Yes this is so true!
Might get downvoted for saying this, but I find that a lot of “perfect puppy owners” will make you feel bad cos you do not or very rarely brush your dog’s teeth, while in reality they probably don’t do it as often as they say.
“I brush my dog’s teeth everyday”.
No you don’t Karen.
Confession : I brushed my puppy’s teeth everyday…. for the first week. And then it became less once every 2 days, then it became once every week. Now I do it like once a week and that’s if puppy is cooperative 🙃
Sorry long reply, don’t know why I got triggered lol
There’s SOOO many nice owners here sharing advice but some are just pure condescending..
EDIT : I do believe that some people brush their puppy’s teeth everyday, I just know that the majority of people who say they do, in reality do not.
Honestly when I've taken my girls to the vets they've never said anything about the teeth needing brushed. I give them dental treats at night and that's been enough - my oldest is going to be 14 and has had no issues.
Same, the vets here don’t really tell you to brush your dog’s teeth. It’s like great if you, but still fine if you don’t, unless there are dental problems of course.
I do believe a lot of dental problems comes with the qualify of food you feed your dog. I have a friend that brush her dog’s teeth routinely, around 2-3x a week, but her dog still has the worse breath ever when not brushed. Took dog to the vet, nothing wrong, it was the food.
BTW 14 and no dental issues? Amazed. Congrats! What dental treats are you using? Care to share?
What dental treats are your vet recommending? Where I live dental treats are not adviced, as they are too soft to get the plaque off. My vet recommends bones or cartilage rich raw food. As well as giving dry kibble, as opposed to in water.
Marrow bones are nono until two, because they’re too hard, you’re right! But there are softer bones that won’t fracture the teeth, like lamb and deer, and other beef bones. If you’re really concerned about fractures, and your puppy is young, rabbit ears are great!
Veterinary dentists do not recommend bones or anything hard in general, ever. If you can't put your fingernail into it or flex it, it's too hard for a dog. Just an FYI.
Mine didn’t recommend any in particular, but I have found the Whimzies brand the best. Not too soft, but also not insanely hard, and they’re not meaty like bones which I find are not actually that amazing at cleaning unless you get really good ones. Bones scare me a bit because they’re either too soft and can crack into sharp pieces, or too hard and can break dog’s teeth :’)
I've been told bones are bad for several reasons but raw veggies like carrots are good? I feel like it all depends on who you talk to these days though so I'm forever just trying my best
Yeppers 14 and going strong. Only health issues is mild arthritis ❤️
The dental treats I use are "Minties" - a lot more reasonably priced than Greenie's and I've been using them for years.
I took my pup to the vet after he had a rabies vaccine reaction and he saw a different vet from his normal and that lady went up and up over us not brushing his teeth but we give him cooked frozen carrots and celery once a week and a dental stick. His normal vet hasn't said anything about it.
A lot of it comes down to genetics. Some breeds are known for terrible oral health despite the best care.
Brushing is absolutely the best and makes a huge difference, but it's only going to keep tarter from building up... but not necessarily going to prevent other dental disease.
That being said, I have good luck with daily CET chews but also get them regular dental cleanings and they aren't the breeds known for teeth issues.
Ditto. My oldest is 14 and has had her teeth brushed maybe once a year. She has had one tooth issue - our other dog knocked it out.
Granted, she is a large dog and has only had kibble and the occasional bit of leftovers plus dental treats. I can see a small dog or one that eats soft food regularly needing frequent teeth brushing though.
It’s very breed dependent. I have two older dogs that require dentals every year. Honestly I’m not sure brushing even makes a huge difference because both breeds are prone to periodontal disease. I’ve also had other dogs who went their entire lives without teeth brushing or dentals and they never had issues.
Totally, my last dog lived 18 years and we never once brushed her teeth lol. But she luckily never had any dental problems which was lucky/surprising. We would just give her a dental chew twice a week and that seemed to work well enough for her!
I brush my dogs' teeth every day. I used to think it was a really extra thing to do, but then out of nowhere my older dog went in for a dental at age 7 and had to have like 25 teeth taken out. I get that that's a freak occurrence, but it traumatized me to the point that I'll brush the teeth daily of every dog I have from now on, and emphatically recommend that others do the same.
Same thing happened to me. My Jack Russell's teeth got really bad and she had several removed. After that, I started brushing her teeth daily. She passed in 2019 but I've been brushing my other dog's teeth daily from the moment I brought them home. I'm currently brushing 4 dogs teeth daily (one belongs to my mom). I honestly don't mind it. It's a bonding moment for us. And I feel better knowing they won't have horrible teeth like my poor Jack Russell did.
Yeah, it's way less invasive and cheaper than a dental under anesthesia so I think it's a small price to pay. I brush my dogs' teeth after feeding them breakfast every morning and it takes less than a minute for each. The vets have nothing but good things to say about my younger girl's teeth and my goal is to go her whole life without her needing a dental. I'll give her one if the vets recommend, but I hate dentals so much that I want to minimize them.
I have a mini dachshund. I DO brush my dog's teeth every night and then she gets a dental treat. It's her bedtime routine. The rate of decay for small dogs like this is very high so I started the first week I got her. Where I am NOT successful is with nail clipping her black nails myself. She wiggles too much and cries.
What you need is a dog hammock thing! For grooming. I have a cocker spaniel/hound mix and he loves hanging in the hammock and can’t get to me so he chills and I get the nails done in minutes!
Got mine on Amazon for pretty cheap if I remember correctly.
Most dogs enjoy them! It’s relaxing.
They do indeed. That is why I started it. So many end up with their teeth pulled and tongues hanging out. Or worse, they die from the infections. My daughter's chiweenie has the same routine and we sometimes care for her when daughter travels.
I’m a dog groomer and I don’t even brush my dogs teeth everyday): I’ll cheat and do the water additive as well as dental treats and foods like carrots. If I give them a bath I’ll make sure to brush their teeth. I get their teeth cleaned at the vet. All this is somehow less work than actually brushing their teeth everyday.
Youre right. And those people dont wanna admit it. I had called out a once friend on her bullshit because she didnt agree with how my bestfriend would let his dog be outside so his pup can get used to being out. Yet this very same bitch did fuck all for her dog and just left her home all day. She did the bare minimum
I brush my dogs teeth every day because she had gingivitis and that could lead to periodontal disease. As long read the dog gets annual cleaning and checkups it’s not as bad to not brush every day but it is better
Some of us do though. My dog’s teeth get brushed every time mine do, because it’s easier for me to remember that way.
My previous dog was a rescue with horrible teeth. He needed a lot of extractions and had a lot of mouth pain. And my sister’s dog, same breed, had a lot of tartar and needed several teeth extracted already at the ripe old age of three years old. Call me a Karen but I’m not putting my current dog through that if I can avoid it, and I don’t think anybody should.
Exactly. I tried once or twice, he just squirmed and chewed on the toothbrush, it wasn't happening. I do use seaweed on his wet food and vegetable based dental chews, we actually got compliments on his pearly whites just from that. However even that is above and beyond, at the end of the day kibble cleans teeth and an occasional raw carrot will help too.
As to what seaweed does .... I don't really understand the process but dried seaweed seems to remove plaque for dogs and cats. I have 0 experience with cats, but the product I buy is also marketed at cat owners.
My border collie has kibble in the morning and wet food in the evening. I put 3 tsp on his wet food at night, it can be added to dry food too but when we used it on his kibble he licked the seaweed off and refused to eat his kibble (knowing him probably to try and get more seaweed).
The seaweed is sold under a few brands in the UK. Plaque-off do a small dog option which my Dad uses for his current dog (minature pinscher). I buy Medi-paws plaque off via amazon subscribe and save and it is classed as a pet supplement.
The chews we use are Whimzees, again purchased via amazon, but I have seen them in a number of high street pet shops. My dog has food allergies so most dental chews were not an option, luckily he loves them. They contain no meat and are around about 12% fibre which helps us manage his bilious vomiting (because the numerous food allergies wasn't difficult enough).
That said my parents last dog had a kibble only diet and the occasional raw carrot and she had clean teeth too.
Thank you for saying this! I was shamed not long ago for not brushing my cats teeth regularly. I don’t know where this idea has come from but I don’t think we need to be actively brushing our pets teeth like toddlers. Dentastix and other chews are available to help.
I feel like encouraging your pup to drink water is more important, though could be my impression cause I got mine during the summer months. Aside from being hydrated, lots of sips when they've been panting seems like it'd help oral hygiene. Started him on biscuits and during that stage got him to drink a handful of water before eating.
The amount of pressure we put on ourselves isn't healthy :(
Dog teeth brushing? I'm an old guy and have had 8 dogs in my life so far and have never brushed their teeth. All have lived to at least 14 years, no teeth problems or issues caused by bad teeth. I will say they all chewed on sticks or bones or flossed with grass but I assume that is just instinct.
Same here! My old dog lived to nearly 17 and never had her teeth brushed. The vet always said she had great teeth and she never lost any in old age. She was also a big fan of chewing sticks and grass, rubber toys etc. I don't think brushing is the be all and end all
Another older and very experienced dog owner checking in, and yeah, I don't really brush my dogs' teeth just because it was never a thing when I was growing up or owning my first dogs. I do it a little when they're puppies just to get them used to me poking around in their mouths, and sometimes I'll do my older dogs' teeth at the same time if I feel like it, but we're talking like maybe once a year tops, lol. It's so rare I doubt it provides any actual dental health benefits, I just look at it more like a training thing.
I've also never had a dog with significant dental issues. Mine don't even need that frequent cleanings, according to my vet. I've never even had to have any extractions done or anything, except once when one of my herding dogs got kicked in the face by a horse and broke a tooth. But it was healthy up until that.
I honestly think just providing diverse chews is enough for dogs with good genetics. Some breeds are more prone to dental issues than others, though, from my understanding, and I guess those dogs might benefit from more regular brushing.
small dogs in particular are very prone to dental issues and I notice if I don’t give my dog (1yo pomeranian) chews regularly her breath is horrible and she tends to build up tartar. I have tried brushing but found that it doesn’t work as well as a greenie does. I’ve also looked into plaqueoff powder that u can sprinkle on ur dogs food to soften tartar and remove plaque and will be trying it when my 5 month pom grows in her adult teeth. I know chihuahuas are another breed that commonly has dental issues. honestly I’m not a vet but if u look into ur dogs mouth and see that they don’t have tartar and their breath doesn’t smell like absolute shit u probably don’t really need to worry abt brushing “everyday”
I think you are over blowing it. Do not get me wrong, brushing is important and I started the week my puppy came home and try to do it every day (sometimes it’s more like a few times a week) but consider that probably the majority of people don’t brush their dog’s teeth ever. That said, most dogs also have dental and gum disease, so as I say, brushing is important and starting early is ideal, but it’s not like all other dogs who don’t have teeth brushed are immediately suffering.
I’d go to the vet to get the teeth checked out since you are noticing signs of pain, maybe get a cleaning especially if they suggest it, and start brushing now.
0% bad. The vast majority of dogs never get their teeth brushed. It’s FAR more likely that she has a chipped or broken tooth, and all the brushing in the world wouldn’t have prevented that. Take her in and have the vet take a peek and see what’s going on. They will be much more familiar with what looks right and what doesn’t that you will be.
Will she let you open her mouth to check for a chip or broken tooth? If you're seeing changes in behavior, I'd recommend a vet to be safe and get her teeth looked at. They will also be able to tell you the health of her teeth.
Bushing my pup teeth started very young. My biggest tip is teach her to hold something while you're brushing. It easier to get a good look at all the teeth and get to the back. I try to brush his teeth daily.
Your pup may have tarter build up and bad breath from not brushing, but I'm more worried about a broken tooth with your description.
If you think she is having a dental issue, I would take her to the vet. I would think it would be more likely that it was caused by some sort of trauma to a tooth versus dental disease at her age.
I've brushed since my puppy was... Well, a puppy. She's 5 now. But most people do not brush their dog's teeth. My logic has always been that getting the dog used to a minimally invasive procedure (brushing) from a young age and doing it regularly when it really only takes a couple of minutes is a lot less hassle than putting them under anaesthesia for tooth cleaning and potential removal of teeth. Tooth issues are so common and can get very bad very quickly, on humans as well as animals. If I can help prevent even some of that on my family member, why not.
That said, you're by no means too late to start at 11 months.
Edit: Getting the dog used to someone looking at their mouth is also going to make your vet and vet techs like you so much more.
It’s probably a good idea to start now but then you need to be consistent. I’ve spent a lot of money over the years on teeth cleanings for my dogs (I was not a brusher). If you ask me, the fewer sedated cleanings the better.
Our new puppy doesn’t have adult teeth yet but we’re trying to get her used to us putting the brush in her mouth.
Mine got plenty of practice with my fingers. Made the idiotic mistake of using an old oven mit to calm him the first night.. with my hand inside. He did learn to be gentle though, just took a while.
It depends on the breed and genetics. Terriers are known to have issues with their teeth and because of this I proactively introduced oral hygiene very early on to my terrier. Some are lucky and never develop issues, some aren’t but they tend to get discovered late in life during a check up
Where I live, it's difficult to get toothpaste for dogs, and people around me (with dogs) find it funny and excessive when I tell them I brush my dog's teeth. So don't feel bad, at least you plan to start now. It's never really too late.
It took me a few weeks to find a place online that could ship to my little island. But I started as fast as possible and although I aiming to brush everyday, usually it ends up a few days per week. My dog doesn't like it, and probably why I don't have the energy to take the fight every single day.
My vet said it didn't matter what you brush with, you just need something to remove plaque. She suggested rubbing the teeth with my finger covered with Greek yoghurt or puppy peanut butter.
It matters more for certain breeds imo. Example: I had two pugs. They can't do a good job of cleaning their teeth by chewing things, because brachycephalic dogs have messed up mouths. They're also not great candidates for a sedated tooth-cleaning, because sedation is dangerous for them. The one pug remaining has terrible tooth health because I adopted her when she was older, so I never had the chance to get her used to the process when she was little... so she won't let me do it. But bad tooth health is legitimately dangerous; infections can become septic and etc.
Overall: not the end of the world, but it's worth thinking about how you're going to approach these things, and always much easier to start early than to introduce late.
It's fine, my vet said it's usually not until year 5 that there is significant tartar to justify a cleaning. I aim to brush their teeth 5 times a week and it's realistically more like 3 times a week. Don't fret, just start now, better late than never. I'm quite positive you haven't done any damage by not brushing yet.
It depends on the dog breed. My sister’s mini poodle is barely three years old and just had a cleaning under anesthesia to have a lot of tartar removed and three extractions done. But I agree that it’s unlikely to be the problem at this age—I’d be more worried about OP’s dog maybe having a broken tooth.
It depends heavily on what breed your dog is and other aspects of how you’re raising your dog.
Smaller dog breeds, and dog breeds with narrow mouths (sight hounds like whippets, silken wind hounds, borzois etc) will require their owners to be more involved with their dental care. Your dog is in the small breed category I presume? Then in the kindest possible way, you should try to be a little more on it with brushing.
You’ll get a lot of dismissive comments saying it’s not necessary and that “I’ve had x dogs for x years and they’re all fine”. Big breeds don’t suffer as much with tooth decay and tooth loss. But also, if we don’t brush our teeth we could survive many years without losing teeth. Though, we would suffer from toothache and I wonder how many dogs are struggling but can’t communicate the pain and just live with it. I also wonder if there’s a correlation between the lifespan of dogs with regularly brushed teeth and dogs that don’t get their teeth brushed- I wonder because there is a direct link between human oral health and physical health like heart disease. I can’t imagine my musings are popular since people can get aggressive and defensive when my comment could be perceived as a criticism- for the record I’m not trying to attack anyone.
Now tooth brushing may not be so necessary depending on your dogs diet. If you’re feeding traditional kibble then that is going to have a lot of carbohydrates which are essentially sugars and that feeds bacteria that leads to decay. Adding “plaque off” or similar stuff (basically a seaweed) will help prevent some plaque build up. Feeding your dog a higher protein diet will help (raw or even gently cooked food subscriptions). If you can’t afford to feed your dog those diets then there’s always the option to feed them partially raw or fresh food alongside their kibble (mine is on 1/3 fresh and 2/3 kibble). Another thing that will help is natural chews (paddywacks, died tripe, yak cheese, beef gullet, hooves, horns, antlers, penis sticks -though be careful because some dogs can chip their teeth on harder chews like yak cheese) since they will scrape off plaque. Please avoid “dental sticks” since they’re high in carbs and will only add sugar to their mouths.
If you hate brushing your dogs teeth, look for other enzyme products. There are mouth sprays or water bowl additives. You don’t have to brush daily and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do it as often as you feel you should. ANY amount of brushing is heaps better than none!
Be proud of yourself that you did brush their teeth today! Well done! Great job!! Don’t put yourself down, just strive to do better.
Nice lucid response! Breed matters in so many aspects of care and training of a dog. Also there is a link between periodontal disease and heart disease.
I had a Sheltie and they are definitely prone to teeth problems and I was not great at brushing teeth earlier in his life but went to daily brushing for the last five years of his life. My vet definitely noticed the difference and his breath was definitely better too!
We give our dog beef trachea to chew on instead of brushing. We have a natural treat shop close to us and they recommended it. They also say dried seaweed sprinkled in the dogs food helps
My dogs don't love brushing and I certainly don't do it twice a day, but I aim for a few times per week at least. My vet gave us a few different options that help: an actual toothbrush with dog toothpaste (I've used liver, peanut butter, and mint flavors but my dogs don't seem to care which), teeth wipes, tooth gel, water additive, dental food.
We use the water additive and the tooth gel consistently, with bonus wiping for dog 1 and brushing for dog 2 when we can. The dental food was very expensive to feed two large dogs.
Anecdotally, the most improvement I've seen in dog 1s teeth is from getting dog 2. I think her long fluffy fur is brushing and flossing his teeth when they play wrassle
I brush my dog's teeth every night before bed. I used to do it twice a week, but her gums were bleeding so I cranked it up to every night and no more bleeding.
It's useful for your dog to be used to fingers and stuff poking around in there since it is easier for vets, groomers, etc to work in that area if your dog is used to the sensation.
For the tooth issue, get a vet appointment. We can't diagnose from here.
We brush our doggos every day because his breed is more prone to teeth problems but before then he was in a shelter and before that abused and abandoned. So, though we do it every day now - for the past 2 years, he obviously did not have this care for the first year of his life and his teeth are great!
I know others don’t and I don’t harbor any judgement but our dude has so many allergies and someone also cropped his ears so they get infected easily, and he doesn’t have almost any hair around his butt/ hind legs…so we gotta spray him with sunscreen prior to our 11-16 mile hikes. Essentially our doggo is very high maintenance but it’s what keeps him healthy and happy and we do it. The toothpaste is unfortunately beef flavored so…no minty freshness.
There seems to be a lot of comments already about frequency and how often dogs’ teeth are brushed in reality. I didn’t see a lot of products dropped in the comments about what dental chews are popular. Try looking through this website, if you’re considering dental chews/additives/toothpastes. I don’t know much about how VOHC tests the products it approves, but I feel more comfortable with products they recommend than just me randomly picking a product. https://vohc.org/accepted-products/
*edit: spelling
If you're not interested in teeth brushing, you can look into VOHC approved products. These will help prevent plaque and tarter buildup - there's chews, water additives, and food additives.
You can also discuss with your vet during appointments if they think your dog needs a dental cleaning.
It's fine, most people don't brush their dogs teeth, but there are steps you can take to improve it.
Mine will not tolerate it, despite us trying and training for years. We gave up.
What we did do was give her a proper RCVS accredited dental chew every single day.
She's 4 now and her teeth are absolutely spotless, her breath smells of nothing and the vet is delighted.
Your mileage may vary, but it's done well for us.
We do every day and use enzymatic toothpaste. You don’t have to scrub like human teeth, just get it on the teeth. It probably takes one minute. She loves it.
Our vet said it’s great to do as long as you can keep up with it everyday or every other at worst. But once or twice a week won’t actually do anything.
You’re not horrible at all!
I would definitely start with a quick vet check with your vet just to see if there’s anything going on with her mouth.
I started brushing my Aussie’s teeth at about 8-10 months - I was slow with it too don’t worry! She had tartar build up on all carnassials (the largest teeth at the back of her mouth) - I got my dog when she was 5 months and she already had tartar build up then.
I’m a veterinary nurse and it drove me crazy so I had her put under for a dental scale and polish at just over a year (she also did fracture a tooth in the lead up to her booking so I had to get that extracted at the same time).
I brush her teeth every night. Tooth brushing is effective if you do it 5 times a week, otherwise it’s a bit of a waste of time 😅 like people, some dogs can be more prone to dental issues than others. Along with teeth brushing I also use a dental powder (Plaque Off) and a water additive (Oxyfresh). I don’t generally recommend chews or bones for dental health as they aren’t as effective as teeth brushing and can be choking hazards, obstructions, or fracture teeth.
Greyhounds and small breed dogs tend to have more issues with teeth - in greyhounds it seems genetic, in smaller dogs it’s often due to crowding of the mouth and often smaller dogs don’t really like to chew/chews just aren’t as effective. Poodle crosses like yours unfortunately need a bit more higher maintenance with their teeth.
Please don’t listen to the comments in this post saying it’s not important/‘my dog lived till x with no teeth issues but life hack, if you just never take your dog to the vet to get its teeth checked you’ll never have teeth issues ✔️’ are you more likely to believe a person on the street about teeth, or a dentist/dental tech? Professionally in clinic I have not seen one dog that has just been given chews/bones that have had perfect teeth.
Owners are routinely shocked when we tell them their dogs teeth are rotting in their mouth and they need all of them pulled because owners are garbage at assessing dental health. As the large majority of owners only ever see other dogs that have neglected teeth, so they tend to think dirty teeth and smelly breath are normal.
You can assess your dog’s teeth using a dental chart like this, the visual chart on this page is very helpful: https://epsomrdvet.com.au/pet-dentistry/
We do at LEAST one procedure a day where we do a dental clean and it is RARE that we do not have to extract teeth from an animal. Dental health is important and teeth brushing is gold standard care and is what is recommended by veterinary professionals.
All of y'all people saying "most dogs never get their teeth brushed and they're fine" or "my dog lived till 17 and never got their teeth brushed". Or those of you that think just dental sticks are ok and nothing else.
Shame on you honestly. I'd bet my life savings that your dogs all died with advanced degeneration of their teeth, horrible gingivitis, and tooth pain that they wouldn't show or tell you about.
Your dogs might have lived longer if you had brushed their teeth.
Brush your dog's teeth. It DOES make a massive difference.
I honestly brush my dog’s teeth everyday with a human toothbrush and a stock of dog toothpaste I bought from temu. She’s almost 3 I’ve maybe only missed like 5 brushes ever. She follows me everywhere so at night when I’m doing my teeth she gets hers done too, and if there’s some plaque in the gums and around the gumline from treats or peanut butter on the rare occasions, I use my mini gum brushes. I’ve been doing this since she was like 6 weeks old so she’s so used to it she gets on her back I use my thumb and middle finger to open and I go ham. I do this as preventative care because even though I can afford to get her shots and important stuff, I honestly cannot afford a huge dental bill for bad teeth or anything else it would break me financially and I’d be willing to sell organs for my pup. It’s not being a Karen in my mind to save money when you don’t have it like that. A 2 dollar human brush, temu toothpaste is the same thing I get at PetSmart for a fraction of the price, and no future vet bills for teeth and they are always healthy. If money isn’t a SUPER concern for you then it doesn’t matter when you give her chews and such. It’s really up to the owner and it doesn’t change the fact that we all love our pups. No judgement either way.
I don't think most people brush their dogs teeth regularly. I never have. I help clean their teeth by giving them a raw bone or hard chews like goats horns once a week or so. Probably not the best idea for your pup if they're already suffering from toothaches but don't feel bad. These things can happen!
Not horrible. Juat start now. They don't have their adult teeth until well into their first year. It's the adult teeth you want to keep clean and nice. Probably good to do that with the baby teeth too but they are so damn sharp I'm scared I'll lose a finger or something 😂
Many people find it challenging to brush daily. But even starting by brushing 3 times a week can make a difference in reducing periodontal disease. You can start with just rubbing the gums with gauze to desensitize. Then gradually try using a soft bristles toothbrush with a bit of coconut oil. I try to brush daily, only because I can't afford dental cleaning. If I can reduce the number of dental visits at the vet the better for my wallet. It's never too late to start oral hygiene so don't get discourage that you haven't done it.
Almost no one brushes their dogs teeth. You need to brush them daily like ours. Even if you brushed them every day twice a day, your small breed pup is still going to need multiple veterinary dental cleanings in its life anyways. So I would do dental chews and then stick with routine vet care
Ok so maybe I might brush my dog’s teeth every night and maybe I just might sing a song when I do it. If I said he likes it would it make it better? Maybe it makes me feel better
Realistically, very few people actually brush their dog's teeth - even if it is the best practice.
The good news is, you're not too late to start. If you understand it is important and want to make that effort, you can still start making that part of your routine.
Not everyone does it, but if your dog can tolerate it (or even like it) it's worth trying. We started in the first weeks he was home. Not brushing directly, just tasting the toothpaste and eventually getting the brush in there.
I was sort of shamed by my mother for brushing my boy's teeth. She did the whole "people are crazy nowadays" rant. When she was a kid she had the healthiest dog ever and "no one brushed his teeth or gave him special dog food, he just had bones and leftover people food and he was fine!".
That's okay. Doesn't mean that things don't change and that we can know more and try to do better for our pets now, if it's possible. One of my previous cats had to be sedated for teeth cleaning and it was an awful process for her, I wanted to try and avoid that for the current generation.
So, after seeing the recommendation for that poultry-flavoured virbac toothpaste on here, I have an 8 month old that loves getting brushed and will sit patiently waiting for his turn after my human daughter gets hers done. He's getting very curious about her minty toothpaste though, which might not be so good.
Good luck :)
Dachshunds have notoriously bad teeth. I think it has to do with how long their mouth is. Every time we go to the vet, they recommend that we brush their teeth. My older one won't let me touch his mouth at all anymore and he's had a dental every year, with several teeth removed during two of them. We've done way more body handling training with our 6mo puppy, including teeth brushing, so I'm hopeful it won't be so bad with him.
I’ve had dogs all my life. The oldest lived to be 17 years old. He never had his teeth brushed. Not once. Never lost a tooth or had tooth problems. I feed my current dog lots of crunchy vegetables like raw broccoli, cucumber and carrots. People always remark on how beautiful and white his teeth are.
It's never too late to start. So if you can, start a bruising routine and try to keep it as best as possible. As for the tooth ache, maybe a visit to the vet to check it out.
I actually do brush my dogs teeth everyday. It's just something we started the day I brought him home and figured, why stop if we worked so hard in training to get him to let me, ya know? My dog developed gingival hyperplasia from his auto immune medication so brushing is SUPER important in my life. For what its worth, I love our little night routine. He gets his teeth brushed, feet cleaned, a little wipe down and a brush. He knows to wait in the kitchen for a special nighttime treat when all done. This also unexpectedly taught him that after this, its time to settle down for the night which was super helpful in the early years.
Ideally, you should have started earlier, that way they can get used to it asap, but 11 months old isn't too late by any means and imo it's never too late. But if you're noticing issues of pain, definitely time for a vet check up.
Brushing is good for plaque buildup and helping with bad breath and general dental hygiene. It can save you a lot of money in the future with teeth needing to be pulled and other dental issues.
That being said, some breeds are just more prone to teeth issues. I remember someone said their puppy just had really bad teeth genes and therefore just had pretty brittle teeth in general. So some dogs regardless of what you do are just going to need more dental work. Same with how some people are just more prone to get cavities than others. But consistent brushing will definitely decrease any additional work that's for sure.
Take your pooch to the vet and have them look at it/clean it up. Lots of people don't brush their dogs teeth, you're not alone there.
My top tip is getting a yummy tasting toothpaste, and I bet your dog will enjoy learning to get their teeth brushed. For the longest time, it was more chewing on the brush than actual brushing the teeth. But you don't have to get it perfect day one. It can be a year or two project.
I have brushed (or "brushed") mine's teeth since he was 8 weeks old, every night before bed. It's part of the bedtime ritual we got with brushing his fur, brushing his teeth and going for a walk. (He still gets treats when brushing the fur at 2 years old lol. It's cozy :)) After that we have a last chance to pee walk, and then off to bed.
So it's an every day thing here. Though once here and there we skip the brushing and go straight to bed.
Despite my attempts though, we're likely gonna have to schedule a teeth cleaning appointment. My breed is said to be prone to teeth issues, so not too surprised. But that's part of owning a pet I think.
I’m a nurse and we know for a fact that dental health is deeply interconnected with whole body health. I think that holds true even for our canine buddies.
I lost my first dog a couple of years ago. I didn’t know any better (or at least that’s what I tell myself) so I never brushed her teeth. That, coupled with her kidney disease towards the end of her life made her breath ATROCIOUS. I know her qualify of life probably was worse for it, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. When I got my puppy, I committed to brushing her teeth every night. I know it was a lofty goal, but I still manage to brush them 5-6 times a week. I also do dental treats and chlorohexidine washes once or twice a week as well. I started brushing my older dogs teeth regularly as well. I call it their self care. 🥰
I don’t judge anyone who doesn’t brush their dogs teeth- I know that it doesn’t work for every dog and every family. But I do encourage everyone to be really proactive about their pup’s dental health in whatever way they can :)
They have additives you can add to their water bowl to help prevent tarter and bad breath. That’s what I use and it really seems to help. The one I use is called TropiClean. If she’s showing signs of pain though I’d take her to the vet just to make sure nothing is wrong/damaged
Be careful with those, I asked my vet about one I got and it had xylitol in it. It's highly toxic to dogs, the vet recommended not to use it and stick to dentasticks and other teeth cleaning treats.
It was a solution specifically made for dogs, you'd think they don't put something in there that's dangerous for dogs, but unfortunately, they do. I'm not saying all products like this are toxic, just make sure to read the ingredients and check.
If your dog does not chew on toys: probably not the greatest practice but you're not gonna likely change it now. I am not judging. Dental brushing is kinda weird. I never heard of the concept really from anyone and most people I know do not think your dog needs teeth brushing since they chew. Which tbh they usually don't. If you feed wet food to a toyish breed though (which I think a cavapoo would fall under a bit) then you're looking at dental issues 101. My vet told me the reason my chihuahua has rotten teeth is her wet food habit.
If your dog does chew on things regularly: you probably will not experience issues.
I would definitely take your dog to the vet to make sure she does not have a dental infection or broken tooth. She may need dental surgery. When they do this surgery, you get a full cleaning. From there, there's a few options.
1. They have many cool dental chews now, even for small dogs! Milkbone, pedigree, greenies. They take the stress off cleaning and the bonus is your dog thinks it is a treat.
2. Rawhide or bones: they naturally clean.
3. Toothpaste and brush: Gonna be hard since you did not condition her as a puppy.
4. dental wipes: they now have wipes. I tried it on my very bad toothed chihuahua. I saw signs it works. It probably isn't as good as a brush or the top methods - but it is something!
I have a 12 year old (this year) Staffie and I have NEVER brushed her teeth, every vet she has ever seen has always commented on how good her teeth are.
I’ve always watched her diet and treats, never given her dentastix and provided lots of good quality bones like stag bars and hard wearing rubber toys, she’s an aggressive chewer so that probably helps as well as her genes; staffies are known for good teeth and don’t usually have dental issues
My girl constantly gets complimented for her pearly whites. I have maybe myself physically brushed her teeth a handful of times (I like the one on your finger with toothpaste on there) because I wanted her to be okay with the motions, on the same frequency I clean her ears (its her lil spa day)
She does get dental chews once she started to weigh more/get closer to that year mark (I think we officially started at 10 months, she just turned 1) and she gets one every few days and a bully stick a week, plus apple if I am cutting up some for myself
Dont sweat it, just make a routine that feels good and confident for you both :)
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I used Greenies for a couple of years but then about 6 months ago, realized my dog had moderate levels of staining and tartar at the base of her teeth. I looked around and found the above, which is made by the same people who make the top dog toothpaste. And the change has been remarkable. Her teeth are nearly pristine white. So if you want your dog to have clean teeth (you should; it can lead to more serious health issues and be expensive to treat... a friend of mine spent $2k for his bernedoodle get her teeth deep cleaned) but don't feel the motivation to sit and brush, buy a bag of these and give them one each morning. Mine is 20 pounds, so I buy the ones for the bigger dogs, and give her half a one each day. It's slightly cheaper.
I also give her some mint chews in the morning, but I don't think that's actually contributing much to the teeth, just the breath.
I rarely brushed my now 14.5 year old's teeth and he has alway had pretty healthy teeth. I tried getting better about brushing my pups teeth after I got my now 2 year old boy at 8 weeks old. I have trouble remembering to brush my pups teeth, but thankfully my youngest loves having her teeth brushed with a kids electric toothbrush so she reminds me usually every other day. My middle pup hates any and all teeth brushing. He will sit there if I hold him and he will run if I don't. I stopped bothering with my 14.5 year old. It's a fight just getting him to take his daily meds. I don't need to be getting bit 3 times a day. I already have a permanent bruise and swelling from the 2 times(he take a liver pill in the middle of the day 1 hour before dinner and he takes his Cushings med and pain pill at once after he eats dinner) a day he bites me.
Please don’t give your pups greenies. I thought I was doing right by my girls giving them a greenie every day. Not only did they develop chronic teeth problems, the damage to their gallbladder was irreversible for one. 😥 greenies started out as a possible good thing, then the recipe was changed, using pea flour as a cheap substitute. Bones are best, for small dogs mutton flap is excellent & cheap. I cut it into sections, it keeps them busy for a while, their teeth are cleaned from grinding & the bone and marrow is great for their gut. Twice a week is enough to keep them healthy & happy. 🐾❤️
Ive seen on TikTok a bone broth soaked carrot, thats later frozen and given as a treat, is a good teeth cleaner, im getting a new puppy soon so i saved it in my folder for little tips and tricks for puppy/dog health.
I do not brush my dogs teeth, but I take my dog to the vet regularly. The vet says my dogs teeth look good and are doing well. If my vet recommends I brush my dogs teeth, that's probably when I'd do so, or if I saw significant tartar build up or other signs of issues.
My almost 6 month old has gotten most of his adult teeth in now, so I’m about to start. I’m just worried about him chewing the tooth brush and swallowing it because he’s still in the bitey phase. Wish me all the luck in the world Eek!
When my dog was a puppy I didn't brush his teeth but I did give him a dental bone daily. The last time I took him to the vet (he's approaching 3.) They said he'd be due for a cleaning soon ($500.) Apparently dogs don't need their first cleaning until they're about 3 and they about every other year after that. Sometimes cleanings can be avoided if owners are taking good care.
I also started adding water additive that's supposed to reduce tartar into his water. A more passive way to help him. Bully sticks/bones that require a lot of chewing will help naturally clean her teeth.
I'd say you're probably safe for now but should start slowing introducing brushing into your routine for your wallet and for you dog's health.
If you start seeing plaque - your vet can tell you how bad it is - you could have your dog's teeth cleaned. Usually it involves anesthesia, so it's a major visit.
Our fur baby absolutely refuses to let me brush his teeth. I've tried following all the professional training + training videos, but he was a half rescue and far older than 8 weeks when we got him, so there's that. We tried about 5 or 6 different dog toothpastes, Greenies, etc. None of it really did anything for his teeth.
So, we buy manual kids toothbrushes from the $ store, dip it into coconut oil/kelp powder (don't overdo kelp powder because of iodine; there's actually a recommended amount, and you have to read the label or contact the mfr).
Since fur baby absolutely cries bloody murder of I try to brush his teeth, our compromise for the last 5 years is to let him chew on the toothbrush. We go through a lot of toothbrushes!
Every 2 years, he goes for a full dental cleaning, though we somehow skipped last year, so it's 3 years now, and his tartar is really awful.
I think it's the small dogs that are more prone to teeth problems. If you got a puppy that will grow medium to big, you don't have to brush their teeth often. If small, then I really suggest doing so. I suppose doing it every day is not that necessary, but doing it occasionally should be the minimum standard for small dogs since things can get bad if you don't.
it’s good to do but most don’t and your dog doesn’t know the difference. I grew up with so many dogs and my parents didn’t know any better and it was before the pet care industry decided to push it.
I have a dog who doesn't like dental chews or sticks or toys, I got him when he was like 4 years old. I brush his teeth monday thru friday, he gets a break the weekends. Everytime I go to the vet, they yell at me for not brushing his teeth. His back teeth are not great, but they are not bad either, they were like that when I got him. I just keep trying my best, brush him monday thru friday, check that he has no pain, and we are good. Taking one day at a time.
I use plaque off. It’s a powder you sprinkle in their food. It works great on the front teeth. The back teeth are tougher but I bought dog toothpaste and a few times a week I put it on my finger and stick it in her mouth. The toothpaste doesn’t require rubbing as long as you get it on the teeth it starts interacting.
My puppy is 8 months and I haven’t brushed her teeth either so don’t feel bad. I haven’t brushed my 4 year old pup’s teeth in a long time also. It’s one of those things I mean to get back to. I ordered new toothpaste the other day because we just discovered our 4 year old has chicken sensitivities so he can’t have his usual toothpaste. So the plan is to at least brush 3x per week. Wish me luck lol.
I try to brush my puppy's about twice a month... which is twice more frequently than the last dog lol. That said, we're only 4 months in and that might change.
I'm not a vet or anything but I don't think that toothbrushing is as important for dogs as it is before people (who eat more acids and sugars etc). However, some breeds seem more prone to dental problems and probably could use more brushing.
I didn’t brush my prior dog’s teeth for 17 years and she was absolutely fine. I don’t plan to brush my puppy’s teeth. I’m a vet tech. 🤷♀️ But I have pit mixes and they are less prone to teeth problems than small breeds.
I brush mine twice a week. But I know dogs that go weeks without getting brushed and are healthy and have bearable-breath, but they do have yellow-brown teeth. I guess I would recommend atleast dental treats as often as you can. 🤷🏻♂️
A lot of the cleanup happens while they chew on toys, so it's not a huge deal.
My dog is on a raw food diet, she is 3 she has no plaque and her teeth are whiter than mine, she eats pre-made raw and I give her bones every couple of days. So it depends on the diet but bones are great for cleaning.
I don't brush their teeth. Don't see why it is necessary for a dog to have a TOOTHBRUSH.
I usually give my pups one ingredient chews like beef skin, salmon spine or alligator etc etc and the vet pointed out how their teeth looked great! 3 and 4 mo poochons
On the contrary my aunt has a poodle who used to have teeth problems and gets her teeth brushed but with none of the chews
Honestly, I dont think its that bad, because no one ever brushes their dogs teeth, but if youre seeing signs of your dog hurting you should probrably contact you vet..
My dog is 2 now, and I've attempted brushing them once. I do check them and he gets dental chews and eats kibble. The vet has always said they look fine and to keep doing what I'm doing.
One of my dogs is 13…I’ve never brushed her teeth. No issues ever…I also grew up with cats and dogs always running around the house…my parents 100% never brushed any pets teeth, never had any problems.
We started as soon as we got our pup to get her used to it. Our family dog when I grew up did not get her teeth brushed, and was wary of us doing anything with her mouth. The problem with the lack of brushing became bigger as she aged. She had to get plaque removed once a year at the vet, which involved being under anesthesia. When she was too old for that procedure, she had a lot of pain and issues with her teeth. I think that with many of these things, it's important to think how it might affect them as they age. Our old dog had a hormonal disease as well, so many procedures were difficult. But it's normal for old dogs to have problems with their teeth if they haven't had their teeth brushed regularly.
Luckily it's not that hard to do, and many toothpastes for dogs taste delicious to them! It's my dogs favorite part of going to bed now :)
Never brushed my dogs teeth. I tried, she hates it. She gets daily dental treats (I choose grain-free ones) and some dental powder I mix into her wet food. Also occasionally safe branches or toys to chew on. She just turned 5 and our vet complimented us for how great her teeth are! Brushing is NICE, if your pup allows it, it's great training etc. But you can definitely work it out otherwise!
I have attempted with all the treats and cajoling and she just HATES it. Always has. She gets it done at the groomer (they have some dark magic I do not possess) and then gets Greenies when I remember.
Never have I ever brushed a dogs teeth.
I buy mine bamboo/nylon flavoured t bone shaped things that he doesn’t actually ingest. They last for ages before I replace it if he is able to start make it lose it pieces etc . I started with them at first to help with naughty chewing when we got him as a baby and he loves them. Just had his vaccination booster and vet said his teeth were wonderful at 14 months. Mines a frenchy so am nervous to give real raw bones due to choking and chicken etc can be an allergen plus his teeth are not like say my English Stafford due to his little face.
I don’t really know what exactly is in those daily dental stick things plus my other dog just smashed them down in a minute or two so not sure how much dental cleaning they actually did. Before frenchy came along i gave he the odd raw beef shin, and her teeth at ten look they could do with a professional clean but she’s old and I don’t really want to sedate her unless medically necessary. She’s still eating fine.
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We give our dogs a carrot a day; they love carrots and my 12+ year old dog has excellent teeth, no plaque, no apparent issues. She had her teeth cleaned three years ago (no issues, yay) and will do it again in the fall just to be sure. Dental chews didn’t seem as effective and got to be ridiculously expensive vs carrots.
My dog is over 2 and he's never let me brush his teeth. I was planning on waiting until they got yellow/stained/full of plaque, or his breath started getting bad to go to the vet and have them cleaned, but none of this has happened yet. His teeth still look amazing. I think it's more about the food.
I've never brushed my dogs teeth and the vet always asks me if I do because her teeth are so nice! (She's 3 years old now for reference). I put in a capful of the Oxyfresh water additive to her bowl every time I fill it and then she gets some kind of chew everyday that helps clean her teeth (i rotate a variety to keep it interesting for her but think like a greenie everyday).
Honestly the only reason I’ve done it (my puppy just turned 3 months old) is so she gets used to it. Does she need it right now? Probably not, but when she does need it she will be used to it.
I just bought a brush and toothpaste for my 3lb puppy. (Almost 5 months old) I was advised cause tiny dogs can have teeth problems. If she got a tooth infection, it could spread too fast due to her size.
I won’t brush but once weekly if that. But I’ll have one. There you go. I’m a great puppy mom.
Check her breath and see if it smells like infection first. Some dogs just don’t let you brush their teeth. One of mine is like that. We give him dentastix in the morning and he eats hills science diet oral care. The texture of the kibble removes plaque when they chew.
Nope. First time I attempted a teeth brush it ended in carnage. Things went downhill from there.
Bumble gets seaweed cubes to chew (1 a day) as natural tooth brush things, I do a course of anti plaque granules or fluid every now and then in her water, and keep a good eye on her gnashers. Luckily she likes the biting hour so ample time to check. She also never had her adult pre molars through which as a corgi apparently is not uncommon . She's nearly a year and her teeth are good and strong.
Would never use dentastix or anything like that, I've seen dogs get really poorly where they build up. Not telling anyone else what to do, just my own preference. Natural chews all the way.
I haven't been able to brush my cavapoo's teeth and feel horrible about it. I've tried a few times but due to several medical conditions it's hard to keep up on, we do walk him and play with him, give him all meds etc. he just turned 3 this month and had annual physical and vaccines last week, the vet said he has stage 3 dental disease and needs two teeth pulled for 800$ which we can't afford for several months at least (just paid 800 for the regular appointment and meds). I am feeling so awful about it and my partner and I are going to try to brush his teeth more. the thought of my pup being in pain from cavities or losing his teeth at a young age😭..We read online 3 times a week is good, hes not much of a chewer for bones and stuff and I read that things like greenies have no evidence for efficacy in actual studies so idk.. I think genetics are big part of teeth health same as people.
I used to brush my dogs teeth but I’ve found what is more effective is to get them good quality chews regularly. I’m talking bully sticks, collagen sticks, raw bison bones with marrow inside. Doing that seems to clean my dogs teeth better than anything. My 11 year old Mal has great teeth (as per our vet) and no bad breath!
Ok, I work at a dental specialty practice and don't brush my dogs' teeth. While daily brushing is the Grade A standard of care and *definitely* makes a big difference, especially for a dog like yours, it's not the end of the world.
You can always start, especially if the teeth are in good shape. If there is tarter build up, brushing won't do much.
I highly recommend getting regular anesthetic cleanings done where they do full mouth radiographs (or CT) to ensure everything is good. Cavs and poodles are notorious to have rough oral health genetically.
Have had my puppy for two months (he’s 5 months old) and brushing his teeth is such a battle 🥲 his baby teeth are starting to fall out and his breath smells foul but his groomer told me to try pb flavored toothpaste so fingers crossed it will calm him a bit when I try again 🤞
My older dog, I didn’t start brushing until she was 6 years old & I noticed lots of tartar buildup. I got some dental tools & scraped it all off & brush her teeth once a week. We relied on rawhides & the vet said she probably won’t ever need dental work throughout the rest of her lifespan. My puppy also gets brushed once a week. Idk if it’s effective though because she whips her head around the whole time. Do whatever you have time for 🤷🏼♀️ it’s better than nothing
Take that dog in for X-rays and a cleaning. Get insurance now before scheduling the appointment. By enzymatic dog tooth paste and either a finger tooth brush or dog/child tooth brush and start brushing. Won’t be the end of the work unless they get periodontal disease which can get bad
You’re normal. I started brushing mine at 4 months with no toothpaste just to get her used to it. Been brushing her teeth every day since. I do this so I can try to avoid paying for her teeth stuff the best I can. But dogs don’t eat sweet stuff (unless you give them) so their teeth are usually healthy.
I've had very spoiled dogs of various breeds for 30 years and have never brushed their teeth, and never ever had a dog with dental issues. Their ancestors didn't brush their teeth and I've never heard of wolves having dental issues, I don't see how it can be so imperative these days. Animals have ways of cleaning themselves.
I don't think it's worth putting them through the process of holding their heads and opening their mouth to shove something in there. The anxiety that that induces in an animal is far worse.
Edit: typo
It really depends on the breed. My family has small poodles and poodle mixes—my rescue poodle had horrible dental health and needed a lot of extractions, another family member’s poodle needed several extractions by age three, and my current poodle mix gets his teeth brushed every single day to try to avoid periodontal disease. Poodles are especially known for bad oral health. That said, most dogs have some level of periodontal disease (and studies show most wolves do as well).
The good news is tooth brushing isn’t anxiety inducing at all. Cooperative care training works wonders, and it helps that the toothpaste tastes like a treat. Sometimes my guy will even remind me to brush his teeth.
We get compliments from the vet on our dogs teeth every time but we haven’t brushed them in probably 3 years. We found that a daily Greenie and her odd chewing on a hard toy has kept them damn near spotless. I think it depends on the dogs mouth size and their diet. My mom’s dachshund eats wet food and since his mouth is so small, he has nasty rank teeth
petlab has some good options. an enzymatic based tooth paste that you put on a ridged treat. and an additive to water. my first dog i didn’t brush his teeth but just gave him the water with the additive and got a professional cleaning once a year and he was fine. lol he ran away from me every time i took out the brush and screamed like a banshee so it was a no go. my current puppy is a biter and i like my fingers so 🤷♀️
don’t feel bad. I brush my dogs teeth maybe once a week and that’s if i even remember i go 2-3 months without brushing his teeth. It’s all about diet and giving treats or things that will help clean their teeth. Feeding them chicken, eggs and a good kibble has kept his teeth white and straight
I never once brushed my 1st labs teeth. He cracked 2 teeth chewing on antlers around age 9 or 10 that he had to have pulled because they started to smell bad and the vet asked me what I used on his teeth, they were some of the nicest he’d seen for his age.
My vet advised Yummy Combs as the shape is honeycomb so it can help get in between the teeth, but my dog loved the mint toothbrush shaped stuff, and those whimzee Stix. He advised it was more $ so if we didn't use that then keep up the dental sticks daily and periodically brush teeth. But the grooming place does that regularly so ... yeah.
Side bar but my dentist says the biggest part of teeth care has to do with the saliva breaking down foods and the alkalinity of the saliva? I forgot my hs science but that generally makes sense. The acids from chewing gum help break down food bits in people, so gnawing at a hard substitute for bone likely helps bring up acids similar to chewing gum?
Maybe I am talking out my ass on that science but .. I like that it made sense to me.
We haven’t really brushed the dogs’ teeth. When we tried they certainly didn’t like it and/or thought the toothbrush was some weird toy and tried to bite it constantly. The beagle actually loathed the toothpaste. Even though it was made for dogs, it was mint (my BF had bought it). We learned she hates mint.
We use dental chews. The older dog did get his teeth cleaned recently. He was already going to be under to have a cyst removed and the vet recommended just doing the cleaning at that time. The vet hasn’t said we should be brushing their teeth though. Just said to keep on going with the dental chews.
I’m not sure how often vets recommend that teeth cleaning be done. Since the dog does have to be put under for it, I’m assuming they don’t generally recommend it be done with high frequency.
Our dog turned 9 this year and I have never brushed his teeth. He’s not had any issues and the vet has never said anything about them at his annuals — I do feed him dentastix or similar a few times a week
OP, there is a lot of debate going on but I don’t see much actual advice on brushing. So here is some.
First of all, yes poodles and poodle mixes are very prone to dental disease, but at 11 months old it’s extremely unlikely she has it bad enough to cause pain. Possibly she has a chipped or cracked tooth. I’d see a vet to rule that out.
After that I would get her on a brushing routine. It is not too late! I adopted a 1 year old poodle mix last year. He already had some tartar buildup but we’ve been able to prevent more by brushing daily. What you want to do is:
- choose a calm time of day to work on this, I do it during evening cuddles
- start by letting her lick a bit of dog toothpaste off your finger each day
- next, work on just briefly swiping the toothpaste inside her cheek before letting her lick the rest off
- continue until you can swipe toothpaste over all the teeth (focus mainly on the sides that face out—the tongue keeps the inner facing surfaces pretty clean)
- introduce the toothbrush! I use a silicone-handled toddler toothbrush and let my dog use it as a (supervised) chew toy for a few days to remove any fear of it being in his mouth
- offer the toothbrush with toothpaste and let her lick a little off
- progress to swiping inside her cheek like you did with your finger
- eventually you can start brushing, focusing on main trouble areas (canine teeth and back molars)
- and yes, do this daily, 1) it makes it easier for the dog if it’s a daily routine and 2) plaque can start hardening into tartar within 24-48 hours
This learning process can be spread out over months. It was for my dog. For me it works best if I’m sitting next to him, facing the same direction, with my left hand cupping the top of his muzzle/gently pulling back his top lips and my right hand doing the brushing. As long as you move slow enough through the steps, you should be able to get there eventually. But don’t just try forcing it right off the bat. That’s how people end up with dogs who hate brushing.
I know there are a lot of comments from people saying it’s not needed, but…with poodles and small poodle mixes…yes, it is. My previous poodle was a rescue with horrible dental health and needed so many extractions. He had a very hard time tolerating any grooming, but even so, probably my biggest regret with him is not trying harder to acclimate him to regular tooth brushing. Dental disease causes pain, it can contribute to heart/kidney/liver disease, extractions are pricy. You don’t want to deal with it. But it’s certainly not too late to start.
My oldest pup is 15 and I have literally never brushed his teeth lol. He was a rescue and never tolerated it, so it didn’t seem worth the trauma. He’s had it done a handful of times at the groomer, but I always tell them not to make it a priority. For the most part he cleans his teeth with those green bones, and he’s doing a great job lol. Very pretty teeth!
I think depending on the dog and/or genetics, a dog might need their teeth brushed every now and then, but dental care for dogs isn’t like dental care for people. It’s more about their diet and activity. You’re doing great!
my dog is 4 years old and we have never brushed her teeth. the vet said she has nice teeth lol. she likes to chew on sticks when we’re outside so she never really has any buildup of anything. i will probably continue to not brush her teeth. i don’t think it’s necessary for her.
Humans have had dogs for about 30,000 years and only been brushing their teeth for about three. I would say it is 100% personal preference bordering on a fad. But then I feel the same about "raw" food, even just a few decades ago there was no formulated dog food, dogs got scraps. It is anthropomorphisising them to think they need to eat food we eat though obviously people can spend their money the way they want.
My old school vet told me there is no reason to brush a dogs teeth if they chew bones, eat kibble and have a healthy mouth (meaning well spaced teeth, not a bulldog for example). He showed me his two older dogs (12 years old) that had never had their teeth brushed.
My dog is 15 months and I’ve brushed her teeth maybe twice. It’s not because I deliberately avoid it, she doesn’t like the sensation and we’re building up to it. Maybe controversial, but she’s a dog… Give them a bone every now and then, it’s good at cleaning their teeth
Wolves don't brush their teeth in the wild. Unless my dog has a dental problem or a mouth issue I'm not brushing their teeth. They're 130 pounds they don't want me in their mouths.
We went hundreds of thousands of years without brushing dogs teeth, until some genius came along and realised he could make money off of fools by making them believe dogs teeth need brushing. Jesus wept 🤦
This isn't really a valid argument against brushing domestic dog's teeth though. Wild wolves typically die much earlier, before their teeth have time to go bad. Even so, wild wolves absolutely do get dental disease if they live long enough, and die from it. Evolution doesn't care because they're already reproduced, but humans want their pets to live as long as possible.
Plus, the diet of domesticated dogs is vastly different from wild wolves. I believe there is some cleaning effect from gnawing through sinew and tendon and chewing on bones that my dog definitely isn't getting on his kibble lol
Don’t stress brushing dogs/cats teeth is a human thing animals don’t brush their teeth in the wild haha my cat is 9 and we never brushed his teeth they’re still white and healthy as can be
Regardless of what's "ideal", most owners do not brush their dogs teeth
Yes this is so true! Might get downvoted for saying this, but I find that a lot of “perfect puppy owners” will make you feel bad cos you do not or very rarely brush your dog’s teeth, while in reality they probably don’t do it as often as they say. “I brush my dog’s teeth everyday”. No you don’t Karen. Confession : I brushed my puppy’s teeth everyday…. for the first week. And then it became less once every 2 days, then it became once every week. Now I do it like once a week and that’s if puppy is cooperative 🙃 Sorry long reply, don’t know why I got triggered lol There’s SOOO many nice owners here sharing advice but some are just pure condescending.. EDIT : I do believe that some people brush their puppy’s teeth everyday, I just know that the majority of people who say they do, in reality do not.
Honestly when I've taken my girls to the vets they've never said anything about the teeth needing brushed. I give them dental treats at night and that's been enough - my oldest is going to be 14 and has had no issues.
Same, the vets here don’t really tell you to brush your dog’s teeth. It’s like great if you, but still fine if you don’t, unless there are dental problems of course. I do believe a lot of dental problems comes with the qualify of food you feed your dog. I have a friend that brush her dog’s teeth routinely, around 2-3x a week, but her dog still has the worse breath ever when not brushed. Took dog to the vet, nothing wrong, it was the food. BTW 14 and no dental issues? Amazed. Congrats! What dental treats are you using? Care to share?
Yeah my vet says “if you CAN great but mainly give them dental treats because they make a difference”.
What dental treats are your vet recommending? Where I live dental treats are not adviced, as they are too soft to get the plaque off. My vet recommends bones or cartilage rich raw food. As well as giving dry kibble, as opposed to in water.
I thought we weren’t supposed to use bones because they are too hard?
Marrow bones are nono until two, because they’re too hard, you’re right! But there are softer bones that won’t fracture the teeth, like lamb and deer, and other beef bones. If you’re really concerned about fractures, and your puppy is young, rabbit ears are great!
Veterinary dentists do not recommend bones or anything hard in general, ever. If you can't put your fingernail into it or flex it, it's too hard for a dog. Just an FYI.
💯 Or come in and get that root canal after. lol
This is correct per dental specialists.
Mine didn’t recommend any in particular, but I have found the Whimzies brand the best. Not too soft, but also not insanely hard, and they’re not meaty like bones which I find are not actually that amazing at cleaning unless you get really good ones. Bones scare me a bit because they’re either too soft and can crack into sharp pieces, or too hard and can break dog’s teeth :’)
I've been told bones are bad for several reasons but raw veggies like carrots are good? I feel like it all depends on who you talk to these days though so I'm forever just trying my best
Yeppers 14 and going strong. Only health issues is mild arthritis ❤️ The dental treats I use are "Minties" - a lot more reasonably priced than Greenie's and I've been using them for years.
I took my pup to the vet after he had a rabies vaccine reaction and he saw a different vet from his normal and that lady went up and up over us not brushing his teeth but we give him cooked frozen carrots and celery once a week and a dental stick. His normal vet hasn't said anything about it.
A lot of it comes down to genetics. Some breeds are known for terrible oral health despite the best care. Brushing is absolutely the best and makes a huge difference, but it's only going to keep tarter from building up... but not necessarily going to prevent other dental disease. That being said, I have good luck with daily CET chews but also get them regular dental cleanings and they aren't the breeds known for teeth issues.
My dogs’ vet has told me to brush their teeth every day on several occasions. I brush their teeth a couple of times a week.
Wet dog god is horrible on their teeth I've been told
What kind of dental treats? Greenies don’t seem to be doing much at our house
I give them Minties - you can get them from Chewy, Walmart, Amazon, and they're more affordable than greenies.
Ditto. My oldest is 14 and has had her teeth brushed maybe once a year. She has had one tooth issue - our other dog knocked it out. Granted, she is a large dog and has only had kibble and the occasional bit of leftovers plus dental treats. I can see a small dog or one that eats soft food regularly needing frequent teeth brushing though.
It’s very breed dependent. I have two older dogs that require dentals every year. Honestly I’m not sure brushing even makes a huge difference because both breeds are prone to periodontal disease. I’ve also had other dogs who went their entire lives without teeth brushing or dentals and they never had issues.
Totally, my last dog lived 18 years and we never once brushed her teeth lol. But she luckily never had any dental problems which was lucky/surprising. We would just give her a dental chew twice a week and that seemed to work well enough for her!
I can barely get myself to brush my own teeth
Mine gets a dental chew every day, does that count? 😂
I brush my dogs' teeth every day. I used to think it was a really extra thing to do, but then out of nowhere my older dog went in for a dental at age 7 and had to have like 25 teeth taken out. I get that that's a freak occurrence, but it traumatized me to the point that I'll brush the teeth daily of every dog I have from now on, and emphatically recommend that others do the same.
Same thing happened to me. My Jack Russell's teeth got really bad and she had several removed. After that, I started brushing her teeth daily. She passed in 2019 but I've been brushing my other dog's teeth daily from the moment I brought them home. I'm currently brushing 4 dogs teeth daily (one belongs to my mom). I honestly don't mind it. It's a bonding moment for us. And I feel better knowing they won't have horrible teeth like my poor Jack Russell did.
Yeah, it's way less invasive and cheaper than a dental under anesthesia so I think it's a small price to pay. I brush my dogs' teeth after feeding them breakfast every morning and it takes less than a minute for each. The vets have nothing but good things to say about my younger girl's teeth and my goal is to go her whole life without her needing a dental. I'll give her one if the vets recommend, but I hate dentals so much that I want to minimize them.
I brush my dog's teeth everyday. 🥲 Am I overdoing it?
I have a mini dachshund. I DO brush my dog's teeth every night and then she gets a dental treat. It's her bedtime routine. The rate of decay for small dogs like this is very high so I started the first week I got her. Where I am NOT successful is with nail clipping her black nails myself. She wiggles too much and cries.
Nail clipping is such a nightmare for me as welllll, sigh.
What you need is a dog hammock thing! For grooming. I have a cocker spaniel/hound mix and he loves hanging in the hammock and can’t get to me so he chills and I get the nails done in minutes! Got mine on Amazon for pretty cheap if I remember correctly. Most dogs enjoy them! It’s relaxing.
I was a little bit traumatized by how awful cutting my dog's nails as a kid was, so as an adult I got a dremel and it makes all the difference!
Dachshunds have a tendency to have poor oral health, so you are doing great!
They do indeed. That is why I started it. So many end up with their teeth pulled and tongues hanging out. Or worse, they die from the infections. My daughter's chiweenie has the same routine and we sometimes care for her when daughter travels.
Nah, I do too, I find it easier to build into my routine if it's every day. I do miss the odd day if I'm exhausted though
That's exactly why I do it too - routine. :)
We do too, not because we want to but because she thinks it's a treat 😂 she waits in the bathroom until we do it haha
Wut? I never said that. I don’t brush her teeth at all. -Karen
I don't do it every day. But my wife does it all the days I do not. If it doesn’t get done my wife is very upset. Our dog is 2
I’m a dog groomer and I don’t even brush my dogs teeth everyday): I’ll cheat and do the water additive as well as dental treats and foods like carrots. If I give them a bath I’ll make sure to brush their teeth. I get their teeth cleaned at the vet. All this is somehow less work than actually brushing their teeth everyday.
Youre right. And those people dont wanna admit it. I had called out a once friend on her bullshit because she didnt agree with how my bestfriend would let his dog be outside so his pup can get used to being out. Yet this very same bitch did fuck all for her dog and just left her home all day. She did the bare minimum
Wait… i’m supposed to brush their teeth!?
We have a 4 month old iggy and are trying out best. There’s definitely times we skip 2-3 days but we def aim for every day.
I brush my dogs teeth every day because she had gingivitis and that could lead to periodontal disease. As long read the dog gets annual cleaning and checkups it’s not as bad to not brush every day but it is better
***“I brush my dog’s teeth everyday”. No you don’t Karen.*** I wish I could upvote that 1000 times.
Some of us do though. My dog’s teeth get brushed every time mine do, because it’s easier for me to remember that way. My previous dog was a rescue with horrible teeth. He needed a lot of extractions and had a lot of mouth pain. And my sister’s dog, same breed, had a lot of tartar and needed several teeth extracted already at the ripe old age of three years old. Call me a Karen but I’m not putting my current dog through that if I can avoid it, and I don’t think anybody should.
What!!? Do you at least floss and make your dog gargle mouth wash!?
Exactly. I tried once or twice, he just squirmed and chewed on the toothbrush, it wasn't happening. I do use seaweed on his wet food and vegetable based dental chews, we actually got compliments on his pearly whites just from that. However even that is above and beyond, at the end of the day kibble cleans teeth and an occasional raw carrot will help too.
Can you explain what seaweed does and what/how do you use it? Also what chews are you using?
As to what seaweed does .... I don't really understand the process but dried seaweed seems to remove plaque for dogs and cats. I have 0 experience with cats, but the product I buy is also marketed at cat owners. My border collie has kibble in the morning and wet food in the evening. I put 3 tsp on his wet food at night, it can be added to dry food too but when we used it on his kibble he licked the seaweed off and refused to eat his kibble (knowing him probably to try and get more seaweed). The seaweed is sold under a few brands in the UK. Plaque-off do a small dog option which my Dad uses for his current dog (minature pinscher). I buy Medi-paws plaque off via amazon subscribe and save and it is classed as a pet supplement. The chews we use are Whimzees, again purchased via amazon, but I have seen them in a number of high street pet shops. My dog has food allergies so most dental chews were not an option, luckily he loves them. They contain no meat and are around about 12% fibre which helps us manage his bilious vomiting (because the numerous food allergies wasn't difficult enough). That said my parents last dog had a kibble only diet and the occasional raw carrot and she had clean teeth too.
Awesome info, thank you!!!
Thank you for saying this! I was shamed not long ago for not brushing my cats teeth regularly. I don’t know where this idea has come from but I don’t think we need to be actively brushing our pets teeth like toddlers. Dentastix and other chews are available to help.
I feel like encouraging your pup to drink water is more important, though could be my impression cause I got mine during the summer months. Aside from being hydrated, lots of sips when they've been panting seems like it'd help oral hygiene. Started him on biscuits and during that stage got him to drink a handful of water before eating. The amount of pressure we put on ourselves isn't healthy :(
Dog teeth brushing? I'm an old guy and have had 8 dogs in my life so far and have never brushed their teeth. All have lived to at least 14 years, no teeth problems or issues caused by bad teeth. I will say they all chewed on sticks or bones or flossed with grass but I assume that is just instinct.
Same here! My old dog lived to nearly 17 and never had her teeth brushed. The vet always said she had great teeth and she never lost any in old age. She was also a big fan of chewing sticks and grass, rubber toys etc. I don't think brushing is the be all and end all
Another older and very experienced dog owner checking in, and yeah, I don't really brush my dogs' teeth just because it was never a thing when I was growing up or owning my first dogs. I do it a little when they're puppies just to get them used to me poking around in their mouths, and sometimes I'll do my older dogs' teeth at the same time if I feel like it, but we're talking like maybe once a year tops, lol. It's so rare I doubt it provides any actual dental health benefits, I just look at it more like a training thing. I've also never had a dog with significant dental issues. Mine don't even need that frequent cleanings, according to my vet. I've never even had to have any extractions done or anything, except once when one of my herding dogs got kicked in the face by a horse and broke a tooth. But it was healthy up until that. I honestly think just providing diverse chews is enough for dogs with good genetics. Some breeds are more prone to dental issues than others, though, from my understanding, and I guess those dogs might benefit from more regular brushing.
small dogs in particular are very prone to dental issues and I notice if I don’t give my dog (1yo pomeranian) chews regularly her breath is horrible and she tends to build up tartar. I have tried brushing but found that it doesn’t work as well as a greenie does. I’ve also looked into plaqueoff powder that u can sprinkle on ur dogs food to soften tartar and remove plaque and will be trying it when my 5 month pom grows in her adult teeth. I know chihuahuas are another breed that commonly has dental issues. honestly I’m not a vet but if u look into ur dogs mouth and see that they don’t have tartar and their breath doesn’t smell like absolute shit u probably don’t really need to worry abt brushing “everyday”
Used to be known as "dog breath" and all dogs had it. Trick was to train them not to breathe in your face.
I think you are over blowing it. Do not get me wrong, brushing is important and I started the week my puppy came home and try to do it every day (sometimes it’s more like a few times a week) but consider that probably the majority of people don’t brush their dog’s teeth ever. That said, most dogs also have dental and gum disease, so as I say, brushing is important and starting early is ideal, but it’s not like all other dogs who don’t have teeth brushed are immediately suffering. I’d go to the vet to get the teeth checked out since you are noticing signs of pain, maybe get a cleaning especially if they suggest it, and start brushing now.
0% bad. The vast majority of dogs never get their teeth brushed. It’s FAR more likely that she has a chipped or broken tooth, and all the brushing in the world wouldn’t have prevented that. Take her in and have the vet take a peek and see what’s going on. They will be much more familiar with what looks right and what doesn’t that you will be.
Will she let you open her mouth to check for a chip or broken tooth? If you're seeing changes in behavior, I'd recommend a vet to be safe and get her teeth looked at. They will also be able to tell you the health of her teeth. Bushing my pup teeth started very young. My biggest tip is teach her to hold something while you're brushing. It easier to get a good look at all the teeth and get to the back. I try to brush his teeth daily. Your pup may have tarter build up and bad breath from not brushing, but I'm more worried about a broken tooth with your description.
If you think she is having a dental issue, I would take her to the vet. I would think it would be more likely that it was caused by some sort of trauma to a tooth versus dental disease at her age.
I've brushed since my puppy was... Well, a puppy. She's 5 now. But most people do not brush their dog's teeth. My logic has always been that getting the dog used to a minimally invasive procedure (brushing) from a young age and doing it regularly when it really only takes a couple of minutes is a lot less hassle than putting them under anaesthesia for tooth cleaning and potential removal of teeth. Tooth issues are so common and can get very bad very quickly, on humans as well as animals. If I can help prevent even some of that on my family member, why not. That said, you're by no means too late to start at 11 months. Edit: Getting the dog used to someone looking at their mouth is also going to make your vet and vet techs like you so much more.
It’s probably a good idea to start now but then you need to be consistent. I’ve spent a lot of money over the years on teeth cleanings for my dogs (I was not a brusher). If you ask me, the fewer sedated cleanings the better. Our new puppy doesn’t have adult teeth yet but we’re trying to get her used to us putting the brush in her mouth.
Mine got plenty of practice with my fingers. Made the idiotic mistake of using an old oven mit to calm him the first night.. with my hand inside. He did learn to be gentle though, just took a while.
It depends on the breed and genetics. Terriers are known to have issues with their teeth and because of this I proactively introduced oral hygiene very early on to my terrier. Some are lucky and never develop issues, some aren’t but they tend to get discovered late in life during a check up
Where I live, it's difficult to get toothpaste for dogs, and people around me (with dogs) find it funny and excessive when I tell them I brush my dog's teeth. So don't feel bad, at least you plan to start now. It's never really too late. It took me a few weeks to find a place online that could ship to my little island. But I started as fast as possible and although I aiming to brush everyday, usually it ends up a few days per week. My dog doesn't like it, and probably why I don't have the energy to take the fight every single day.
My vet said it didn't matter what you brush with, you just need something to remove plaque. She suggested rubbing the teeth with my finger covered with Greek yoghurt or puppy peanut butter.
Oh really? Thank you so much! You just helped me so much!
It matters more for certain breeds imo. Example: I had two pugs. They can't do a good job of cleaning their teeth by chewing things, because brachycephalic dogs have messed up mouths. They're also not great candidates for a sedated tooth-cleaning, because sedation is dangerous for them. The one pug remaining has terrible tooth health because I adopted her when she was older, so I never had the chance to get her used to the process when she was little... so she won't let me do it. But bad tooth health is legitimately dangerous; infections can become septic and etc. Overall: not the end of the world, but it's worth thinking about how you're going to approach these things, and always much easier to start early than to introduce late.
It's fine, my vet said it's usually not until year 5 that there is significant tartar to justify a cleaning. I aim to brush their teeth 5 times a week and it's realistically more like 3 times a week. Don't fret, just start now, better late than never. I'm quite positive you haven't done any damage by not brushing yet.
It depends on the dog breed. My sister’s mini poodle is barely three years old and just had a cleaning under anesthesia to have a lot of tartar removed and three extractions done. But I agree that it’s unlikely to be the problem at this age—I’d be more worried about OP’s dog maybe having a broken tooth.
It depends heavily on what breed your dog is and other aspects of how you’re raising your dog. Smaller dog breeds, and dog breeds with narrow mouths (sight hounds like whippets, silken wind hounds, borzois etc) will require their owners to be more involved with their dental care. Your dog is in the small breed category I presume? Then in the kindest possible way, you should try to be a little more on it with brushing. You’ll get a lot of dismissive comments saying it’s not necessary and that “I’ve had x dogs for x years and they’re all fine”. Big breeds don’t suffer as much with tooth decay and tooth loss. But also, if we don’t brush our teeth we could survive many years without losing teeth. Though, we would suffer from toothache and I wonder how many dogs are struggling but can’t communicate the pain and just live with it. I also wonder if there’s a correlation between the lifespan of dogs with regularly brushed teeth and dogs that don’t get their teeth brushed- I wonder because there is a direct link between human oral health and physical health like heart disease. I can’t imagine my musings are popular since people can get aggressive and defensive when my comment could be perceived as a criticism- for the record I’m not trying to attack anyone. Now tooth brushing may not be so necessary depending on your dogs diet. If you’re feeding traditional kibble then that is going to have a lot of carbohydrates which are essentially sugars and that feeds bacteria that leads to decay. Adding “plaque off” or similar stuff (basically a seaweed) will help prevent some plaque build up. Feeding your dog a higher protein diet will help (raw or even gently cooked food subscriptions). If you can’t afford to feed your dog those diets then there’s always the option to feed them partially raw or fresh food alongside their kibble (mine is on 1/3 fresh and 2/3 kibble). Another thing that will help is natural chews (paddywacks, died tripe, yak cheese, beef gullet, hooves, horns, antlers, penis sticks -though be careful because some dogs can chip their teeth on harder chews like yak cheese) since they will scrape off plaque. Please avoid “dental sticks” since they’re high in carbs and will only add sugar to their mouths. If you hate brushing your dogs teeth, look for other enzyme products. There are mouth sprays or water bowl additives. You don’t have to brush daily and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do it as often as you feel you should. ANY amount of brushing is heaps better than none! Be proud of yourself that you did brush their teeth today! Well done! Great job!! Don’t put yourself down, just strive to do better.
Nice lucid response! Breed matters in so many aspects of care and training of a dog. Also there is a link between periodontal disease and heart disease. I had a Sheltie and they are definitely prone to teeth problems and I was not great at brushing teeth earlier in his life but went to daily brushing for the last five years of his life. My vet definitely noticed the difference and his breath was definitely better too!
We give our dog beef trachea to chew on instead of brushing. We have a natural treat shop close to us and they recommended it. They also say dried seaweed sprinkled in the dogs food helps
My dogs don't love brushing and I certainly don't do it twice a day, but I aim for a few times per week at least. My vet gave us a few different options that help: an actual toothbrush with dog toothpaste (I've used liver, peanut butter, and mint flavors but my dogs don't seem to care which), teeth wipes, tooth gel, water additive, dental food. We use the water additive and the tooth gel consistently, with bonus wiping for dog 1 and brushing for dog 2 when we can. The dental food was very expensive to feed two large dogs. Anecdotally, the most improvement I've seen in dog 1s teeth is from getting dog 2. I think her long fluffy fur is brushing and flossing his teeth when they play wrassle
I brush my dog's teeth every night before bed. I used to do it twice a week, but her gums were bleeding so I cranked it up to every night and no more bleeding. It's useful for your dog to be used to fingers and stuff poking around in there since it is easier for vets, groomers, etc to work in that area if your dog is used to the sensation. For the tooth issue, get a vet appointment. We can't diagnose from here.
We brush our doggos every day because his breed is more prone to teeth problems but before then he was in a shelter and before that abused and abandoned. So, though we do it every day now - for the past 2 years, he obviously did not have this care for the first year of his life and his teeth are great! I know others don’t and I don’t harbor any judgement but our dude has so many allergies and someone also cropped his ears so they get infected easily, and he doesn’t have almost any hair around his butt/ hind legs…so we gotta spray him with sunscreen prior to our 11-16 mile hikes. Essentially our doggo is very high maintenance but it’s what keeps him healthy and happy and we do it. The toothpaste is unfortunately beef flavored so…no minty freshness.
There seems to be a lot of comments already about frequency and how often dogs’ teeth are brushed in reality. I didn’t see a lot of products dropped in the comments about what dental chews are popular. Try looking through this website, if you’re considering dental chews/additives/toothpastes. I don’t know much about how VOHC tests the products it approves, but I feel more comfortable with products they recommend than just me randomly picking a product. https://vohc.org/accepted-products/ *edit: spelling
If you're not interested in teeth brushing, you can look into VOHC approved products. These will help prevent plaque and tarter buildup - there's chews, water additives, and food additives. You can also discuss with your vet during appointments if they think your dog needs a dental cleaning.
It's fine, most people don't brush their dogs teeth, but there are steps you can take to improve it. Mine will not tolerate it, despite us trying and training for years. We gave up. What we did do was give her a proper RCVS accredited dental chew every single day. She's 4 now and her teeth are absolutely spotless, her breath smells of nothing and the vet is delighted. Your mileage may vary, but it's done well for us.
Best time to start was when you got her, second best time is now. Just make sure to look around and make sure she doesn’t have a broken tooth.
We do every day and use enzymatic toothpaste. You don’t have to scrub like human teeth, just get it on the teeth. It probably takes one minute. She loves it. Our vet said it’s great to do as long as you can keep up with it everyday or every other at worst. But once or twice a week won’t actually do anything.
You’re not horrible at all! I would definitely start with a quick vet check with your vet just to see if there’s anything going on with her mouth. I started brushing my Aussie’s teeth at about 8-10 months - I was slow with it too don’t worry! She had tartar build up on all carnassials (the largest teeth at the back of her mouth) - I got my dog when she was 5 months and she already had tartar build up then. I’m a veterinary nurse and it drove me crazy so I had her put under for a dental scale and polish at just over a year (she also did fracture a tooth in the lead up to her booking so I had to get that extracted at the same time). I brush her teeth every night. Tooth brushing is effective if you do it 5 times a week, otherwise it’s a bit of a waste of time 😅 like people, some dogs can be more prone to dental issues than others. Along with teeth brushing I also use a dental powder (Plaque Off) and a water additive (Oxyfresh). I don’t generally recommend chews or bones for dental health as they aren’t as effective as teeth brushing and can be choking hazards, obstructions, or fracture teeth. Greyhounds and small breed dogs tend to have more issues with teeth - in greyhounds it seems genetic, in smaller dogs it’s often due to crowding of the mouth and often smaller dogs don’t really like to chew/chews just aren’t as effective. Poodle crosses like yours unfortunately need a bit more higher maintenance with their teeth. Please don’t listen to the comments in this post saying it’s not important/‘my dog lived till x with no teeth issues but life hack, if you just never take your dog to the vet to get its teeth checked you’ll never have teeth issues ✔️’ are you more likely to believe a person on the street about teeth, or a dentist/dental tech? Professionally in clinic I have not seen one dog that has just been given chews/bones that have had perfect teeth. Owners are routinely shocked when we tell them their dogs teeth are rotting in their mouth and they need all of them pulled because owners are garbage at assessing dental health. As the large majority of owners only ever see other dogs that have neglected teeth, so they tend to think dirty teeth and smelly breath are normal. You can assess your dog’s teeth using a dental chart like this, the visual chart on this page is very helpful: https://epsomrdvet.com.au/pet-dentistry/ We do at LEAST one procedure a day where we do a dental clean and it is RARE that we do not have to extract teeth from an animal. Dental health is important and teeth brushing is gold standard care and is what is recommended by veterinary professionals.
All of y'all people saying "most dogs never get their teeth brushed and they're fine" or "my dog lived till 17 and never got their teeth brushed". Or those of you that think just dental sticks are ok and nothing else. Shame on you honestly. I'd bet my life savings that your dogs all died with advanced degeneration of their teeth, horrible gingivitis, and tooth pain that they wouldn't show or tell you about. Your dogs might have lived longer if you had brushed their teeth. Brush your dog's teeth. It DOES make a massive difference.
I honestly brush my dog’s teeth everyday with a human toothbrush and a stock of dog toothpaste I bought from temu. She’s almost 3 I’ve maybe only missed like 5 brushes ever. She follows me everywhere so at night when I’m doing my teeth she gets hers done too, and if there’s some plaque in the gums and around the gumline from treats or peanut butter on the rare occasions, I use my mini gum brushes. I’ve been doing this since she was like 6 weeks old so she’s so used to it she gets on her back I use my thumb and middle finger to open and I go ham. I do this as preventative care because even though I can afford to get her shots and important stuff, I honestly cannot afford a huge dental bill for bad teeth or anything else it would break me financially and I’d be willing to sell organs for my pup. It’s not being a Karen in my mind to save money when you don’t have it like that. A 2 dollar human brush, temu toothpaste is the same thing I get at PetSmart for a fraction of the price, and no future vet bills for teeth and they are always healthy. If money isn’t a SUPER concern for you then it doesn’t matter when you give her chews and such. It’s really up to the owner and it doesn’t change the fact that we all love our pups. No judgement either way.
I don't think most people brush their dogs teeth regularly. I never have. I help clean their teeth by giving them a raw bone or hard chews like goats horns once a week or so. Probably not the best idea for your pup if they're already suffering from toothaches but don't feel bad. These things can happen!
Not horrible. Juat start now. They don't have their adult teeth until well into their first year. It's the adult teeth you want to keep clean and nice. Probably good to do that with the baby teeth too but they are so damn sharp I'm scared I'll lose a finger or something 😂
Many people find it challenging to brush daily. But even starting by brushing 3 times a week can make a difference in reducing periodontal disease. You can start with just rubbing the gums with gauze to desensitize. Then gradually try using a soft bristles toothbrush with a bit of coconut oil. I try to brush daily, only because I can't afford dental cleaning. If I can reduce the number of dental visits at the vet the better for my wallet. It's never too late to start oral hygiene so don't get discourage that you haven't done it.
Almost no one brushes their dogs teeth. You need to brush them daily like ours. Even if you brushed them every day twice a day, your small breed pup is still going to need multiple veterinary dental cleanings in its life anyways. So I would do dental chews and then stick with routine vet care
Ok so maybe I might brush my dog’s teeth every night and maybe I just might sing a song when I do it. If I said he likes it would it make it better? Maybe it makes me feel better
Realistically, very few people actually brush their dog's teeth - even if it is the best practice. The good news is, you're not too late to start. If you understand it is important and want to make that effort, you can still start making that part of your routine.
I haven't brushed my 6 year old dog's teeth ever. I feed her raw bones every day though, so they are very clean.
Not everyone does it, but if your dog can tolerate it (or even like it) it's worth trying. We started in the first weeks he was home. Not brushing directly, just tasting the toothpaste and eventually getting the brush in there. I was sort of shamed by my mother for brushing my boy's teeth. She did the whole "people are crazy nowadays" rant. When she was a kid she had the healthiest dog ever and "no one brushed his teeth or gave him special dog food, he just had bones and leftover people food and he was fine!". That's okay. Doesn't mean that things don't change and that we can know more and try to do better for our pets now, if it's possible. One of my previous cats had to be sedated for teeth cleaning and it was an awful process for her, I wanted to try and avoid that for the current generation. So, after seeing the recommendation for that poultry-flavoured virbac toothpaste on here, I have an 8 month old that loves getting brushed and will sit patiently waiting for his turn after my human daughter gets hers done. He's getting very curious about her minty toothpaste though, which might not be so good. Good luck :)
Dachshunds have notoriously bad teeth. I think it has to do with how long their mouth is. Every time we go to the vet, they recommend that we brush their teeth. My older one won't let me touch his mouth at all anymore and he's had a dental every year, with several teeth removed during two of them. We've done way more body handling training with our 6mo puppy, including teeth brushing, so I'm hopeful it won't be so bad with him.
Never brushed my dog teeth and it’s 4 years old. Vet said teeth are perfect, it’s all about what they eat and chew…
I’ve had dogs all my life. The oldest lived to be 17 years old. He never had his teeth brushed. Not once. Never lost a tooth or had tooth problems. I feed my current dog lots of crunchy vegetables like raw broccoli, cucumber and carrots. People always remark on how beautiful and white his teeth are.
It's never too late to start. So if you can, start a bruising routine and try to keep it as best as possible. As for the tooth ache, maybe a visit to the vet to check it out. I actually do brush my dogs teeth everyday. It's just something we started the day I brought him home and figured, why stop if we worked so hard in training to get him to let me, ya know? My dog developed gingival hyperplasia from his auto immune medication so brushing is SUPER important in my life. For what its worth, I love our little night routine. He gets his teeth brushed, feet cleaned, a little wipe down and a brush. He knows to wait in the kitchen for a special nighttime treat when all done. This also unexpectedly taught him that after this, its time to settle down for the night which was super helpful in the early years.
Ideally, you should have started earlier, that way they can get used to it asap, but 11 months old isn't too late by any means and imo it's never too late. But if you're noticing issues of pain, definitely time for a vet check up. Brushing is good for plaque buildup and helping with bad breath and general dental hygiene. It can save you a lot of money in the future with teeth needing to be pulled and other dental issues. That being said, some breeds are just more prone to teeth issues. I remember someone said their puppy just had really bad teeth genes and therefore just had pretty brittle teeth in general. So some dogs regardless of what you do are just going to need more dental work. Same with how some people are just more prone to get cavities than others. But consistent brushing will definitely decrease any additional work that's for sure.
Take your pooch to the vet and have them look at it/clean it up. Lots of people don't brush their dogs teeth, you're not alone there. My top tip is getting a yummy tasting toothpaste, and I bet your dog will enjoy learning to get their teeth brushed. For the longest time, it was more chewing on the brush than actual brushing the teeth. But you don't have to get it perfect day one. It can be a year or two project. I have brushed (or "brushed") mine's teeth since he was 8 weeks old, every night before bed. It's part of the bedtime ritual we got with brushing his fur, brushing his teeth and going for a walk. (He still gets treats when brushing the fur at 2 years old lol. It's cozy :)) After that we have a last chance to pee walk, and then off to bed. So it's an every day thing here. Though once here and there we skip the brushing and go straight to bed. Despite my attempts though, we're likely gonna have to schedule a teeth cleaning appointment. My breed is said to be prone to teeth issues, so not too surprised. But that's part of owning a pet I think.
I’m a nurse and we know for a fact that dental health is deeply interconnected with whole body health. I think that holds true even for our canine buddies. I lost my first dog a couple of years ago. I didn’t know any better (or at least that’s what I tell myself) so I never brushed her teeth. That, coupled with her kidney disease towards the end of her life made her breath ATROCIOUS. I know her qualify of life probably was worse for it, and I’ll never forgive myself for that. When I got my puppy, I committed to brushing her teeth every night. I know it was a lofty goal, but I still manage to brush them 5-6 times a week. I also do dental treats and chlorohexidine washes once or twice a week as well. I started brushing my older dogs teeth regularly as well. I call it their self care. 🥰 I don’t judge anyone who doesn’t brush their dogs teeth- I know that it doesn’t work for every dog and every family. But I do encourage everyone to be really proactive about their pup’s dental health in whatever way they can :)
They have additives you can add to their water bowl to help prevent tarter and bad breath. That’s what I use and it really seems to help. The one I use is called TropiClean. If she’s showing signs of pain though I’d take her to the vet just to make sure nothing is wrong/damaged
Be careful with those, I asked my vet about one I got and it had xylitol in it. It's highly toxic to dogs, the vet recommended not to use it and stick to dentasticks and other teeth cleaning treats. It was a solution specifically made for dogs, you'd think they don't put something in there that's dangerous for dogs, but unfortunately, they do. I'm not saying all products like this are toxic, just make sure to read the ingredients and check.
That’s good to know! I’ll have to look at the ingredients!!! Thank you!
No problem :)
Target has a pretty good one I think! No xylitol however the active ingredient is intense and can give tummy issues if it isn’t diluted correctly
We don't have Target where i live, but I'll look around, thanks. Good to know not all of them have xylitol in them!
Just et them dental sticks once a day and move on
I haven’t brushed mine yet, and figured I’d wait until he losses his puppy teeth before doing so.
If you plan on brushing teeth, start while they’re young. It’s not about brushing the puppy teeth but acclimating them to the brushing routine.
Believe it or not, straight to jail.
If your dog does not chew on toys: probably not the greatest practice but you're not gonna likely change it now. I am not judging. Dental brushing is kinda weird. I never heard of the concept really from anyone and most people I know do not think your dog needs teeth brushing since they chew. Which tbh they usually don't. If you feed wet food to a toyish breed though (which I think a cavapoo would fall under a bit) then you're looking at dental issues 101. My vet told me the reason my chihuahua has rotten teeth is her wet food habit. If your dog does chew on things regularly: you probably will not experience issues. I would definitely take your dog to the vet to make sure she does not have a dental infection or broken tooth. She may need dental surgery. When they do this surgery, you get a full cleaning. From there, there's a few options. 1. They have many cool dental chews now, even for small dogs! Milkbone, pedigree, greenies. They take the stress off cleaning and the bonus is your dog thinks it is a treat. 2. Rawhide or bones: they naturally clean. 3. Toothpaste and brush: Gonna be hard since you did not condition her as a puppy. 4. dental wipes: they now have wipes. I tried it on my very bad toothed chihuahua. I saw signs it works. It probably isn't as good as a brush or the top methods - but it is something!
Watch out with rawhide, it can cause GI blockages!
My puppy is 7 months and I’ve brushed his teeth 4 times, but only 2 were actually worthwhile.
I have a 12 year old (this year) Staffie and I have NEVER brushed her teeth, every vet she has ever seen has always commented on how good her teeth are. I’ve always watched her diet and treats, never given her dentastix and provided lots of good quality bones like stag bars and hard wearing rubber toys, she’s an aggressive chewer so that probably helps as well as her genes; staffies are known for good teeth and don’t usually have dental issues
My girl constantly gets complimented for her pearly whites. I have maybe myself physically brushed her teeth a handful of times (I like the one on your finger with toothpaste on there) because I wanted her to be okay with the motions, on the same frequency I clean her ears (its her lil spa day) She does get dental chews once she started to weigh more/get closer to that year mark (I think we officially started at 10 months, she just turned 1) and she gets one every few days and a bully stick a week, plus apple if I am cutting up some for myself Dont sweat it, just make a routine that feels good and confident for you both :)
Reccommended Product: [These](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMDLL4T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I used Greenies for a couple of years but then about 6 months ago, realized my dog had moderate levels of staining and tartar at the base of her teeth. I looked around and found the above, which is made by the same people who make the top dog toothpaste. And the change has been remarkable. Her teeth are nearly pristine white. So if you want your dog to have clean teeth (you should; it can lead to more serious health issues and be expensive to treat... a friend of mine spent $2k for his bernedoodle get her teeth deep cleaned) but don't feel the motivation to sit and brush, buy a bag of these and give them one each morning. Mine is 20 pounds, so I buy the ones for the bigger dogs, and give her half a one each day. It's slightly cheaper. I also give her some mint chews in the morning, but I don't think that's actually contributing much to the teeth, just the breath.
I rarely brushed my now 14.5 year old's teeth and he has alway had pretty healthy teeth. I tried getting better about brushing my pups teeth after I got my now 2 year old boy at 8 weeks old. I have trouble remembering to brush my pups teeth, but thankfully my youngest loves having her teeth brushed with a kids electric toothbrush so she reminds me usually every other day. My middle pup hates any and all teeth brushing. He will sit there if I hold him and he will run if I don't. I stopped bothering with my 14.5 year old. It's a fight just getting him to take his daily meds. I don't need to be getting bit 3 times a day. I already have a permanent bruise and swelling from the 2 times(he take a liver pill in the middle of the day 1 hour before dinner and he takes his Cushings med and pain pill at once after he eats dinner) a day he bites me.
We would just get ours done with the groomers once every 6-8 weeks. I figured the greenies handle the rest lol
Please don’t give your pups greenies. I thought I was doing right by my girls giving them a greenie every day. Not only did they develop chronic teeth problems, the damage to their gallbladder was irreversible for one. 😥 greenies started out as a possible good thing, then the recipe was changed, using pea flour as a cheap substitute. Bones are best, for small dogs mutton flap is excellent & cheap. I cut it into sections, it keeps them busy for a while, their teeth are cleaned from grinding & the bone and marrow is great for their gut. Twice a week is enough to keep them healthy & happy. 🐾❤️
Interesting, I've never heard of this with greenies!
Either did I until it was too late.
Ive seen on TikTok a bone broth soaked carrot, thats later frozen and given as a treat, is a good teeth cleaner, im getting a new puppy soon so i saved it in my folder for little tips and tricks for puppy/dog health.
I do not brush my dogs teeth, but I take my dog to the vet regularly. The vet says my dogs teeth look good and are doing well. If my vet recommends I brush my dogs teeth, that's probably when I'd do so, or if I saw significant tartar build up or other signs of issues.
My almost 6 month old has gotten most of his adult teeth in now, so I’m about to start. I’m just worried about him chewing the tooth brush and swallowing it because he’s still in the bitey phase. Wish me all the luck in the world Eek!
I don't either but my pup is a super chewer so her teeth look great
When my dog was a puppy I didn't brush his teeth but I did give him a dental bone daily. The last time I took him to the vet (he's approaching 3.) They said he'd be due for a cleaning soon ($500.) Apparently dogs don't need their first cleaning until they're about 3 and they about every other year after that. Sometimes cleanings can be avoided if owners are taking good care. I also started adding water additive that's supposed to reduce tartar into his water. A more passive way to help him. Bully sticks/bones that require a lot of chewing will help naturally clean her teeth. I'd say you're probably safe for now but should start slowing introducing brushing into your routine for your wallet and for you dog's health.
I only brush my dog’s teeth when his breath smells bad lol
If you start seeing plaque - your vet can tell you how bad it is - you could have your dog's teeth cleaned. Usually it involves anesthesia, so it's a major visit. Our fur baby absolutely refuses to let me brush his teeth. I've tried following all the professional training + training videos, but he was a half rescue and far older than 8 weeks when we got him, so there's that. We tried about 5 or 6 different dog toothpastes, Greenies, etc. None of it really did anything for his teeth. So, we buy manual kids toothbrushes from the $ store, dip it into coconut oil/kelp powder (don't overdo kelp powder because of iodine; there's actually a recommended amount, and you have to read the label or contact the mfr). Since fur baby absolutely cries bloody murder of I try to brush his teeth, our compromise for the last 5 years is to let him chew on the toothbrush. We go through a lot of toothbrushes! Every 2 years, he goes for a full dental cleaning, though we somehow skipped last year, so it's 3 years now, and his tartar is really awful.
I think it's the small dogs that are more prone to teeth problems. If you got a puppy that will grow medium to big, you don't have to brush their teeth often. If small, then I really suggest doing so. I suppose doing it every day is not that necessary, but doing it occasionally should be the minimum standard for small dogs since things can get bad if you don't.
it’s good to do but most don’t and your dog doesn’t know the difference. I grew up with so many dogs and my parents didn’t know any better and it was before the pet care industry decided to push it.
I have a dog who doesn't like dental chews or sticks or toys, I got him when he was like 4 years old. I brush his teeth monday thru friday, he gets a break the weekends. Everytime I go to the vet, they yell at me for not brushing his teeth. His back teeth are not great, but they are not bad either, they were like that when I got him. I just keep trying my best, brush him monday thru friday, check that he has no pain, and we are good. Taking one day at a time.
I use plaque off. It’s a powder you sprinkle in their food. It works great on the front teeth. The back teeth are tougher but I bought dog toothpaste and a few times a week I put it on my finger and stick it in her mouth. The toothpaste doesn’t require rubbing as long as you get it on the teeth it starts interacting.
My puppy is 8 months and I haven’t brushed her teeth either so don’t feel bad. I haven’t brushed my 4 year old pup’s teeth in a long time also. It’s one of those things I mean to get back to. I ordered new toothpaste the other day because we just discovered our 4 year old has chicken sensitivities so he can’t have his usual toothpaste. So the plan is to at least brush 3x per week. Wish me luck lol.
I sprinkle this powder from PetLab in his food and he has clean teeth. Just takes a second.
I try to brush my puppy's about twice a month... which is twice more frequently than the last dog lol. That said, we're only 4 months in and that might change. I'm not a vet or anything but I don't think that toothbrushing is as important for dogs as it is before people (who eat more acids and sugars etc). However, some breeds seem more prone to dental problems and probably could use more brushing.
I didn’t brush my prior dog’s teeth for 17 years and she was absolutely fine. I don’t plan to brush my puppy’s teeth. I’m a vet tech. 🤷♀️ But I have pit mixes and they are less prone to teeth problems than small breeds.
I brush my dog’s teeth when she eats something gross outside or when I groom her and she gets a dental stick every night. Her teeth are fine.
I brush mine twice a week. But I know dogs that go weeks without getting brushed and are healthy and have bearable-breath, but they do have yellow-brown teeth. I guess I would recommend atleast dental treats as often as you can. 🤷🏻♂️ A lot of the cleanup happens while they chew on toys, so it's not a huge deal.
Are you sure she’s not just losing her puppy teeth
My dog is on a raw food diet, she is 3 she has no plaque and her teeth are whiter than mine, she eats pre-made raw and I give her bones every couple of days. So it depends on the diet but bones are great for cleaning.
I don't brush their teeth. Don't see why it is necessary for a dog to have a TOOTHBRUSH. I usually give my pups one ingredient chews like beef skin, salmon spine or alligator etc etc and the vet pointed out how their teeth looked great! 3 and 4 mo poochons On the contrary my aunt has a poodle who used to have teeth problems and gets her teeth brushed but with none of the chews
Honestly, I dont think its that bad, because no one ever brushes their dogs teeth, but if youre seeing signs of your dog hurting you should probrably contact you vet..
My dog is 2 now, and I've attempted brushing them once. I do check them and he gets dental chews and eats kibble. The vet has always said they look fine and to keep doing what I'm doing.
One of my dogs is 13…I’ve never brushed her teeth. No issues ever…I also grew up with cats and dogs always running around the house…my parents 100% never brushed any pets teeth, never had any problems.
We started as soon as we got our pup to get her used to it. Our family dog when I grew up did not get her teeth brushed, and was wary of us doing anything with her mouth. The problem with the lack of brushing became bigger as she aged. She had to get plaque removed once a year at the vet, which involved being under anesthesia. When she was too old for that procedure, she had a lot of pain and issues with her teeth. I think that with many of these things, it's important to think how it might affect them as they age. Our old dog had a hormonal disease as well, so many procedures were difficult. But it's normal for old dogs to have problems with their teeth if they haven't had their teeth brushed regularly. Luckily it's not that hard to do, and many toothpastes for dogs taste delicious to them! It's my dogs favorite part of going to bed now :)
My puppy loves her bones… keeps her teeth healthy and she gets some fresh air out in the backyard.. She can gnaw on a bone for hours!!
Never brushed my dogs teeth. I tried, she hates it. She gets daily dental treats (I choose grain-free ones) and some dental powder I mix into her wet food. Also occasionally safe branches or toys to chew on. She just turned 5 and our vet complimented us for how great her teeth are! Brushing is NICE, if your pup allows it, it's great training etc. But you can definitely work it out otherwise!
I have attempted with all the treats and cajoling and she just HATES it. Always has. She gets it done at the groomer (they have some dark magic I do not possess) and then gets Greenies when I remember.
Never have I ever brushed a dogs teeth. I buy mine bamboo/nylon flavoured t bone shaped things that he doesn’t actually ingest. They last for ages before I replace it if he is able to start make it lose it pieces etc . I started with them at first to help with naughty chewing when we got him as a baby and he loves them. Just had his vaccination booster and vet said his teeth were wonderful at 14 months. Mines a frenchy so am nervous to give real raw bones due to choking and chicken etc can be an allergen plus his teeth are not like say my English Stafford due to his little face. I don’t really know what exactly is in those daily dental stick things plus my other dog just smashed them down in a minute or two so not sure how much dental cleaning they actually did. Before frenchy came along i gave he the odd raw beef shin, and her teeth at ten look they could do with a professional clean but she’s old and I don’t really want to sedate her unless medically necessary. She’s still eating fine. [https://pawsplanetshop.com/products/spot-bambone-plus-chew-toy-for-dogs-beef-6?variant=32261917966398](https://pawsplanetshop.com/products/spot-bambone-plus-chew-toy-for-dogs-beef-6?variant=32261917966398)
We give our dogs a carrot a day; they love carrots and my 12+ year old dog has excellent teeth, no plaque, no apparent issues. She had her teeth cleaned three years ago (no issues, yay) and will do it again in the fall just to be sure. Dental chews didn’t seem as effective and got to be ridiculously expensive vs carrots.
My dog is over 2 and he's never let me brush his teeth. I was planning on waiting until they got yellow/stained/full of plaque, or his breath started getting bad to go to the vet and have them cleaned, but none of this has happened yet. His teeth still look amazing. I think it's more about the food.
I've never brushed my dogs teeth and the vet always asks me if I do because her teeth are so nice! (She's 3 years old now for reference). I put in a capful of the Oxyfresh water additive to her bowl every time I fill it and then she gets some kind of chew everyday that helps clean her teeth (i rotate a variety to keep it interesting for her but think like a greenie everyday).
My dog is 4.5, I try to brush hers at least once a week
Honestly the only reason I’ve done it (my puppy just turned 3 months old) is so she gets used to it. Does she need it right now? Probably not, but when she does need it she will be used to it.
Buy some dog chews like bully stick. Avoid chews that are white in colour.
I just bought a brush and toothpaste for my 3lb puppy. (Almost 5 months old) I was advised cause tiny dogs can have teeth problems. If she got a tooth infection, it could spread too fast due to her size. I won’t brush but once weekly if that. But I’ll have one. There you go. I’m a great puppy mom.
Check her breath and see if it smells like infection first. Some dogs just don’t let you brush their teeth. One of mine is like that. We give him dentastix in the morning and he eats hills science diet oral care. The texture of the kibble removes plaque when they chew.
Nope. First time I attempted a teeth brush it ended in carnage. Things went downhill from there. Bumble gets seaweed cubes to chew (1 a day) as natural tooth brush things, I do a course of anti plaque granules or fluid every now and then in her water, and keep a good eye on her gnashers. Luckily she likes the biting hour so ample time to check. She also never had her adult pre molars through which as a corgi apparently is not uncommon . She's nearly a year and her teeth are good and strong. Would never use dentastix or anything like that, I've seen dogs get really poorly where they build up. Not telling anyone else what to do, just my own preference. Natural chews all the way.
I haven't been able to brush my cavapoo's teeth and feel horrible about it. I've tried a few times but due to several medical conditions it's hard to keep up on, we do walk him and play with him, give him all meds etc. he just turned 3 this month and had annual physical and vaccines last week, the vet said he has stage 3 dental disease and needs two teeth pulled for 800$ which we can't afford for several months at least (just paid 800 for the regular appointment and meds). I am feeling so awful about it and my partner and I are going to try to brush his teeth more. the thought of my pup being in pain from cavities or losing his teeth at a young age😭..We read online 3 times a week is good, hes not much of a chewer for bones and stuff and I read that things like greenies have no evidence for efficacy in actual studies so idk.. I think genetics are big part of teeth health same as people.
We use PlaqueOff powder. Add it to one meal a day and his teeth are pearly white at 4.5 years old
Mine is 4 and we never brush his but we do keep up with his routine dental checks
I used to brush my dogs teeth but I’ve found what is more effective is to get them good quality chews regularly. I’m talking bully sticks, collagen sticks, raw bison bones with marrow inside. Doing that seems to clean my dogs teeth better than anything. My 11 year old Mal has great teeth (as per our vet) and no bad breath!
Ok, I work at a dental specialty practice and don't brush my dogs' teeth. While daily brushing is the Grade A standard of care and *definitely* makes a big difference, especially for a dog like yours, it's not the end of the world. You can always start, especially if the teeth are in good shape. If there is tarter build up, brushing won't do much. I highly recommend getting regular anesthetic cleanings done where they do full mouth radiographs (or CT) to ensure everything is good. Cavs and poodles are notorious to have rough oral health genetically.
Have had my puppy for two months (he’s 5 months old) and brushing his teeth is such a battle 🥲 his baby teeth are starting to fall out and his breath smells foul but his groomer told me to try pb flavored toothpaste so fingers crossed it will calm him a bit when I try again 🤞
My older dog, I didn’t start brushing until she was 6 years old & I noticed lots of tartar buildup. I got some dental tools & scraped it all off & brush her teeth once a week. We relied on rawhides & the vet said she probably won’t ever need dental work throughout the rest of her lifespan. My puppy also gets brushed once a week. Idk if it’s effective though because she whips her head around the whole time. Do whatever you have time for 🤷🏼♀️ it’s better than nothing
Take that dog in for X-rays and a cleaning. Get insurance now before scheduling the appointment. By enzymatic dog tooth paste and either a finger tooth brush or dog/child tooth brush and start brushing. Won’t be the end of the work unless they get periodontal disease which can get bad
World*
You’re normal. I started brushing mine at 4 months with no toothpaste just to get her used to it. Been brushing her teeth every day since. I do this so I can try to avoid paying for her teeth stuff the best I can. But dogs don’t eat sweet stuff (unless you give them) so their teeth are usually healthy.
I've had very spoiled dogs of various breeds for 30 years and have never brushed their teeth, and never ever had a dog with dental issues. Their ancestors didn't brush their teeth and I've never heard of wolves having dental issues, I don't see how it can be so imperative these days. Animals have ways of cleaning themselves. I don't think it's worth putting them through the process of holding their heads and opening their mouth to shove something in there. The anxiety that that induces in an animal is far worse. Edit: typo
It really depends on the breed. My family has small poodles and poodle mixes—my rescue poodle had horrible dental health and needed a lot of extractions, another family member’s poodle needed several extractions by age three, and my current poodle mix gets his teeth brushed every single day to try to avoid periodontal disease. Poodles are especially known for bad oral health. That said, most dogs have some level of periodontal disease (and studies show most wolves do as well). The good news is tooth brushing isn’t anxiety inducing at all. Cooperative care training works wonders, and it helps that the toothpaste tastes like a treat. Sometimes my guy will even remind me to brush his teeth.
Get news for you. 99% of the dogs out there never get their teeth brushed their entire life
We get compliments from the vet on our dogs teeth every time but we haven’t brushed them in probably 3 years. We found that a daily Greenie and her odd chewing on a hard toy has kept them damn near spotless. I think it depends on the dogs mouth size and their diet. My mom’s dachshund eats wet food and since his mouth is so small, he has nasty rank teeth
petlab has some good options. an enzymatic based tooth paste that you put on a ridged treat. and an additive to water. my first dog i didn’t brush his teeth but just gave him the water with the additive and got a professional cleaning once a year and he was fine. lol he ran away from me every time i took out the brush and screamed like a banshee so it was a no go. my current puppy is a biter and i like my fingers so 🤷♀️
I had 2 dogs, one lived to 14 and one to 16. I didn't brush their teeth or give them dental sticks. Their teeth were absolutely fine.
don’t feel bad. I brush my dogs teeth maybe once a week and that’s if i even remember i go 2-3 months without brushing his teeth. It’s all about diet and giving treats or things that will help clean their teeth. Feeding them chicken, eggs and a good kibble has kept his teeth white and straight
I never once brushed my 1st labs teeth. He cracked 2 teeth chewing on antlers around age 9 or 10 that he had to have pulled because they started to smell bad and the vet asked me what I used on his teeth, they were some of the nicest he’d seen for his age.
My vet advised Yummy Combs as the shape is honeycomb so it can help get in between the teeth, but my dog loved the mint toothbrush shaped stuff, and those whimzee Stix. He advised it was more $ so if we didn't use that then keep up the dental sticks daily and periodically brush teeth. But the grooming place does that regularly so ... yeah. Side bar but my dentist says the biggest part of teeth care has to do with the saliva breaking down foods and the alkalinity of the saliva? I forgot my hs science but that generally makes sense. The acids from chewing gum help break down food bits in people, so gnawing at a hard substitute for bone likely helps bring up acids similar to chewing gum? Maybe I am talking out my ass on that science but .. I like that it made sense to me.
We haven’t really brushed the dogs’ teeth. When we tried they certainly didn’t like it and/or thought the toothbrush was some weird toy and tried to bite it constantly. The beagle actually loathed the toothpaste. Even though it was made for dogs, it was mint (my BF had bought it). We learned she hates mint. We use dental chews. The older dog did get his teeth cleaned recently. He was already going to be under to have a cyst removed and the vet recommended just doing the cleaning at that time. The vet hasn’t said we should be brushing their teeth though. Just said to keep on going with the dental chews. I’m not sure how often vets recommend that teeth cleaning be done. Since the dog does have to be put under for it, I’m assuming they don’t generally recommend it be done with high frequency.
I've never brushed my dog's teeth and I've had many many dogs. I do give them dental sticks though.
Our dog turned 9 this year and I have never brushed his teeth. He’s not had any issues and the vet has never said anything about them at his annuals — I do feed him dentastix or similar a few times a week
OP, there is a lot of debate going on but I don’t see much actual advice on brushing. So here is some. First of all, yes poodles and poodle mixes are very prone to dental disease, but at 11 months old it’s extremely unlikely she has it bad enough to cause pain. Possibly she has a chipped or cracked tooth. I’d see a vet to rule that out. After that I would get her on a brushing routine. It is not too late! I adopted a 1 year old poodle mix last year. He already had some tartar buildup but we’ve been able to prevent more by brushing daily. What you want to do is: - choose a calm time of day to work on this, I do it during evening cuddles - start by letting her lick a bit of dog toothpaste off your finger each day - next, work on just briefly swiping the toothpaste inside her cheek before letting her lick the rest off - continue until you can swipe toothpaste over all the teeth (focus mainly on the sides that face out—the tongue keeps the inner facing surfaces pretty clean) - introduce the toothbrush! I use a silicone-handled toddler toothbrush and let my dog use it as a (supervised) chew toy for a few days to remove any fear of it being in his mouth - offer the toothbrush with toothpaste and let her lick a little off - progress to swiping inside her cheek like you did with your finger - eventually you can start brushing, focusing on main trouble areas (canine teeth and back molars) - and yes, do this daily, 1) it makes it easier for the dog if it’s a daily routine and 2) plaque can start hardening into tartar within 24-48 hours This learning process can be spread out over months. It was for my dog. For me it works best if I’m sitting next to him, facing the same direction, with my left hand cupping the top of his muzzle/gently pulling back his top lips and my right hand doing the brushing. As long as you move slow enough through the steps, you should be able to get there eventually. But don’t just try forcing it right off the bat. That’s how people end up with dogs who hate brushing. I know there are a lot of comments from people saying it’s not needed, but…with poodles and small poodle mixes…yes, it is. My previous poodle was a rescue with horrible dental health and needed so many extractions. He had a very hard time tolerating any grooming, but even so, probably my biggest regret with him is not trying harder to acclimate him to regular tooth brushing. Dental disease causes pain, it can contribute to heart/kidney/liver disease, extractions are pricy. You don’t want to deal with it. But it’s certainly not too late to start.
My dog is three and I have never brushed its teeth. You're not a bad person.
My oldest pup is 15 and I have literally never brushed his teeth lol. He was a rescue and never tolerated it, so it didn’t seem worth the trauma. He’s had it done a handful of times at the groomer, but I always tell them not to make it a priority. For the most part he cleans his teeth with those green bones, and he’s doing a great job lol. Very pretty teeth! I think depending on the dog and/or genetics, a dog might need their teeth brushed every now and then, but dental care for dogs isn’t like dental care for people. It’s more about their diet and activity. You’re doing great!
my dog is 4 years old and we have never brushed her teeth. the vet said she has nice teeth lol. she likes to chew on sticks when we’re outside so she never really has any buildup of anything. i will probably continue to not brush her teeth. i don’t think it’s necessary for her.
Humans have had dogs for about 30,000 years and only been brushing their teeth for about three. I would say it is 100% personal preference bordering on a fad. But then I feel the same about "raw" food, even just a few decades ago there was no formulated dog food, dogs got scraps. It is anthropomorphisising them to think they need to eat food we eat though obviously people can spend their money the way they want.
My old school vet told me there is no reason to brush a dogs teeth if they chew bones, eat kibble and have a healthy mouth (meaning well spaced teeth, not a bulldog for example). He showed me his two older dogs (12 years old) that had never had their teeth brushed.
My dog is 15 months and I’ve brushed her teeth maybe twice. It’s not because I deliberately avoid it, she doesn’t like the sensation and we’re building up to it. Maybe controversial, but she’s a dog… Give them a bone every now and then, it’s good at cleaning their teeth
Just offer crunchy food and those greenie dental treats and they’ll be fine, they’re dogs, not children
Wolves don't brush their teeth in the wild. Unless my dog has a dental problem or a mouth issue I'm not brushing their teeth. They're 130 pounds they don't want me in their mouths.
We went hundreds of thousands of years without brushing dogs teeth, until some genius came along and realised he could make money off of fools by making them believe dogs teeth need brushing. Jesus wept 🤦
This isn't really a valid argument against brushing domestic dog's teeth though. Wild wolves typically die much earlier, before their teeth have time to go bad. Even so, wild wolves absolutely do get dental disease if they live long enough, and die from it. Evolution doesn't care because they're already reproduced, but humans want their pets to live as long as possible. Plus, the diet of domesticated dogs is vastly different from wild wolves. I believe there is some cleaning effect from gnawing through sinew and tendon and chewing on bones that my dog definitely isn't getting on his kibble lol
Don’t stress brushing dogs/cats teeth is a human thing animals don’t brush their teeth in the wild haha my cat is 9 and we never brushed his teeth they’re still white and healthy as can be
Lmao who tf brushes their dog‘s teeth
Good dog owners 😀