health and cheers to a better-smelling morning breath.