Knowing that dental care is essential for my pet dog, it has helped me in having a schedule for its personal hygiene. How often do I need to brush my dog’s teeth was one challenge to deal with when I got ‘Twinkle’.
Dogs get affected more often by diseases. The gum inflammation happens when food bits accumulate on the teeth, leading to bacterial accumulation. Gingivitis, Tart and plaque build-up are others that affect the dogs dental. Not forgetting the bad odor from its mouth.
So generally I brush my dog’s teeth 2 times a day. It is used to the TLC routine and always looks forward to the dental clean-ups.
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My dog’s grooming is important not only the fur and paws but the teeth and general dental health.
This helps the dog fight dental issues like:
- Bad breath in dogs which is caused by not cleaning its mouth regularly. When food particles get stuck between the dog’s teeth and gum it decays leading to bad odor. Well, a pet that has its teeth in good condition is a pet that has good breath.
- Plaque occurs when minerals in the saliva become hard. It forms tartar that lines on the gum line. But with brushing the dog’s teeth right after in the day reduces its spread. It is hard to remove tartar build-up unless oral hygiene is observed.
- Periodontal disease affects dogs tissues around the teeth and if untreated leads to painful gums and tooth loss. But with daily oral hygiene, the problem is prevented.
Brushing my dog’s teeth will reduce the damage of the internal organs as it curbs the circulation of bad bacteria. When the toxins from oral diseases get absorbed in the dog’s bloodstream, it leads to damage of the kidneys, liver, and heart. This fatally damages the dog’s internal organs.
So how often do I need to brush my dog’s teeth is dependent on how healthy I need my dog to be. It will save me some dimes eventually as good care costs less.
With daily brush up I will notice any problem cropping in leading to early detection of infections and curbing them quickly. This will also help me recognize in advance the worn out teeth and other symptoms. Dogs often hide their pain. But with brushing their teeth often you notice all the developments.
Brushing the dog’s teeth increases its lifespan as well as confidence. And the best applicable cure for any dental problem is nothing else but prevention.
How Often Should You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth?
This has been a debatable question for a while now. Some people prefer daily, others weekly and after every fortnight, depends on one’s priorities and preference.
For my dog, since it was a puppy, I chose to brush it once a day in the evenings and a dental check-up every quarter in a year.
My schedule cannot give me the opportunity to clean my twinkle 2 times a day. But you bet the one time I brush its teeth in the evenings I do a thorough job. It is a journey I embarked on to avoid it from getting oral diseases. The dog too has adapted well to the daily routine. Brushing it once a day prevents plaque from forming. It needs 24 hours to start lining the teeth. This also breaks the formation of bio-films.
How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth
First, check the dog’s mouth for any sign or traces of dental disease. In case of painful mouth sores that will make brushing the teeth a hard task due to pain and irritation.Let the task be a positive one by praising the dog during the whole process, with encouragement through all step.
Step 1
Get the dog to settle in comfortably and have the right toothpaste and toothbrush.
Slowly massage the chin, outside upper jaw and lower jaw in a slow circular motion, then back and forth motion.
Once you notice it is comfortable with the touch then proceed to step 2.
Step 2
Let the dog lick some toothpaste as it is within its comfort zones. Using a soft cloth with the toothpaste, rub it over the dog’s teeth gently and around the gum. Lining it well with the paste. Be careful it does not bite the fingers.
Step 3
You may ask, what should I brush my dog’s teeth with? Well, look for soft bristled brushes. Using a soft toothbrush add toothpaste and brush the teeth and gum all the way to the back of the mouth. Keep encouraging the dog as you do the brushing giving it breaks in between. Brush both lower and upper, then on the outside surface.
Step 4
Brush on the inside part of the dog’s mouth. Start with the smaller areas as you move towards the larger parts. Then brush the tongue as well as it helps control tartar.
Step 5
Let it lap on the water to freshen the mouth paste. Equally, check for any dental disorder at this point.
Note:
Should the dog become stubborn is brushing teeth, give it a chew toy that gets the cleaning halfway done.
Take it for dental check-ups frequently.
Watch the videos to learn How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth Perfectly
Tips for Dog Dental Care
Here are some tips for dental care for dogs that you should know if you have a dog at home.
A visit to the vet
- Have dental check-ups for the dog on a quarterly basis or as per personal preference. Lots of dogs develop a dental disease that may require treatment.
- Should you notice that the dog has unusual odors, the dog behaving strangely and unusual dental inflammation, kindly see a vet immediately.
- The vet can do a thorough clean-up on the dog’s teeth too.
Brush your pet’s’ teeth as early
- When a dog is young it is easier to train it on oral hygiene. As much as you take care of your teeth, the same applies to the dog. Have a routine to do the clean-up and always reward the dog. Eventually, it will fit in well to the routine by the time it is fully grown. Saving you the fighting battles.
Feeds
Toothpaste and brush
- Always get the right dog toothpaste and brush. Don’t use human ones as they have additives not suitable for the dog. The dog’s brushes should be of soft material and one that brushes in all areas.
Final Words
Now you know, don’t ask how often you need to brush your dog’s teeth. Just as hygiene is important to you so is the dog’s dental hygiene.
Many are the times we just concentrated with the fur cleanliness. It both an internal and an external affair.
Pet dogs best friends are humans and the feel our pain, so let’s share in their pain as well. Often we cry buckets when the dog dies or gets lost. Let’s treat them much more. Pet grooming is the overall well being of the pet both emotionally and physically. And an early start to all this the better flow for the two of you.
