How To Clean Dogs Teeth

We all have noticed that our dogs have a stinky smell at times. That might be a sign that you need to clean your dog’s teeth. Studies show how we, pet owners, must comply with the importance of oral care for our dogs. Healthy oral care for your dog will prevent them from plaque and tartar build-up, tooth decay, and severe cases that can lead to serious life-threatening illnesses. 

Some toothbrushes and toothpaste are specifically for dogs. Chew toys and dental treats also help with maintaining healthy teeth for your dog. It is important, however, that we know how to properly care for our dog’s teeth, not only knowing what to use.

If you’re unsure how to properly care for your dog’s teeth, stick around as we help you learn what you need and what you need to do.

How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s Teeth

Generally, it is advisable to brush their teeth at least 3 times a week to improve your dog’s dental health. This will strengthen your dog’s teeth and gums since they chew on almost anything and remove their smelly breath. Your dog must find that brushing their teeth is a positive experience so they will look forward to it.

What Can I Clean My Dog’s Teeth With?

Studies show that using dental home cleaning tools for your dog can reduce the amount of plaque build-up within a few weeks. This shows the importance of dental home care for our dogs which is a responsibility for fur-parents.

The internet is full of false information on what household items you can use to brush your dog’s teeth. The thing that won’t tell you is some household items they’re talking about can be toxic to dogs. You need to know the things you can brush your dog’s teeth with, here are a few of them:

Dog-specific Toothpaste

Human toothpaste may contain chemicals that are harmful to dogs when swallowed, such as sodium and xylitol. Vet-recommended toothpaste for dogs doesn’t contain toxic chemicals and is safe to swallow.

Dog-specific Toothbrush

Dogs have different teeth and gum structures than humans. Our toothbrush may not efficiently clean their teeth ad remove plaque. Vet-recommended toothbrushes for dogs are specifically made for our dog’s teeth structure.

Dog Tooth Wipes

Dog tooth wipes can be a good alternative if you don’t have a dog toothbrush. Even though dog wipes aren’t as efficient in cleaning as a dog toothbrush, they can still clean your dog’s teeth and it is easier to manage.

Dog Dental Treats

Some dogs may not like having their teeth brushed, so dog dental treats are a great alternative that can come in different flavors and sizes. These dental treats have plaque-removing properties and can remove your dog’s bad breath. 

Dog Chews

Dog chews are chew toys that can promote a healthy jaw and strong, clean teeth for your dog. The act of chewing has positive effects on your dog’s oral health, and these chew toys have plaque-removing properties.

What Foods Can Help Clean Dog Teeth

Certain foods that can help remove plaque from your dog’s teeth. Here are a few of them:

• Carrots. Raw, crunchy carrots can help remove plaque and other food particles that are stuck on your dog’s teeth, and at the same stimulate your dog’s jaw because of its crunchiness.
• Apple slices. Apple slices can stimulate your dog’s jaw when chewed and freshen your dog’s breath, but remember to remove the core because it might be toxic to your dog. Apple peels can also get stuck on your dog’s teeth, so remove them before you feed them to your dog. 
• Uncooked pumpkin. Much like carrots, raw pumpkins can help remove plaque build-up and can stimulate your dog’s jaw.

How To Clean Dog Teeth At Home

Professional cleaning can be expensive, so you want to clean your dog’s teeth at home. It is important to use the right tools that aren’t toxic to your dog.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth at home:

• Dog toothpaste
• Dog toothbrush
• Treats

1. Make Your Dog Comfortable

It is important to keep your dog calm so they won’t be scared of having their teeth brushed. Kneel directly to your dog’s face and pet them reassuringly. Once they’re relaxed, you can proceed with the cleaning.

2. Use Dog-specific Dental Tools

Human toothpaste may contain chemicals that are toxic to dogs when swallowed and a human toothbrush may not efficiently clean your dog’s teeth. Dog-specific toothpaste is safe for dogs to swallow and come in different flavors for your dog to enjoy. Dog-specific toothbrushes are made for your dog’s teeth and gum structure.

3. Brushing Technique

Much like how we, humans, properly brush our teeth, brush your dog’s teeth in a circular motion to prevent the bristles from puncturing their gums. If you do puncture their gums, light bleeding is fine, but heavy bleeding requires veterinarian attention as it may be a sign of gum disease.

4. Reward Them With Treats

After the cleaning procedure, reward them with treats so that they’ll not be afraid of teeth brushing.

How To Brush Dog’s Teeth For The First Time

Puppies have sensitive gums, which can be a bit of a challenge if we haven’t cleaned puppy teeth before. Brushing their teeth while they are still young will get them used to the process. If done routinely, they won’t grow up to be afraid of brushing their teeth.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things that you’ll need to brush your dog’s teeth for the first time:

• Dog toothpaste
• Dog toothbrush
• Toothbrush for babies
• Treats

1. Be Gentle

Since puppies have sensitive gums, you need to be gentle as their gums can easily bleed if you overbrush or if you puncture their gums.

2. Use A Toothbrush For Babies

Toothbrushes specifically made for puppies have softer bristles compared to toothbrushes for adult dogs. If you don’t have a toothbrush for puppies, you can use a toothbrush for babies.

3. Ease Them Through The Process

If you’re brushing a puppy’s or a grown dog’s teeth for the first time, it is important to ease them in. For puppies, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Allow them to lick the toothpaste. Once they’ve gotten used to the taste, you can then gently start brushing their teeth. 

4. Reward Them

Give them treats after the cleaning process so they will look forward to another cleaning.

How To Brush Dog’s Teeth With Toothbrush And Toothpaste

Dog-specific toothbrushes and toothpaste ensure your dog’s safety and prevent oral health problems. Other than having these, you should know how to use them properly.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need to brush your dog’s teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste:

• Dog toothpaste
• Dog toothbrush

1. Use Dog Specific Dental Care Tools

Human toothpaste contains harmful chemicals that can poison your dog. Human toothbrushes also won’t efficiently clean your dog’s teeth because they have different teeth and gum structures to humans. Dog toothpaste is safe for dogs to swallow and comes in different flavors. Dog toothbrushes are also made for a dog’s teeth and gum structure.

2. Consult With A Veterinarian

It is important to consult with a vet to determine what toothbrush and toothpaste your dog needs.

3. Make It A Routine

Make your dog get used to dog-toothbrush and toothpaste. Once they’ve gotten used to them, they won’t be scared of the process and would look forward to the next cleaning.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth When They Don’t Like It

Some dogs don’t like having their teeth brushed, but with having only a dog toothbrush and toothpaste at your disposal, you can distract them with food and brush their teeth while they’re eating.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need if your dog doesn’t like its teeth cleaned:

• Dog toothbrush
• Dog toothpaste
• Delicious treat

1. Have Your Tools Ready

Before distracting your dog with the treat, you must have your dental care tools ready.

2. Distract Them With A Treat

Once their mouth is closed when they got the treat, you can then brush their teeth. Remember not to be too aggressive, you might end up hurting them. Use the food bait as a reward at the same time for having their teeth brushed.

3. Make It A Routine

Get your dog used to this process. If this becomes a routine, they might eventually look forward to having their teeth brushed because of all the delicious treats they’ll be given.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth Naturally

There are a lot of alternatives to cleaning your dog’s teeth without actually using dental cleaning tools. Dogs can naturally clean their teeth through the food that they eat. If you determine these foods, you can feed them to your dog regularly.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things that you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth naturally:

• Raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables
• Chew toys
• Bones
• Dried Meat

1. Feed Them Raw Fruits And Vegetables

Before you feed them raw fruits and vegetables, you need to determine what fruits and vegetables are safe or toxic to your dog. Feed them what they can safely eat. Raw carrots and apple slices are examples of raw food that can aid in removing plaque.

2. Give Them Chew Toys

Dogs will chew on anything, so it is best to give them chew toys since they have teeth-cleaning properties.

3. Give Them Raw Bones

Raw bones can help scrape off dirt and plaque off your dog’s teeth. If you feed your dog raw bones often, you must check his gums for small bones that may have punctured them.

4. Give Them Dried Meat

Dried meat can also act as a dental chew. Not only can it aid in teeth-cleaning, but it also stimulates your dog’s jaw.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth With Tartar

Tartar left untreated can lead to dental diseases. Removing tartar from your dog’s teeth can be difficult, without proper knowledge, you might damage their teeth and gums. Generally, you should consult with a vet for professional dental cleaning. If you want to remove tartar on your own, you should know what to do and what tools to use.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth with tartar:

• Dog toothbrush
• Dog toothpaste
• Raw bones

1. Consult With A Vet

Your vet can recommend you a dog toothpaste that can aid in removing the tartar. You can also consider having a professional clean your dog’s teeth if the task is too much for you.

2. Give Them Raw Bones

Raw bones can aid in removing tartar, but you must look at your dog’s teeth once they’re done because bone shards might have punctured their gums.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth Without Brushing

Fortunately, there are other dental care tools you can use as an alternative if your dog doesn’t like having its teeth brushed. Let’s go through a few of them.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth without brushing:

• Dental Treats
• Dental Chews
• Dental Wipes

1. Dental Treats

Dental treats are food treats that have plaque-removing properties. This is a healthy and delicious way to clean their teeth. Dental treats come in different flavors and sizes.

2. Dental Chews

Dental chews are chew toys that have teeth-cleaning properties. Not only does it clean your dog’s teeth, but it also stimulates chewing which can strengthen your dog’s jaw.

3. Dental Wipes

Dental wipes are a great alternative for toothbrushing. It is not as efficient in cleaning as a toothbrush, but it is enough to remove plaque and tartar build-up. These wipes are non-toxic to dogs.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth And Freshen Breath

If your dog has a smelly breath, it’s a sign that your dog needs an oral cleaning. Cleaning their teeth and gums can also freshen their breath, and you can do this with more than just brushing their teeth.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth and freshen their breath:

• Dog toothpaste
• Dog toothbrush
• Raw fruits and veggies

1. Use Dog Dental Tools

Dog-specific toothpaste will not only clean your dog’s teeth, but it can also freshen your dog’s breath as it comes in different flavors.

2. Feed Your Dog Raw Fruits And Veggies

Feeding your dog fruits and veggies such as apple slices, bananas, carrot slices, and more, will freshen their breath. It is important, however, to feed them fruits and veggies that are safe to them. You should also feed them fruits that have high sugar levels moderately.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth With Baking Soda

You can use baking soda to clean and whiten your dog’s teeth, but use it with caution. Ingestion of large amounts can be toxic to your dog. Baking soda intoxication can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other stomach illnesses. 

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things that you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth with baking soda:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Small bowl
• Dog toothbrush

1. Create A Baking Soda-Water Mix

Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water to a small bowl. Mix thoroughly until it has a paste-like texture. Use baking soda-water paste as an alternative for dog toothpaste.

2. Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Once you have created the paste, apply it to the dog toothbrush and start brushing.

3. Hydrate Your Dog

Have your dog drink some water so they will flush down excess baking soda in their mouth.

How To Clean Dog’s Teeth With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a great antibacterial and a common household item. Even though hydrogen peroxide alone can be harmful to your dog, you can create hydrogen peroxide and aloe vera gel that would be safe enough to remove plaque build-up in your dog’s teeth.

What You’ll Need

Here are a few things you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth with hydrogen peroxide

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Aloe vera gel
• Qtip
• Cotton ball

1. Create The Teeth-Cleaning Solution

Mix one part hydrogen peroxide with one part aloe vera gel. Hydrogen peroxide alone can be toxic if ingested in large amounts.

2. Clean Your Dog’s Teeth

Dip a cotton ball (or Qtip for puppies) into the solution and rub it on plaque and tartar build-up on your dog’s teeth. Do this at night after your dog’s last meal so the mixture can work efficiently.

3. Hydrate Your Dog

Have your dog drink water to flush down any of the solutions left in their mouth.

How To Brush A Dog’s Bottom Teeth

It is important to not only know what tools to use to clean your dog’s teeth, but it is also important how to do it. The bottom teeth of your dog are usually the hardest spot to clean, but here we help you on learning how to properly do it.

What You’ll Need

• Dog toothbrush
• Dog toothpaste
• treats

1. Cleaning The Bottom Teeth

After brushing the top teeth, you can hold down the bottom lip and start brushing the bottom teeth. Use a circular motion when brushing their teeth, much like how we humans should, to avoid puncturing their gums. Clean the outside, and then the inside.

2. Reward Them With Treats

After the cleaning process, make sure that you reward your pup with treats so they will consider toothbrushing as a positive experience.

How To Brush Dog’s Teeth With Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a very healthy substance for dogs because it can quickly kill bacteria. Other than its health benefits to dogs, it can also be a good alternative for cleaning your dog’s teeth.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to clean your dog’s teeth using coconut oil:

• Coconut oil
• Dog toothbrush
• Raw bone

1. Coconut Oil As Dog Toothpaste Alternative

Apply coconut oil on the toothbrush and clean your dog’s teeth as you normally would using regular dog toothpaste. Coconut oil is a good antibacterial so you should brush on the plaque build-up.

2. Coconut Oil-Coated Raw Bone

Since raw bones are a good natural way for dogs to clean their teeth, you can associate them with coconut oil by dipping the bone in coconut oil and letting your dog chew on it. This is a good way for your dog to clean their teeth without you having to do too much.

How To Remove Dog Plaque From Teeth

Brushing your dog’s teeth manually or naturally is the best way to remove plaque and tartar build-up from your dog’s teeth. It is recommended that you brush their teeth at least 3 times a week. With the popper dental care tools, you can efficiently clean their teeth and freshen their breath.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to remove plaque from your dog’s teeth:

• Dog toothbrush
• Dog toothpaste
• Dental chews
• Raw fruits and veggies

1. Use Dental Toothpaste And Toothbrush For Dogs

Dog-specific toothbrushes and toothpaste are not only designed to freshen their breath but also to efficiently remove plaque and tartar build-up.

2. Dental Chews

Chew toys have plaque-removing properties which is a great way for your dog to clean their teeth without much of your help. You can also give them raw bones to chew on as it can aid in removing plaque.

3. Raw Fruits And Veggies

This is also another natural way for dogs to clean their teeth without much of your help. Foods such as apple slices and raw carrots can aid in removing plaque. It is important to feed these to your dog in moderation.

How To Clean An Older Dog’s Teeth At Home

Cleaning an older dog’s teeth might be a challenge for you as you might end up hurting them. Their old age comes with weakened teeth and gums. It might be too painful for them if their gums bleed and might need professional attention. 

So if you want your old dog’s teeth cleaned, it is best to consult with a vet and let them do the procedure because old dogs might need anesthesia, which veterinarians perform under for professional dog dental cleaning.

How To Clean Dog’s Rotten Teeth

Much like us humans, a dog’s rotten teeth need to be removed. If your dog has rotten teeth, it is best to take your dog to the vet and have a professional handle the procedure. Rotten teeth removal might require a dental drill and other dental removing tools, so you should never do this procedure on your own.

What Next: What To Do After Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth?

1. Reward Them

After the cleaning procedure, be it manually or naturally, always reward them with delicious treats right after, so they will think of toothbrushing as a positive experience.

2. Make It A Routine

Once your dog has gotten used to having their teeth brushed, they won’t be afraid every time time and instead look forward to the next teeth cleanings.

When To Get Your Dog’s Teeth Checked By The Vet?

Similar to us humans, our dogs should have their teeth regularly checked by the vet at least once a year. However, if your dog is displaying any signs of dental diseases or has rotten teeth, then you should immediately take them to the vet for professional dental attention.

FAQ’s About How To Clean Dog’s Teeth

How Much Does It Cost To Clean Dog’s Teeth?

Dog teeth cleaning can cost at least $300, not including any additional payments for special or any specific cases and treatments your dog might need. So to avoid the expensive trips (other than the regular visit to the vet yearly) to the vet, you should regularly clean your dog’s teeth at home.

How Long Does It Take To Clean A Dog’s Teeth?

Cleaning a dog’s teeth can take at least 45 minutes, whereas dogs under anesthesia can take at least 60 minutes. The time it takes depends on how much plaque and tartar build-up your dog has. Additional tests may also be necessary to see if your dog has underlying dental diseases.

Do Dogs Really Need Their Teeth Cleaned?

Yes, dogs need their teeth cleaned. Naturally, dogs can clean their teeth depending on the food they eat such as raw fruits, vegetables, and bones, but it isn’t as efficient in cleaning as manually cleaning them with dog dental tools. The lack to do so might lead to dental diseases and severe cases may kill your dog.

Can You Scrape Plaque Off Dog’s Teeth?

Yes, you can scrape off plaque using dog dental tools such as dog-specific toothbrushes, dog dental chew, and dog dental treats. These dog dental tools aid in removing plaque and tartar build-up on your dog’s teeth safely and efficiently. You can also give your dog raw fruits, veggies, and bones which can naturally scrape off plaque.

Will Brushing Dog’s Teeth Remove Tartar?

Yes, brushing your dog’s teeth will help remove tartar. Since dogs have different teeth and gum structures to us, humans, dog-specific toothbrushes are designed to efficiently clean your dog’s teeth. If you have a puppy, you can use a baby toothbrush that has softer bristles for your puppy’s sensitive gums.

What Happens If You Don’t Get Your Dog’s Teeth Cleaned?

If you don’t get your dog’s teeth cleaned, they will have severe plaque and tartar build-up which can lead to rotten dog teeth. Your dog’s teeth can also be infected by bacteria which can weaken your dog’s teeth structure and can cause dog dental diseases. Severe cases can also affect your dog’s kidneys and digestive system.

Why Is Dog Teeth Cleaning Expensive?

Dog teeth cleaning procedures are so expensive because it requires a lot of tests to determine if your dog has underlying dental diseases and the health of your dog’s bone structure. In some cases, anesthesia may be required in dog teeth cleaning. 

Conclusion

Dog dental procedures can be very pricey, so to prevent you from the expense, we must clean our dog’s teeth. In our best interest in keeping our dog healthy, then knowing what to use and how to clean our dog’s teeth is essential.
Doggos Daily offers you any dog tutorials you’ll need, such as how to bathe your dog, how to make your dog poop quickly, how to clean eye boogers on your dog, and more! Want to find out? Visit Doggos Daily now!

Author

Nicole Barnett