A healthy mouth and healthy teeth for your large dog.
I first startet brushing my dogs teeth after a visit to the vet. I had never thought about this before, but I brush my teeth twice a day - shouldn't my beloved dog get equal treatment? And what if I didn't brush? The vet enlightened me with some good advice. Here are some tips to get you going.
Do I Really Need To Brush My Dogs Teeth?
Yes. Gum disease can lead to pain and discomfort for your friend. Bad mouth health can lead to other diseases and troubles. The number of bacteria in a dogs mouth will double about every eight hour. Of course you want to remove this by brushing!
How often should you brush?
Your goal should be to make this a routine 2-3 times a week. It may take som getting used to for the dog at first, but the benefits are definitely worth it.
For upkeep between your "brushing days", keep a bag of dental treats or chews. Both tasty and fun!
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5 Tips On Brushing Right
Choose a toothpaste for made especially for dogs. Fluoride and xylitol are harmful to dogs, so never use toothpaste intended for humans. You can get toothpaste with different flavours - pick your dogs' favorite! It's also possible to use baking soda - check out how here.
Buy a good toothbrush. Large dogs usually doesn't mind larger brushes with handles, which are perfect to reach the back of their mouths.
Be calm, and keep your dog relaxed and comfortable. Luckily large dogs often is calm by nature. Start brushing by first making sure the dog is OK with you touching their mouth. Be patient. This will take some getting used to for the dog. Start with the teeth you see first, and work your way to the back as you both get more comfortable.
Be careful! Small circular movements without pushing too hard is the way to go. Try not to irritate the gums, but at the same time this is where you need to focus the brushing effort. In stead of opening the dogs mouth completely, bend the upper lip upwards and focus on where the teeth meets the gumline.
Be patient. When first starting out this routine, don't overdo it. A few teeth the first time, maybe a few more the next time. After a couple of weeks you should be able to do a full brushing of all the teeth. Make the routine pleasant for the dog so they have a positive experience. With a few treats and loads of cuddly noises and praise, this should be straight forward!
Your vet will always be helpful with more tips and recommendations. Clean and healthy teeth might end up saving you $$ when you get the routine going.
If you see chipped or damaged teeth, red or bleeding gums, or your dog has worse than usual odor from their breath, you should contact your vet to get a checkup.
Try this tooth brushing kit to get started
This All Prime Dog Tooth Brushing Kit includes a double-sided long brush (9") so you can reach the back of the mouth, beef flavored toothpaste and two fingerbrushes for polishing.
The taste of the tootpaste seems to please dogs, and it keeps their teeth white and healthy, and last but not least it also keeps their breath fresh!
Buy on Amazon: All Prime Dog Tooth Brushing Kit