Dog Dental

How do you brush a dog's teeth?

First, we're going to show how to brush teeth. Justine brought Finn's toothbrush and she's going to demonstrate how and the purposes of brushing teeth.

She has a soft, versatile toothbrush here. It's just a normal human toothbrush. You can use some finger ones to directly rub the teeth as well. She also has dog-friendly toothpaste. It's actually chicken flavored. It doesn't really help prevent dental tartar or plaque, but it definitely tastes good, so it helps you get in their mouth to brush their teeth.

Justine is putting some toothpaste on the toothbrush. Finn loves it.

From here, she lifts up his lip and brushes the outside surfaces of his teeth. You don't have to worry about the insides because the tongue will remove a lot of the plaque from the insides of the teeth. She's just working on removing the outsides.

How frequently should you brush your dog's teeth?

Ideally, you should brush for about 15 to 30 seconds once a day. If you can't do it daily, every other day is also beneficial. The motion of the toothbrush helps keep plaque and tartar away.

What about dog dental treats for my dog?

There are dental treats you can look into, such as PlaqOff, Greenies, and Dentistix. Look for the VOHC label, which stands for Veterinary Oral Health Council. Any product inspected by this group has been proven to help remove plaque or tartar from pets' teeth.

Why would my dog need a dental cleaning?

Sometimes, tartar can build up on your pet's teeth despite our best efforts. This could be due to genetics or not starting early enough. In such cases, a dental procedure involving general anesthesia may be necessary. Your veterinarian can perform this procedure.

If you have any other questions, please contact us.