3 Ways to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth
Keeping your dog’s teeth clean can be hassle, especially since professional cleaning are not always the cheapest or healthiest options. This article will cover the importance of dental care, how to identify if your dog has plaque build-up and how to get rid of it.
Why should I clean my dog’s teeth?
Many dog owners underestimate how important dental care for their dog is. Plaque will form on your dog’s teeth as a result of saliva reacting with dog food. Plaque is essentially a buildup of bacteria on your dog’s teeth. If left untreated, it will turn into tartar (a hardened version of plaque). Tartar is much more difficult to remove from your dog’s teeth. That’s why it is important to have a daily cleaning routine.
Poor dental hygiene will not only lead to stinky breath but might also lead to gingivitis. Gingivitis is the inflammation of gums which is very painful and might lead to teeth loss.
In case you ever had tooth ache, you know how painful eating can be. If you dog’s gums are inflamed, it might be painful for him/her to eat and ultimately lead to weight loss.
How to check if your dog has plague
Whenever I go to the vet, he recommends a professional teeth cleaning. I’ve always been hesitant to do it, because it means they put my dog Luke under anesthesia. I have a friend who is a veterinarian, so I decided to go visit her and get a second opinion. She examined Luke’s teeth and said that she is surprised how healthy his teeth are. He has never had a professional cleaning in his entire life.
She showed me how to check his teeth in order to make an informed decision in the future about getting a professional cleaning or not. Overall, she does not recommend teeth cleaning under anesthesia for my dog due to the risks. Even though my dog is only 7 years old, she said it gets riskier with age to put him under anesthesia.
On the picture, you see my dog’s teeth. Don’t mind the black spots, he has a bunch of birthmarks in his mouth and on his tongue. Most of his teeth are pretty white and free of plaque but his canine tooth (the long one on the picture) has some build-up. If you look a little closer, you can see that pieces of that hardened tartar has been scraped off by his dental routine.
I do not expect my dog to have perfectly white teeth and as long as I keep monitoring his teeth, I am ok with a little build-up.
Please remember that every case is unique and your dog’s teeth might require professional care. If you think that your dog might be in pain or has developed a gum disease, please go see your veterinarian right away!
Build-Up on Dog Teeth
3 Ways to Clean Your Dog’s Teeth
1. Finger Toothbrush with Beef Paste
My veterinarian friend told me she uses a little finger brush with a beef paste. Her terrier mutt gets a lot of plaque build-up on her teeth. Her dog literally likes to eat anything, which causes excessive build-up. The beef paste my friend uses, is specifically designed to act as a tooth paste. I found a similar brand here. She tells her dog to sit and then uses one hand to hold the lips up while the other one has the finger brush with the paste. She repeats this every week. Her dogs love the taste and it keeps their teeth clean, which is great. This is definitely a good option if your dog doesn’t mind getting bothered with a beef paste for a bit.
Personally, I do not see my dog enjoying this at all. I wanted a solution that is easy for me but also pleasurable for my dog. So here are two more options of things that worked for me:
2. Rawhide Treats
Rawhide is the dried skin of cows. The skin is typically very hard but softens up when it comes in contact with water (or saliva). They are often rolled into a stick, which makes them a convenient treat. My dog Luke gets one stick per day and he loves it. It is easily digestible, and keeps him busy for a while.
The rawhide cleans his teeth by scraping off any food remains and plaque. There are different types of rawhide sticks available. They come in different sizes and some have additional flavors. Make sure you get the unbleached bully sticks (yes, some companies bleach their sticks to make them appear whiter). I use these because they are unbleached and made in the US. The sticks are literally only made with one ingredient, which is the beef skin.
3. Dental Toy
If your dog LOVES to chew on toys, then this one might be for you. One important thing to remember about dental toys is the stiffness of the toy. You do not want a toy too sharp or made from hard materials that might damage your dog’s teeth/gums. The toy should be soft enough for you to press it with your thumb but resistant enough so you dog doesn’t chew it into pieces. I have had the rubber toys from Vanfine for years. They are not only incredible durable, but they also scrape off plaque from your dog’s teeth. Since my dog loves squeaky toys, he doesn’t loose interest in it. My dog liked the Cube toy so much that I also bought the Football shaped toy.
These are just a few ways to clean you dog’s teeth. I honestly cannot tell you which option is the best, but the combination of rawhide sticks and playing with rubber toys has worked great for my dog. It worked so well that even my veterinarian friend was impressed. There are many other options out there. I’ve tried dental dog treats as well, but I found they did not make a big difference for my dog.
Remember that every dog is different: What worked for me might not work for you, so don’t be afraid to try different things until you find the right solution for you and your dog.
Keep smiling!
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