Home dental care is the best approach to help keep your dog’s teeth and gum healthy. Therefore, it is an essential task for the owner to brush the dogs’ teeth and gums. It would be best to start as early as possible so that your dog can be familiar with it. Similar to people, brushing the teeth of your dog can be very beneficial to prevent dental disease.
The Importance of Brushing the Dogs’ Teeth
It is assessed that more than 2/3 of dogs beyond three years old have periodontal disease, an infection, or inflammation of the tissues encompassing the teeth. Once the plaque accumulates underneath the gum line, it can develop gingivitis that progresses into periodontal disease and frequently advances to include the bony tooth sockets. If neglected, periodontal disease can lead to unbearable tooth loss.
That is why it is important to brush the dogs’ teeth at least twice each day. When brushing turns into a piece of their daily schedule, they will start to expect and appreciate it for some dogs. The minimum recommendation to brush the dogs’ teeth is at least three times a week to help eliminate plaque and prevent tartar buildup.
It is ideal for training your dog to acknowledge tooth brushing while he is still a puppy. In case you have a more established dog, the training cycle may take somewhat more, yet it is still certainly well worth the effort.
Steps to Train Your Dog to Accept Brushing His Teeth
To be effective at brushing the dogs’ teeth, you should make it a positive moment for both of you. Create the moment positive by complimenting your dog all through the entire procedure, with consolation through each progression. You can follow the steps below for the best outcomes.
- Choose a quiet time and place to start.
- If your dog is adequately small, hold your dog safely in your lap with his head confronting away from you. In case your dog is big, get a chair and sit on there and let your dog sit near to you so you can comfortably deal with his mouth and teeth.
- Begin by scouring your finger or a soft material over the external surfaces of your dog’s teeth. Then apply the back-and-forth motion, focusing on the gum line where the tooth surface lies. Be mindful to remain on the outside surfaces of the teeth to abstain from being accidentally bitten. It is smart to rub the fabric along a couple of teeth instead of the entire mouth, mainly if your pet is uncertain or apprehensive about the process.
- Once your dog is used to scouring his teeth, it would be an excellent time to give him a smidgen of pet toothpaste from your finger. Try not to use human toothpaste because it is not suitable to be swallowed.
- When your dog acknowledges the pet toothpaste, use a modest quantity of the material and rub it over the dog’s teeth.
- Once your dog is completely comfortable with you rubbing his teeth with a material, it is an ideal opportunity to start utilizing a toothbrush.
The Right Type of Toothbrush for Your Dog
Commercial toothbrushes are accessible that explicitly intended for use in dogs. These consist of:
- small brushes that fit easily in your hand
- brushes with angled handles
- finger toothbrushes designed to fit over the tip of your finger
- brushes with numerous heads so you can simultaneously brush every gum line, the inside, outside, and upper part of the tooth
For some dogs, it is suitable to have an incredibly soft toothbrush intended for use in human infants.
The kind of toothbrush you use relies a little upon your dog’s size and a small part on your own mastery. Several pet owners think that it is simpler to use a finger brush, particularly when just starting to brush their dog’s teeth. Talk with your veterinarian if you are questionable about which brush to get.
Regardless of the variety of toothbrushes you have, it is critical to be delicate and go gradually on your dog’s gum line and teeth. It is not difficult to accidentally poke the tip of the toothbrush against the dog’s gums and result in some irritation.
Moreover, remember not to use human toothpaste. Human kinds of toothpaste have ingredients that are not applicable to be swallowed. In case it is absorbed, it can result in digestive disturbances or an upset stomach. A few human kinds of toothpaste have high amounts of sodium which may even make your dog sick, while others may consist of xylitol which is poisonous for dogs.
The Proper Way to Brush the Dogs’ Teeth
Put a small quantity of toothpaste into the toothbrush and smoothly lift your dog’s lips on one side of his mouth. You can perform this by moving up on the lip with the index finger of your free hand. Or you can also do this by setting your available hand over your dog’s head with your thumb and forefinger on the other borders of your dog’s top jaw to raise his lips.
On the other hand, you will require to open your dog’s mouth a bit to clean the lower teeth. This situation should be possible by delicately shifting your dog’s head in reverse while holding onto their upper jaw with the thumb and forefinger of your free hand.
From the start, focus on brushing the enormous post-canine teeth and the pointed teeth, the teeth where plaque and tartar gather most rapidly. Progressively work up to brushing the entirety of the teeth. This activity will perhaps require a few days or weeks.
Try not to stress over-brushing the teeth’ tips or internal parts except if your dog is very cooperative. Most damage to periodontal disease happens on the teeth’ external surfaces, which is where you should coordinate your efforts. Furthermore, the dog’s tongue tends to eliminate a ton of plaque from the teeth’ inner parts, lessening the requirement for brushing these surfaces.
Other Important Reminder
The dog’s mouth contains lots of microbes. If conceivable, use gloves while brushing your dog’s teeth. If this restricts your capacity to brush your dog’s teeth efficiently, make certain to thoroughly wash your hands with cleanser and water after you complete the procedure. Additionally, wash the toothbrush thoroughly before taking care of it. Remember to change the toothbrush every three months and if you have numerous dogs, apply a separate toothbrush for every one of them.