Why and how you should clean your dog’s teeth

A dog’s teeth and gums are vulnerable to disease just as our own are and just like us they may become rotten and uncomfortable and of course also get plaque. Dogs can also suffer from halitosis (bad breath) regular brushing can also help against kidney failure and heart disease in your dog’s later life.

You should start brushing your dog’s teeth when he is a puppy but it is never too late to start, however, please bear in mind that an adult dog should be checked over by a vet to ascertain if your dog’s teeth require de-scaling. If your dog has damaged teeth or gum disease again please see your vet first before starting a brushing routine.

To start off you need to acclimatise your puppy to having your fingers in his mouth. You should start by gently lifting his lips after you have done this reward him and then progress to rubbing his teeth with your finger wrapped in a little bit of gauze again after every time you do this reward him. There is no need to brush the inside surfaces of your dog’s teeth as unlike humans dogs tend to get plaque on the outside surfaces of the teeth.

Once your dog is used to having his teeth wiped you should progress to a soft toothbrush (our selection of toothbrushes are specially made for dogs, human toothbrushes can be too large and the bristles too hard and stiff).

Soak the toothbrush (without toothpaste) in warm water (to soften it) and gently apply to your dog’s teeth, you should pay particular attention to the area where the teeth and gums meet. You should position the toothbrush so it’s at a 45-degree angle, so that the bristles reach just under the gum line and also that the bristle go between the teeth. Then brush up and down apply just a little bit of pressure (not too much as you don’t want your dog’s gums to start bleeding).

When your dog is comfortable with having the toothbrush in his mouth you can progress to using specially formulated dog toothpaste these are normally flavoured with meat. Never use human toothpaste or baking soda as this is inedible and can cause stomach problems it may also make your dog vomit.

You should try to clean your dog’s teeth at least twice a week and supplement his diet with a bone, hard biscuit or a hard toy to keep plaque at bay.

Just like you, your dog should also have his teeth checked every six months but brushing and looking after his teeth may significantly reduce the amount of cleaning the vet has to do.