April 4th, 2023 by Sarah Miles

 All dog owners know that they need to care for their pets by giving them appropriate nutrition, keeping them clean and groomed, and giving them exercise and stimulation but many don’t necessarily realise that they need to clean their teeth.

Why cleaning a dog’s teeth is important?

Obviously, dogs have teeth, and while they may not eat the sugary snacks that we humans do, keeping them clean is important for oral health. In fact, dental disease is one of the most common health issues that dogs experience. Not only can neglecting dental hygiene lead to problems for your dog, including severe pain and compromising their ability to eat properly, but it can also result in very expensive vet bills too.

Keeping teeth clean prevents the build-up of plaque and tartar which can lead to painful conditions like gingivitis (gum inflammation), broken or cracked teeth, and dental disease.

Things to know:

·        Your dog is much more like to be happy having their teeth cleaned if you start when they are puppies

·        Daily cleaning is recommended and doing it frequently also makes it more normal for your dog

·        Always use dog-specific toothpaste. Human toothpaste can be toxic to dogs

How to clean your dog’s teeth

While you may be fully on board with the reasons ‘why’ you should clean your dog’s teeth, getting your head around ‘how’ may seem more difficult and you may even be nervous about getting bitten. The key to it is introducing teeth cleaning slowly over a number of stages, especially if your dog is older and not used to you handling their mouth. It works in the same way as any training; lots of reward and praise, introducing things gradually and establishing each step before moving on to the next one. How quickly you achieve full brushing will depend on your dog and how quickly they learn but there’s no fixed time span so take it at your own pace. Try following these stages:

Get them used to you touching their mouth

Encourage them to place their chin on your flat hand by holding a treat just beyond your hand and giving it to them when they do it. Build up the duration over a few times. You can use a prompt word such as ‘chin’. When they have got the hang of this, gently touch their lips and then give them the treat. Repeat several times, building up the length of time you touch their mouth.

Start to touch inside their mouth

Now, instead of touching their lips, slide your finger inside their upper lip and touch their gum. Again, treat every time and give praise and build up the duration slowly.

Lift their lip to reveal their teeth

Once they are used to you handling their lip, you can progress to lifting it. Gently move the lip and touch their teeth. Don’t try to force their teeth open, it’s fine just to be able to touch the outside areas of their teeth for now.

Introduce the brush

You actually have several options for dog toothbrushes. Some look quite similar to a human toothbrush with a straight handle, some have a curved handle, some a 3-sided brush head, and some look more like a rubber thimble that attaches to your finger. It’s down to personal choice but you may want to do some research about which one might be best for your dog.

Now that they are happy for you to touch their teeth with your finger, slowly start to touch them with the brush but don’t use any toothpaste yet. Again, building up duration over time, work up to moving over the teeth in a circular motion. Keep rewarding them and giving lots of praise.

Add toothpaste

You’re almost there! When you are ready to add toothpaste, just put a little on your finger and allow them to lick it. Most are designed to taste nice to dogs so that should provide more motivation for them to allow you to proceed. Then add it to the brush and move over the teeth in the circular motion you have been practising. If they are happy to open their teeth, you can brush the top surfaces too but if not, don’t worry, brushing just the outsides is fine. Never try to open their teeth against their will.

Once you have established the routine you can phase the treats out and it will eventually become part of their routine. If you feel a treat is still needed, consider something like a dental chew that won’t undo all your good work, these are also a great temporary measure to use while you get your pup used to having their teeth brushed.