Dog teeth cleaning is something which should become a daily part of your routine of caring for your pet. Just like us, dogs can develop tooth disease; making it very important to make sure that you care for your pet’s health by keeping their teeth clean and tartar free.
Dental Disease and Your Dog’s Health
Diseases of the mouth, teeth, and gums can be very painful for your pooch and because they aren’t able to tell us when they have a toothache, as pet owners we must be diligent in keeping up with our dog’s dental care. If left untreated, a tooth infection may develop into serious complication for your dog and affect vital organs such as their heart, liver, or kidneys.
The diet your dog eats makes a big difference to the health of their teeth. Fortified dog food and treats which are designed to maintain dental health are one good way to protect your pets’ health. You can have your dogs’ teeth professionally cleaned by your vet, but this is not needed except in extreme cases; your dog has to be anesthetized and can be expensive and risky for your pet.
Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth
Even if your dog is no longer a puppy you can train them to accept having their teeth brushed with some patience and perseverance. Both dogs and puppies alike can be acclimated to having the toothbrush in their mouths simply by starting out using your finger and a dab of peanut butter.
Your pet will lick your finger (and the peanut butter). You can start rubbing their teeth and gums while praising your dog. After a few days you r dog will become accustomed to this and you can start trying it with a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger. Rub the teeth and gums with your finger just as you would with a toothbrush. When your dog gets used to this procedure, you can start using a real toothbrush.
Don’t use toothpaste made for people – this will give your dog an upset stomach. Use dog toothpaste instead; these are designed to be appealing to dogs. Let your dog lick some off of the brush, then add more and start brushing.
Lift the sides of your dog’s gums so you can access their upper teeth, aptly called the canines, and hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle for the best results. This allows you to clean the gum line as well as the teeth to keep the gums equally as healthy. Brushing two to three teeth at a time, brush in a circular motion anywhere from eight to ten times or so in order to get each area clean. A dog’s upper back teeth tend to be the most susceptible to decay and periodontal disease, so if anything, focus your efforts there first.
Dog teeth cleaning should always be a happy, positive event. However, you will want to remain upbeat, but also low-key to keep your dog on the same wavelength and from becoming overly excited. Usually no more than one minute or so is long enough before your dog loses interest, but after practicing for a bit, you’ll find that that’s all it takes to keep your dog’s teeth clean, keeping them happy and healthy.
Dog teeth cleaning is important to dog health, and canine teeth cleaning can be done in several ways. Keep your dog’s teeth clean by brushing your dog’s teeth, by a healthy diet, and by adding a canine teeth cleaning agent to your dog’s drinking water. All can play a part in keeping your dog’s teeth healthy.