When should you brush your pet’s teeth?
The general recommendation is to take your dog to the veterinary dental specialist at least once a year and combine it with at-home dental care in between. Most dog owners want to know how often they should brush the teeth of their dog at home. It is recommended that you brush your dog’s teeth daily with a dog toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste so as to prevent bacteria and keep their mouth healthy.
Your veterinary dentist will give you a list of dog-safe toothpaste that you can use for your dog. Ensure that you wear gloves while brushing your dog’s teeth. However, if this limits your ability to effectively brush his teeth, then be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after you are finished.
Steps to follow in order to make my dog accept tooth brushing?
- Get a soft cloth and rub it over the outer surfaces of your dog’s teeth prioritizing the area where the gum and the tooth intersect. Make sure you stay on the outside surfaces of the teeth to prevent being unintentionally bitten by the dog. It might also be a good idea to rub the cloth along a few teeth rather than the whole mouth until your dog becomes more comfortable with the process.
- As soon as your dog becomes comfortable with you rubbing his teeth, let him taste the dog toothpaste from your finger. It is important that you do not use human toothpaste as it is not formulated to be swallowed by dogs.
- Once your dog has gotten used to the taste of dog toothpaste, apply in small quantity on the cloth and rub it over the teeth of your dog.
- Once your dog is completely used to you rubbing his teeth with a cloth, you can move it up one notch by using a dog toothbrush.
Using a dog toothbrush
- Apply some toothpaste to the toothbrush and raise the lips of your dog on one side of his mouth.
- To brush the lower teeth, you have to open the mouth of the dog a little. This is usually done by gently tilting the dog’s head backward while holding onto the upper jaw with the thumb and index finger of your free hand.
- At first, focus on brushing the large cheek teeth and the canine teeth which are where plaque and tartar accumulate most quickly. Then gradually work up to brushing all of the teeth in the following days or weeks.
- Do not worry about brushing the tips or insides of the teeth because it is harder to do without getting bitten and also because most periodontal damages occurs on the outer surfaces of the teeth.
Veterinary dentist near me
No matter where you are in League City, Texas, you are guaranteed affordable pet dental care whenever you visit the Safari veterinary care center for either dog-related concerns or for the annual check-up.
