Brushing a Dog's Teeth

Chris G.
Chris G., Yahoo! Contributor Network
Aug 22, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Brushing a dog's teeth needs to be done on a fairly regular basis. Just like in people, tartar and plaque can build up on a dog's teeth. If left untreated the buildup will eventually lead to tooth decay, which can become a serious, even life threatening, problem.

If your dog has bad breath, and I mean bad, there's little doubt he has serious tooth decay and should be seen by a veterinarian. Decaying dogteeth can lead to blood infections, which can travel to the organs and kill your dog.

Brushing a dog's teeth should be done once a week. If you start the process early in your dog's life, he will become accustomed to it and even start enjoying it.

How do you brush a dog's teeth? It's really quite simple and shouldn't take much longer than it takes you to brush your own teeth. The more often you brush the easier and quicker it will become. You won't have to spend a lot of time scraping away tartar and plaque if you brush often.

Using a rubber thimble with bristles is the easiest way I have found to brush a dog's teeth. You can also use a soft bristled toothbrush instead of the thimble, I think the thimble is easier because you can feel what your doing. I don't use toothpaste, however if you choose to there are lots of doggy flavored toothpastes out there.

Important: Don't use human toothpaste on dogs. Human toothpaste is not meant for consumption, since dogs don't spit, they'll undoubtedly swallow the paste. This can make them sick.

Make sure when you brush that you get the fronts and backs of your dog's teeth. Pay close attention to the back teeth, this area is where most decay will occur in dog teeth.

Tips for keeping your dog's teeth healthy:

  • Feed your dog dry dog food: the hardness will help keep tartar and plaque buildup down
  • Give your dog hard biscuit treats: many of these treats are specifically designed for dog tooth decay prevention
  • Give your dog hard bones to chew on: bones bring out the primal instincts in dogs and help keep teeth and gums healthy. Don't give them bones that will splinter easily, like chicken bones.
  • Brush your dog's teeth weekly
  • Check your dog's breath for any foulness
Brushing a dog's teeth is easy once you get the hang of it. It is an activity that your dog will end up enjoying as well...so happy brushing.

Published by Chris G.

I am a veteran kayak instructor and raft guide. I currently work in health care. Recently i've been training for and competing in olympic distance triathlons.  View profile

  • The more you brush your dog's teeth the easier it becomes
  • Brushing your dog's teeth can literally save his/her life.
Infected teeth can cause serious health problems for your dog, but can be avioded by brushing your dog's teeth.

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