Brushing your dog’s teeth is just another part of grooming, and it is important to keep their teeth clean and mouth healthy. Always use a tooth paste that is designed for pets. Not only will they like the taste, but it is safe for them. Because dogs swallow, the tooth paste that humans use can upset your dog’s stomach. Pet toothpaste is available at pet stores as well as pet catalogs like Dental Care for Dogs at Drs. Foster and Smith.

There are many tools available to assist you in keeping that doggy smile beautiful and fresh smelling. There are dental cleansers that eliminate bacteria in the mouth. Dental sponges help spread the cleansers or toothpaste. There are also dental wipes to wipe away the bacteria on the teeth and gums. Finger toothbrushes are a great way to introduce your pet to tooth cleaning. You can even purchase a tooth scaler just like the one your dental hygienist uses to scrape off plaque. Of course doggy toothbrushes are also available. Electric toothbrushes or battery operated toothbrushes are very good to use if your dog will allow them. Eliot cannot get past the noise and vibration they make!

It is best to introduce your dog to tooth brushing while he is young. It takes much more patient when your dog is older. I started brushing Spencer’s teeth when he was several years old. When he saw his toothbrush, he would run to the living room and hide his head under the sofa! It took a lot of coaxing and treats to get his teeth brushed! Eliot is very easy, because I started brushing his teeth as a puppy. I simply call him into the bathroom and shut the door (I learned this trick from Spencer) and have him sit and he is ready for brushing. About ten years ago it was recommended to brush your dog’s teeth every week. The research today about brushing a dog’s teeth is recommended as a daily routine.

Tags: brushing dog teeth, dog dental cleaners, dog dental sponge, dog dental wipes, dog finger toothbrush, dog teeth brushing, dog tooth scaler, dog toothbrush, dog toothpaste

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am and is filed under Dog Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.