How to Properly Clean Your Dog’s Teeth

Many dog owners consider their furry friend part of the family. Still, not every dog owner has experience with keeping up with their dogs’ dental hygiene. Canines need dental care just like the rest of the family.

From professional dog teeth cleaning to alternative treats and toys, you can clean your dog’s teeth at home or with the help of your veterinarian. It may not be easy, but it’s essential for keeping your dog healthy and well.

Get a Professional Cleaning

One of the easiest ways to clean your dog’s teeth is to get professional dog teeth cleaning. You can get the cleaning as part of your regular vet visit, or you can schedule a separate appointment. Your vet has probably cleaned many dog teeth before, so they know how to do it.

A vet knows how to control your dog while brushing their teeth. Depending on the vet office, they may even have assistants who can help hold your dog and keep them calm. That makes it much easier to clean your dog’s teeth than if you did it at home alone.

Vets also have the right tools to do a deep cleaning of your dog’s teeth. While you can get a dog toothbrush to use at home, your vet can notice dental problems. They can then suggest the right course of action to treat your dog’s issue, so you can get your dog’s dental health in order.

Use Chew Toys

If you don’t want to take your dog to the vet for every cleaning, an easy option is to use chew toys. Many chew toys have teeth-cleaning properties, so your dog just needs to play with the toy. Chewing, in general, can help improve your dog’s oral health, and it doesn’t usually matter what they chew.

When your dog chews on a toy, the action can help scrape off plaque. All-natural chews that use meat are an excellent option because they’re tasty for your pup, too. But you can also give your dog nylon or rubber chew toys that they can play with all day.

If you give your dog chew toys to help clean their teeth, you should watch your dog at first. Make sure the chew toy doesn’t cause your dog’s gums to bleed. If there are problems, you can switch to another toy or another dog teeth cleaning option.

Get Dental Dog Treats

Like the right chew toy, the right dental dog treats can help improve your dog’s oral health. Dental dog treats have special ingredients that help clean your dog’s teeth as they eat the treat. The ingredients can help remove plaque, but they can also clean the rest of your dog’s mouth and freshen their breath.

You can give the treat to your dog like you would any other treat. They come in different flavors and shapes, so even pickier dogs can find a treat they enjoy. Giving dental dog treats is easy, and you won’t have to fight with your dog to clean their teeth.

As with any new thing, you may want to supervise your dog the first time they have a treat. Then, you can make sure your dog doesn’t have an adverse reaction. And if your dog doesn’t like the treat, you can try another option next time.

Top Dog Food With PlaqueOff

If your dog isn’t a fan of chew toys and you don’t want to give them treats, add a product called PlaqueOff to their food. PlaqueOff does what it sounds like because it can help get rid of plaque on your dog’s teeth.

The product is a powder that you can add to your dog’s food. As your dog eats, the powder can help loosen plaque and tartar. However, you should follow it up with a chew toy to further help remove the plaque.

But even loosening the plaque can be a great alternative to a full dog teeth cleaning. The powder works well with dry food, and dry food itself is better than soft food. Soft food can stick to your dog’s teeth, and that can make it harder to clean their mouth.

Use Dental Wipes

Another option you can use instead of dog teeth cleaning is dental wipes. They look like other types of wipes, and you can use them to clean the surface of your dog’s teeth. You don’t have to worry about using a toothbrush and being too aggressive on your dog’s gums.

However, dental wipes work better than toys and treats, and they can be just as effective as using a toothbrush. While you can’t get in between teeth as easily, dental wipes are easier for you and your dog. You can rub the wipe against your dog’s teeth, and that can help get rid of plaque.

Dental wipes work well on their own, but you can also use them in a rotation with a toothbrush. That way, you can still give your dog teeth cleaning regularly, but you don’t always have to use a brush and dog toothpaste.

Brush the Teeth Yourself

The option that most dog owners probably don’t want to do but is very effective is brushing your dog’s teeth. It’s a great alternative to professional dog teeth cleaning, and you can brush your dog’s teeth whenever.

You can clean your dog’s teeth between vet visits, so you can make sure your dog maintains good dental health. While you don’t have to brush your dog’s teeth every day, more often is better. You can use a brush that goes over your finger, and you can rub it against your dog’s teeth.

If you decide to brush your dog’s teeth, make sure you use dog toothpaste. Human toothpaste can contain harmful chemicals, and you can choose dog toothpaste in different flavors that your dog will like. Then, you can choose a time when your dog is calm, and you can work it into your dog’s daily or weekly routine.

Proper Dog Teeth Cleaning

Cleaning your dog’s teeth is important for their dental health and overall well being. The best way to do a dog teeth cleaning is at the vet, where they have the tools to clean your dog’s teeth thoroughly.

However, you can brush your dog’s teeth or use dental wipes or dental dog treats. A combination of those things can keep your dog’s teeth clean between vet visits, so your dog can stay healthy.