The appearance of plaque on a dog's teeth suggests poor dental hygiene. Just like people, your pet's oral hygiene requires care on an almost daily basis. Maintaining your dog's teeth will not only make them cleaner and healthier, but it will also stop them from falling out and prevent the occurrence of gingivitis or other related health problems.
Keep reading this AnimalWised.com article to find out the different ways of cleaning a dog's teeth.
Foods Which Clean Your Dog's Teeth
Food is directly related to your dog's oral hygiene. Due to its hard texture, the chewing of high quality dried dog food naturally removes plaque from your dog's teeth.
On the other hand, offering your dog an abundance of bland or moist food causes bad breath, diarrhoea and the increased accumulation of plaque. This type of food should only be given to your dog on occasions as doing so will prevent future dental problems.
Different types of dog food have their advantages and disadvantages. One thing you must make sure of is that you never give it leftovers or food for humans, especially sweets, as these are bad for both its digestion and its teeth.
Cleaning Teeth with Toothpaste and Brush
There are a range of dog toothpastes on the market which are will do wonders for your dog's oral hygiene. You need a dog toothpaste so that there is no risk to their health if they consume them. To get your dog used to having its teeth cleaned with toothpaste, the key is to start when it's a puppy, although starting at any stage of their life is better than not doing it at all.
To begin, take care to rub the paste across its teeth and gums using your finger as a brush. You can start using a brush when your dog gets more accustomed to it. You'll improve the dog's dental hygiene by carrying out this routine at least 3 times a week.
Cleaning Teeth with Toys
There are also toys, bones and treats available on the market which allow your dog's teeth to be cleaned in a more enjoyable and fun way. Do some research and use the products that your dog likes best - always as an extra treat in its oral hygiene routine.
Additionally, there are toys specifically designed for puppies on the market which relieve discomfort when their milk teeth fall out.
Pay a Visit to a Specialist
When you go to a specialist they might recommend getting its teeth cleaned professionally, since dental care is fundamental for your dog.
The veterinarian uses an ultrasound machine, similar to human dentists, which allows for the elimination of plaque and any bacteria which may be have built up. All cleaning is performed under general anaesthetic, which is not recommended for elderly dogs.
Cleaning Teeth Using Natural Products
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a tool which will work in a similar way as dog toothpaste. All you need to do is mix small amounts of water with the baking soda until you get a fairly thick paste. Once you've got your homemade toothpaste, all you need to do is clean its teeth with a brush as detailed before.
If your dog has swollen gums, you can use healing herbs as found at any herbalist. Such products include Oregon grape, calendula or aloe vera.
Once you have started your dog's oral hygiene, you might want to consider these articles on Home Remedies for Deworming and Defleaing Dogs or How to Know if Your Dog is Dehydrated to help keep a healthy pooch.
If you want to read similar articles to Different Ways of Cleaning a Dog's Teeth, we recommend you visit our Dental hygiene category.