The one area of canine grooming that is frequently neglected, is the dog’s teeth. Most dog parents make sure to brush the coat until it sparkles and to cut the nails so they don’t tap on the floor, however not all of them think about brushing their dog’s teeth.
Let’s take a look at the significance of brushing your dog’s teeth and answer some frequent questions that come to mind when thinking about brushing your dog’s teeth.
Why Should You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth and how often?
Brushing your dog’s teeth is significant because it cleans away the plaque that prompts awful breath or more difficult issues, for example, rotted teeth or gum infection.
Like us, it is ideal to brush your canine’s teeth in any event twice every day. For some canines, when brushing turns into a portion of their day by day schedule they will start to expect and appreciate it. Brushing three times each week is the base suggestion to help eliminate plaque and forestall tartar collection.
It is ideal to train your canine to acknowledge tooth brushing while he is as yet a little dog. In the event that you have a more seasoned canine, the preparation cycle may take somewhat more time and energy however, it is still worth it.
What steps do you need to follow to brush your dog’s teeth?
Clean your dog’s teeth and make them amazing and sparkling by following these 8 basic steps:
1. Find a quiet place at a time when your dog is calm
Pick a corner in your house that is relatively quieter than the rest of the place. It is important to brush your dog’s teeth in a quiet place as it will help your dog stay calm because, to be honest, your dog is not going to love the idea of you brushing his teeth. So it is very important for your dog to stay calm and focused on you and your instructions.
2. Get a Dog Toothbrush from the pet store
It is recommended to use a dog toothbrush as it has long curved handles, which make it easier to reach the back of your dog’s teeth and provide better cleaning than the toothbrush meant for humans. Make sure you never use the toothpaste that is meant for human teeth with your dog as, even though it’s good for your teeth, it has certain ingredients that can be toxic for your dog. Dog toothbrushes and toothpaste can be easily bought from your nearest pet store or online.
Also See: All That You Need To Know About Dog Vaccinations
3. Touch your Dog’s Teeth with your Finger
Touch your dog’s teeth with your fingers first instead of touching them with the brush right away. Lift the top lip and hold it while you touch the teeth; at that point pull the base lip down and touch the base teeth. Make sure not to rush through the process, as that will make your dog uneasy.
4. Touch the toothbrush to your dog’s teeth
Now gradually touch the toothbrush to your dog’s teeth and then reward and praise him for allowing you to do so. If he doesn’t let you do it and instead starts getting uneasy then first try to calm him and try again in a few minutes.
Also See: Everything You Need To Know About Dog Tear Stains
5. Introduce the toothpaste to your Canine
Once your dog gets comfortable with the idea of the toothbrush touching his teeth, it’s time to introduce the toothpaste. Take a little toothpaste on your finger and allow your dog to lick it.
6. Start brushing the upper Teeth
Now put a little toothpaste on the toothbrush and hold the upper lip of your dog and brush the top teeth of your dog. Make the proper use of the toothbrush and brush the back teeth of your dog properly, because most of the problems are sitting in that corner of the mouth. After you are done with it make sure to praise your dog for being the good boy that he is.
7. Brush the Bottom Teeth
After you are done brushing the upper teeth, move to the bottom teeth, repeat the above step here as well, and make sure to do it properly and after you are done do not forget to praise your dog.
8. Reward and Praise
Getting their teeth brushed is unnatural for canines. To make this a positive encounter, as often as possible acclaim your canine. You can likewise give the canine a treat at each progression. This appears to be irrational since you are cleaning the teeth and afterward giving some food. Notwithstanding, the underlying objective is encouraging aptitude and later you can deal with eliminating food from the equation.
Also See: Fever In Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment
What are the possible alternatives to brushing?
A few canines will never endure having a finger or toothbrush in their mouth, and that is justifiable. Fortunately, there is a huge load of items available to help keep up your canine’s oral wellbeing. These will easily be available in your nearest pet store or online. So if your dog doesn’t let you brush his teeth, then you should check out these alternatives to keep your dog’s oral healthcare at its best.
1. Dental Wipes
If your little buddy ensures you are placing your finger in his mouth yet won’t let you move up to a toothbrush, dental wipes might be a decent alternative. A dental wipe will assist you with animating your canine’s gums in a way that is better than you could with simply your finger and is considerably less chaotic than putting toothpaste on your finger and scouring it around your canine’s mouth.
2. Dental Spray
If you are not able to get your fingers into your canine’s mouth by any means, dental splashes are an alternative you may consider. Dental sprays give your canine extraordinary breath, however, they contain compounds to help fight plaque, tartar, and gum diseases. Sprays won’t animate your canine’s gums, however at any rate they’ll help decrease plaque and dispose of little dog breath.
3. Chew Toys
There is a huge load of toys available that urge your canine to bite. Biting helps eliminate plaque and tartar just as invigorating your canine’s gums. Search for delicate elastic toys with fascinating surfaces that can help scour in the middle of your canine’s teeth. In the event that your canine is certainly not a characteristic chewer, you can spread peanut butter or coconut oil on the toy to urge them to bite.
