How To Brush Your Dog's Teeth - Dog Dental Care

Veterinarians report that 85% of dogs over the age of 4 are suffering from some kind of periodontal gum disease. The good news for dogs is they are not as prone to cavities as humans are but despite the old conventional wisdom, a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth. Dogs can still develop problems like tartar and plaque which is leading to gingivitis periodontal gum disease. Even better news for dogs is that we can prevent these gum disease issues by following two steps: step one, taking your dog to your veterinarian for an exam to evaluate if they need a teeth cleaning once a year, and step 2, daily at-home dental care.

1) Call Your Vet

Call your vet right now and schedule an annual exam for your dog on average dogs benefit from a professional cleaning once a year but every pet needs his or her individual dental program some dogs might need less frequent cleanings others more your vet will also work with you to recommend which dog food is best for your pet lots of times dry food can be better for the teeth but I'm not the expert on that talk to your vet now to fulfill.

2) Brush Their Teeth

Brushing your dog's teeth might sound silly or even impossible but it's an excellent way to prevent plaque buildup. 

Most experts agree that daily brushing is ideal but if that's unrealistic do the best you can aim for a few times per week most dogs aren't too fond of the idea of you brushing their teeth at first but you can easily train them just like you would when they get their nails trimmed.  If your pup's patience only lasts for you to brush half his teeth today and half his teeth tomorrow that's fine just remember which half you did and then do the other half tomorrow now for toothpaste. This is very important, DO NOT USE human toothpaste for your dog. Most human toothpastes contain fluoride and although great for cavity prevention they are not great for dogs.