Tip of the week: Home Dental Care

Preventing bad breath is just one of many reasons to keep up with your pets’ dental health at home.

We brush our teeth every day and our pets need the same dental care to prevent many of the same disease and problems. Have you ever wondered why your pets’ breath smells badly? Dental disease is the most common reason. But bad breath is just the tip of the iceberg. Pain, infection, and even systemic illness are all possible consequences of a mouth in need of dental care. Dental care isn’t just limited to what we do in the clinic, though. By taking a few relatively simple, inexpensive and painless steps at home, you can limit the number of dental cleanings your pet needs in a lifetime.

Tooth brushing:

Brushing your pets’ teeth may sound intimidating at first but it is an easy step that can become actually enjoyable for all involved. The key is to go slowly with introducing this new experience to your pet.

Tools you’ll need:

Toothbrushes, sponges, or pads: The key to obtaining full benefit from tooth brushing is the actual brushing action. Brushing loosens and removes the film over the tooth which hides all of the bacteria. Thankfully, there are a lot of options so you can experiment and choose the one your pet tolerates the best.

This style fits over the end of your finger and has a grip on the end so your pet cannot swallow it.

Most basic finger-brush style.

This three-headed style covers more surface area at one time.

My personal preference is the finger-cap style. I feel like I get the most control and my pets tend to tolerate my finger in their mouths better than a brush. This is especially true for smaller pets or those with irritated gums. A soft, children’s tooth brush would work fine and there are even brushes made for pets although my experience is that toothbrushes work better for larger pets rather than small dogs and cats.

Just like for people, brushes will break down over time and need to be replaced regularly depending on the frequency that you brush. If you are brushing your pets’ teeth every day, as recommended, then replace the brush every 3 months. For those that brush less frequently, you can replace the brush less often. Just inspect the brush for signs of wear (missing bristles, flaring of bristles, etc) and replace as needed.

For some dogs, starting out with dental sponges or pads may be helpful since they are more pliable. Dental sponges have a small sponge at the end of a handle, and are disposable. They are softer than brushes. Dental pads can help remove debris from the teeth and gums but do not provide the mechanical action that brushes do.

Toothpastes: There are many varieties of toothpastes on the market: different ingredients, different textures, and different flavors. Toothpaste is not entirely necessary for your pet but can make brushing more effective as they often contain mild disinfectants. Various veterinary dentists have recommended those toothpastes, gels, and rinses that contain chlorhexidine, hexametaphosphate, or zinc gluconate.

Toothpaste designed for cats.

Toothpaste designed for dogs.

Flavored toothpastes can make tooth brushing more enjoyable for your pets. Again, experimentation with different flavors may be necessary.

Where to begin: Keep sessions short and positive. Be sure to praise your dog throughout the process. Don’t try to rush these steps. The slower you go and the more used to the experience you both are, the more enjoyable it will be.

1. First, have your pet get used to the taste of the toothpaste. Pet toothpastes have a poultry, malt, or other flavor so your pet will like the taste. Get your dog used to the flavor and consistency of the toothpaste. Let your pet lick some off your finger. Praise your pet when he licks the paste and give a reward (really tasty treat). If your pet does not like the taste of the toothpaste, you may need to try a different kind. Continue this step for a few days or until your pet looks forward to licking the paste.

2. The next step is to have your pet become comfortable with having something placed against his teeth and gums. Apply a small amount of paste to your finger and gently rub it on one of the large canine teeth in the front of the mouth. These are the easiest teeth for you to get at and will give you some easier practice. Be sure to praise your petand give a tasty treat or other special reward (e.g., playing ball).

3. After your pet is used to the toothpaste, and having something applied to his teeth, get him used to the toothbrush or dental sponge you will be using routinely. We need to get your pet used to the consistency of these items, especially the bristles on a brush. So, let your pet lick the toothpaste off of the brush so he gets used to the texture. Again, praise your pet when he licks the paste and give a really great treat or other reward. Continue this step for about a week, making sure your pet readily licks the paste off of the brush.

4. Now your pet is used to the toothbrush and toothpaste and having something in his mouth. So the next step is to start brushing. Talk to your pet in a happy voice during the process and praise your pet at the end. Lift the upper lip gently and place the brush at a 45º angle to the gumline. Gently move the brush back and forth. At first, you may just want to brush one or both upper canine teeth. You do not need to brush the inside surface of the teeth (the side towards the tongue). The movement of the tongue over the inside surfaces keeps them relatively free of plaque. Be sure to praise your pet, end on a good note and give a tasty treat or other great reward.

5. When your pet accepts having several teeth brushed, slowly increase the number of teeth you are brushing. Again, by making it appear to be a game, you both will have fun doing it.

How often?

Certainly, the more often you brush the better. Always aim for daily dental care for your dog, just as you aim for daily dental care for yourself. The hardest thing about home dental care for dogs is just getting started. Once you have done it for a while, it just becomes part of your daily routine. If you cannot brush daily, brushing every other day will remove the plaque before it has time to mineralize. This will still have a positive effect on your dog’s oral health.

I have brush my dog’s teeth while we’re sitting on the couch watching TV. I talk to my dogs, throughout the procedure, praise them when we are done, and then give them a treat. This way, they get snuggle-time on the couch plus a treat so it’s really a positive experience for all!

Other dental care items:

Food: Studies show that hard kibbles are slightly better at keeping plaque from accumulating on dogs’ teeth. There is a veterinary dentist-approved food on the market called t/d made by Hill’s. Research studies have shown that pets eating this food have less plaque and calculus build-up. This food is available through your veterinarian. Although this is labeled to be a balanced diet, I like to use it as a treat for my dogs. They love it! The nuggets are quite large to make dogs have to chew them but they can be difficult for smaller dogs. They make a version called “small bites” but for very small “teacup” breeds of dogs, even these are too big.

Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Feline

Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Canine

Avoid feeding dogs table scraps or sweet treats because they can increase the build-up of plaque and tartar and can lead to other health problems like gastrointestinal upset.

Toys: Mechanical removal of plaque can be accomplished by using some toys. Do not use toys that are very hard as they can wear down or break teeth. My favorite “dental” toys are Kong or Nylabone toys  as they are tough but not too hard. There are other dental treats and chews but be careful not to give your pet something they can swallow a large piece of like rawhide. For this reason, we do not recommend rawhide treats/chews. Always supervise your dog when he is chewing on a toy.

Dental Kong

Kong Dental Stick

Kong "Beast" dental toy

Treats: There are some dental chews on the market that are specifically designed to help control plaque and tartar buildup. Look for dental chews accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).  Like any treats, limit the number your pet gets. Also, be wary especially if your pet has a sensitive stomach: some treats can upset your pet’s stomach and which ones will do so really vary from pet to pet.

Dental Wipes/Sprays: Dental wipes are handy for pets that have sensitive gums where brushing is too abrasive. They are not as effective as brushing for removing the film that hides bacteria, but they are more gentle.

Dental wipes

There are also several dental sprays on the market which claim to reduce or eliminate dental tartar. These may or may not be effective if used as directed but, occasionally, they can cause stomach upset. In elderly pets with severe dental disease along with other medical conditions which would make anesthesia too risky (ie: heart disease), these sprays are certainly worth a try. Generally, the directions include using them daily for 30 days.

Tooth gel cleaner/plaque-reducer

Dental Rinses/Water additives: For animals with generally healthy teeth/gums but have smelly breath, sometimes a water additive or dental rinse is helpful. These can be used in conjunction with tooth brushing. Some of these are flavored, others are tasteless. These aren’t generally a problem for dogs but the same may not be true for cats. Cats are very sensitive to taste and smell and are often not big water drinkers to begin with. Rather than adding this directly to your cats’ bowl, offer a second bowl with the augmented water along with their regular bowl of plain water. This way, if your cat does not like the flavor, it doesn’t turn them off of drinking water out of their regular bowl. Cats are very smart (and picky!) and sometimes will not go back to a bowl if they had something bad tasting there previously.

Water additive

Unfortunately, none of these additional dental care items can take the place of good old tooth brushing. By following our tips, tooth brushing can become less of a hassle and more routine for you and your pets.

Please feel free to post any additional questions/comments on tooth brushing and we’ll be happy to help!

We are extending our Dental Month coupon due to overwhelming demand!  Bring your pet in for a dental exam and preventative dental scaling and save $20.00!