Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

Original poster

cleaning dogs teeth

16 replies

judeinsussex · 29/05/2021 09:08

You do have to start cleaning a puppy's teeth from day one really. Just do it very gently so that they get used to you putting something into their mouth - either by using a finger brush (at first) and then moving on to a soft baby brush. Never ever use human toothpaste. Dogs can't spit and they could choke. They just swallow the proper dog toothpaste because it tastes of chicken or something. I clean my dogs teeth daily - its a bit of a chore - but pays real dividends. The dog I had before this one had severe dental problems from time to time, but then I had her as a three year old so she wasn't used to having her teeth cleaned. This one I had from 9 weeks and she allows me to do anything. Just as well, as she is a coated breed. The toothpaste I use and could highly recommend is called Virbac Enzymatic toothpaste. I don't think the vets sell it but I get it on line. If you want to watch a demo. of a dog having its teeth cleaned then there are a couple on YouTube which are really good. When you start to try to clean a dogs teeth, praise all the time and offer re-assuring words. Seems to work with my little dog.

OP posts:

BiteyShark · 29/05/2021 11:14

We brush our dogs teeth daily but he still needed a scale and polish as an adult. Despite doing it from young he still isn't keen and just about tolerates my DH doing it once a day.

It's worth trying to do it but for us it hasn't been the magic bullet in terms of still needing dental care from the vets so I do think good/bad teeth might also be one of those things some dogs suffer more from.

Calmestofallthechickens · 29/05/2021 11:48

It’s definitely worth cleaning teeth but there’s a big genetic element - toy breeds and any dog where the teeth don’t align properly seem to do worse. I also think diet plays a big role - traditional wet canned food being worse than dry or raw.

Darklane · 29/05/2021 12:40

Sometimes it’s easier with a puppy if you start by putting a bit of the toothpaste on a little piece of muslin & rubbing their teeth with that...think pieces that come with the hot cloth cleansers, just cut them into quarters. It also helps if when you are making a fuss of them, on your knee, stroking etc, you get them used to you putting a finger in their mouth & gently massaging. Getting them used to having strangers inspect their teeth is a big part of ringcraft training for snow dogs.
Genetics do play a part, some seem to have more teeth issues than others. Toy breeds are often more prone but even there there are differences. Along with my main breed I’ve always had a couple of little pet Yorkies who are known to have problem teeth. BUT one of mine was the so. Of an imported American champion & his teeth were terrific! Never a problem....so it’s true Americans have better teeth

Darklane · 29/05/2021 12:41

Show dogs not snow, sorry

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 29/05/2021 15:20

I've always cleaned my dog's teeth, but only about once a month.

Recently, I've also started using Plaque Off as my local dog owners group seem to favour it (apparently there is a soluble version but I have the one that looks like a pot of finely chopped herbs) on the dog's food and her teeth are fantastic now. It is made from seaweed so contains iodine and is thus contraindicated in dogs with hyperthyroidism. I would be interested to hear anyone else's take on it and whether it has any other contraindications that I don't know about.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 29/05/2021 15:21

Sorry, that should have read once a WEEK.

Snooks1971 · 29/05/2021 19:55

@mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork

I've always cleaned my dog's teeth, but only about once a month.

I’m very interested in this @mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork, our rescue dog is approx 5-6 and will only tolerate a brush for a few seconds.

BiteyShark · 29/05/2021 20:03

I tried plaque off but my dog refused to eat any of his food

Snooks1971 · 29/05/2021 20:34

@BiteyShark oh no! Bugger. Maybe I should give it a try anyway, she is a dustbin.

Catsrus · 29/05/2021 20:42

I've had dogs for over 30 yrs. I've never cleaned a dog's teeth I don't recall ever having a dental problem, apart from rescues that arrived with bad teeth. A good diet soon sorts that out. Give the mouth something to do - Raw meaty bones (non-weight bearing, the kind that gets fully eaten like ribs, wings, feet), Antlers, pizzles.... much easier than faffing around with doggy toothpaste!

cupsofcoffee · 30/05/2021 07:01

I've never brushed a dogs' teeth and don't intend to start now

He gets raw bones regularly and lots of natural chews that help clean his teeth too - things like trachea, pizzles and the like. His teeth are in excellent condition with no plaque and no bad breath.

I'm afraid to say I do think toothbrushes and toothpaste for dogs are a bit of a money making gimmick

AyyMacarena · 30/05/2021 07:10

I've also had dogs for decades. Big dogs with big teeth and I've never brushed them. I think it's more of a small dog as friends with small dogs have and have also had to have some out when older.

My newest dog has a lot of plaque on his biggest tooth which I'm watching out for/scrape off but otherwise agree it's a gimmick. Dogs have got on for millennia without us brushing their teeth.

Juanbablo · 30/05/2021 07:12

I asked my Nan about this sort of thing the other day. They've had dogs for YEARS, all different breeds. And I asked if they used to have them groomed, teeth brushed etc and she said no, it wasn't a thing then. They used to have their shi-tzu's brushed and trimmed I think but that's more recent. We have a terrier and one of the reasons we chose that breed was low grooming maintenance. We haven't brushed his teeth although I'm sure he would let us, I check his teeth and they look fine.

Juanbablo · 30/05/2021 07:13

I also give him a carrot or a dentastick once a week. Much more likely to eat a carrot though. And he has dry food.

PermanentlyDizzy · 30/05/2021 12:53

It can be very breed dependent. Greyhounds can tend to suffer badly with their teeth and need regular brushing/maintenance and brachycephalic dogs can get all sorts of issues from dental crowding, leading to plaque and decay, to missing teeth. Toy breeds can have similar issues.

My Lurcher will be 16 in a few months and has just started to have dental issues after always having good teeth. My vet said he’s the only Greyhound or Greyhound cross he knows to still have all his teeth at his age.

We take good care of them, they are brushed every night and we use dental gel as well. He absolutely refuses to eat meaty bones and actually ran away from raw food with his tail between his legs! He will have the odd fish skin, but is fundamentally too lazy to eat anything that requires effort (He can’t be bothered with kongs either.) So brushing is our only option with him. He’s never needed a veterinary dental, although could do with one now, but can’t have a GA due to neuro issues.

Previously our dogs were all raw fed and all had lovely teeth even into old age.

StillMedusa · 31/05/2021 01:39

I put plaque off in my dogs food..it definitely helps. I tried brushing her teeth from puppyhood but she wasn't having any of it..and I never felt I was getting a good scrub!
My girl can be fussy with food but she honestly hasn''t noticed the seaweed flakes in her dinner!

Flip