Let’s be honest, trying to wrestle a toothbrush into your dog’s mouth can sometimes feel like a scene from an action movie! They wiggle, they whine, and they might even give you the “how could you betray me?” eyes. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wished there was an easier way to keep those canine chompers clean. Well, good news, my friend! While regular brushing is the gold standard, there are definitely some cool alternatives in our arsenal to help keep your pup’s breath fresh and their gums healthy without turning it into a daily battle.
Do Our Dogs Really Need To Have Their Teeth Brushed?
Keeping your dog’s teeth clean isn’t just any activity or just keeping your dog’s breath fresh; it’s important because it’s crucial for their overall health. It’s just a bit of doggy breath, right? You may be asking yourself. No is not, that is. Neglecting your dog’s dental health might have some unpleasant (pun intended!) repercussions.
Signs Your Dog’s Teeth Need Attention
Be alert for:
- Persistent bad breath
- Red or bleeding gums
- Difficulty chewing
- Yellow or brown tartar buildup
- Excessive drooling
Early detection can significantly improve the outcome of many diseases and conditions
When is the right time to begin brushing your dog’s teeth?
Ideally, you want a dog who’s comfortable with you touching his mouth. You get into this when they’re nice and young. Get your hands in there; brush your fingers against their teeth. When we start to brush a dog’s teeth, we usually want to get them used to the taste of the toothpaste. The toothpaste I use for my pets is usually flavored, basically like giving a dog a treat. And normally, I recommend starting with just some toothpaste on your finger and rubbing it on the teeth just to give them a flavor and a taste for it.
Stop your work and take a break if your dog starts to pull away or shows signs of discomfort. Go back a step in the toothbrushing procedure to when your dog was at ease and satisfied during your last session. Practice taking little, steady steps before moving on to simpler ones.
How regularly should I brush my dog’s teeth?
Many People often ask me, and I say as often as you can, brushing your dog’s teeth every day before bed is a great idea. Not everybody’s got the time to do that, and if you’re doing it once or twice a week, you’re probably ahead of the curve. But as often as you can, it’s my best advice. So we have some enzymatically flavored doggy toothpaste.
How to brush your dog’s teeth?
Usually, I just get a little bit on my finger. Let her friend here get a little taste of it. That’s pretty weird, right? And then what you want to do is just start brushing gently, just onto the canines. Your goal is to get back to these molars back here, but it’s the canines that are more accessible, and once the dog is used to having their canines brushed, you can work on the molars, and they’ll return to drooling, right, because it tastes good. Once you have your dog used to the taste of the toothpaste, it will be quite alright with you rubbing your finger on its teeth.
What you do is you move up to a toothbrush. There are several dog toothbrushes on the market. I personally prefer using just a soft baby toothbrush, which you can get from any convenience store. Your main idea is to have a soft toothbrush that your dog can accept, which is pretty easy to find. Now, put a little toothpaste on the toothbrush, and remember, this is basically a treat, so you want to rub a little bit just on the canines.
You don’t need to brush hard because, again, these toothpastes are enzymatic, so they work by softening up the plaque there. We go, and that’s really all you need to do. You don’t need to worry about brushing in sizesors on the dog. They’re not very large teeth, so if you’re doing that, you’re already doing quite well.
You get clean canines now. Once the dog is comfortable with the canines being cleaned, you can move on to the molars, and the way you do that is just by lifting the lip up a little bit. And getting back there just like that. Just like that, that always helps to get a little bit more of the yummy toothpaste on there. Just take your time, make sure it’s fun for the dog, and of course, you have to do both sides; just gently massage their gums.
Make it a treat for your dog, and most importantly, just take your time. Work your way up to brushing those molars just by working your fingers in and working on the canines first, and then working your way back to the molars as your dog allows you. And then you can have a happy dog with clean teeth like that. If you can do this as often as you practically can, except every day is great, but even if you’re doing it once or twice a week, you still have a significant impact on your dog’s oral health.
5 completely natural approaches to brushing your dog’s teeth without using a brush
- I give him raw bones to chew on. They’re like nature’s toothbrush! Chewing helps scrape off the plaque from his teeth. But I always make sure the bones are raw and the right size for him. Cooked bones can break and hurt him, so I avoid those. And I never leave him alone while he’s chewing, just to be safe.
- He loves chew treats, especially the ones made from natural stuff like yak cheese. They’re tasty for him and good for his teeth. I look for treats that don’t have weird additives and are easy for him to digest.
- Coconut oil is like a magic potion. I rub a little on his teeth or mix it into his food. It helps fight off bad bacteria and keeps his breath fresh. Plus, it makes his coat shiny! But I don’t overdo it, just a small amount is enough.
- My dog’s favorite snack is carrots. They’re crunchy, so they help clean his teeth as he chews. And they’re healthy too! I make sure to cut them into the right size so he doesn’t choke.
- He has chew toys with little bumps and ridges. When he gnaws on them, they massage his gums and help remove plaque. I always choose toys that are safe and fit his chewing style. So, even without brushing, there are plenty of ways to keep my dog’s teeth clean and healthy. It’s all about finding what works best for him!
Conclusion
Your dog is not alone if brushing isn’t his favorite exercise. However, with the use of natural cleaning solutions and chewing, you may restore his teeth to their former glory. These may be used in conjunction with brushing or as you work with your dog to help them become used to cleaning their teeth. Getting your dog’s teeth cleaned by a professional is maybe the greatest approach to guarantee their dental health.