Keeping your pet’s teeth clean

admin | 10:08 am | September 7, 2008 | Uncategorized

Brushing Your Pet’s Teeth! 

Have you ever forgotten to brush your teeth before going to bed at night?
Can you imagine forgetting to brush your teeth for several years? What would happen if you stopped brushing your own teeth? 

Even if you only ate hard food as most dogs do, there still would be problems. Ideally you should be brushing your dog’s teeth at least twice weekly, daily if you can manage it. 

The back teeth respond well to gnawing on raw bones, and raw bones and stringy meat are natures toothbrushes.

But the front teeth don�t get the benefit of gnawing and they can suffer dental disease without you knowing. 

It’s not as difficult as you might imagine. What are the benefits? 

Brushing removes the daily accumulation of plaque from the teeth. Even though dogs do not commonly get cavities, they do suffer from periodontal disease. If untreated the gum disease can lead to pain and loss of teeth. 

How to brush teeth? 

Step One - is to pick an appropriate pet toothbrush. Save yourself time by not buying a child’s toothbrush which is usually too hard for dogs however a baby�s one may be a lot softer. The ideal dog toothbrush will have a long handle, an angled head to better fit the mouth and extra soft bristles. Another option is the finger toothbrush that fits over the tip of your finger. 

Step Two - is to select an appropriate toothpaste. The best pet toothpastes contain enzymes that help control plaque. Try to avoid toothpastes with baking soda, detergents, or salt sometimes found in human pastes. Rather than placing the paste on top of the brush try to incorporate it between the bristles. This allows the paste to spend the most time next to the teeth. 

Step Three - is to get the brush with paste into your dog’s mouth and all the teeth brushed. Most dogs accept brushing if they are approached in a gentle manner. If you can start when they are young, it’s quite easy, but even older pets will accept the process. 

� Start slowly, you can use a washcloth or piece of gauze to wipe the teeth, front and back in the same manner you will eventually be using the toothbrush. No need to open the 
mouth, just lift the lip. Do this for just a minute or so, once a day for a week. 

� Use lots of rewards and praise to reinforce that its OK. Don�t get into a struggle or a fight to brush the teeth , back off and start again very slowly. 

� Then take the pet toothbrush, soak it in warm water and start brushing daily for several days. When your dog accepts this brushing, add the pet toothpaste. 

� The toothbrush bristles should be placed at the gum margin where the teeth and gums meet at a 45 degree angle. Gently massage the gums focusing on the area around the 
base of the tooth as well as into the space between the teeth. 

� Ten short back and- forth motions should be completed, then the brush should be moved to a new location. Cover three to four teeth at a time. Most attention should be given to 
the outside of the upper teeth. 

In summary:
Dog home care should include daily (or at least every other day) brushing, using an enzymatic pet toothpaste. Taking an active role in the care of your dog’s dental care will help 
reduce dental disease, bad breath and potential life threatening heart and kidney disease. 

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Thank you to Pet Talk Radio for the permission to reproduce this article