Today we’re going to give you some tips on cleaning your dog’s teeth at home☆

Tartar (dental calculus) in dogs

It is said that plaque turns into tartar in only three days in dogs. Once it becomes tartar, it is almost impossible to clean it off with a toothbrush, and increases risk of gingivitis. Therefore, daily brushing to maintain a healthy oral cavity is important.

Use dental gum only as a backup!

It is difficult to clean the teeth perfectly using only dental gum, so it is a good idea to use it as a reward after brushing. When choosing dental gum, make sure it is an appropriate size, and be careful it’s not too hard so as not to damage your dog’s teeth. Gum that contains lots of fiber is good, so that your pet can chew on it for a long time, and last but not least, choose something that tastes yummy!. To prevent your pet from swallowing the gum whole, hold it at an angle that allows them to chew on it with the upper molars. This is where plaque tends to build up faster, compared to the other teeth in the oral cavity.

Recommendation of dental scaling

It is said that 90 % of dogs over 1 year old have periodontitis. Even with regular teeth brushing, it is difficult to keep their teeth completely clean. Hand scaling without anesthesia requires dogs to be held down for long periods of time and can also be quite painful depending on how much inflammation is present in the gums. This  leads to huge amounts of stress for dogs. Instead of hand scaling, we recommend you consider an annual dental scaling under anesthesia. A recent study showed that scaling with anesthesia once a year decreased the death risk in dogs by 18.3 %. Especially in dogs that tend to fight and struggle when having their teeth brushed, it would be a great idea to reset the oral cavity annually and then follow up with light daily brushing.  

Practice makes perfect!

Puppies under 6 months of age will get used to teeth brushing faster than adult dogs. Therefore, even though baby teeth do fall out eventually, starting practice early is very helpful. Adult dogs may take about a month to get comfortable with brushing, so do not rush and keep trying bit by bit. Try to avoid brushing in areas where there is noticeable pain in the mouth caused by stomatitis, etc, and at the timing of teeth replacement (usually between 4-7months of age).

STEP1　Touch the muzzle and mouth

During daily cuddle time, try to get into the habit of touching around the mouth and rewarding with a treat when they let you to do so even a little bit. It is good to touch while the dog is concentrating on the treat, too.

STEP2　Touch inside the mouth

Flip the lip and touch the teeth and the gums. Touch gently and then reward with a treat. Put your finger in further along the gums when they get used to it. Try touching for longer periods each time.

STEP3　Use dental sheets

Wrap the sheet tightly around your finger and start rubbing gently across the incisors . Don’t forget the treat!

STEP4　Use a brush

Wet the brush with water and use doggy toothpaste. Flip the lip up and apply the brush to the tooth. Upper molars and canines easily accumulate plaque. You can reach the inner side by inserting your fingers just behind the canines to open the mouth.