For a dog parent, you should definitely know how to clean dogs teeth properly and easily for your puppy’s comfort. It’s part of the process of caring for your fluffy fur-ball.
You probably know by now that having a dog isn’t all fun and games but there is a responsibility to it as well.
I’m telling you that so a situation like the next won’t happen to you
OK, imagine with me,
You skipped brushing your dog’s teeth for ages.
Now, your dog’s teeth are beginning to smell.
It’s hard for you now to enjoy his cute licking sessions to the extent that you push him back when he comes at you with joy and overwhelming unconditional love.
Now he looks at with his cute googly eyes wondering what he has done to you to deserve this rough treatment.
” am I not your small puppy anymore?” his eyes expressed
Look at that, look what you did to him, why are so cruel?
You begin to feel guilty. You wanna make it up to him, so you’re going for a hug but his breath stinks and you can’t get near him.
So what you gonna do?
OK, leave that to me and I will give you the best way to clean dogs teeth properly and to prevent that situation from ever happening in the first place.
Table of Contents
That Was The “WHY” Now for The “HOW”
OK now after we established that you must brush your furry angel’s teeth on a regular basis. We should talk about how you gonna do it?
That’s a tough one, I know
For some reason, a dog feels a kind of godly fear in his heart when he sees a toothbrush coming at them. Something in their genes may be. For more information, check how to brush a dog’s teeth when they are afraid.
I’m sure you know what I mean if you ever tried to brush their teeth. That may be the reason you abandoned the whole process altogether and led you to the situation I mentioned before.
But maybe you were doing it wrong.
Don’t worry, I got you covered.
How to Clean Dogs Teeth: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1. Choose The Right Time
Brushing a dog’s teeth isn’t complicated. However, you need to go through it with care and patience
Ideally, you should start teeth brushing regimen when your dog is young. Older dogs may become confused, nervous or even bite when you try to approach their mouths and tongues.
Try to pick a time when your dog is relaxed and calm.
Set a routine to brush your pup’s teeth daily.
if you can’t and their teeth are healthy, make it every three days or else plaque can build up putting your dog at risk for bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay.
Moreover, this can lead to more painful infections and these infections will spread and you don’t want that.
Step 2. Be Prepared
Gather all the tools that you might need for this task. Go and buy a toothbrush made specifically for dogs.
They are usually softer and specially angled.
Finger brushes also can work for smaller dogs under 50 pounds
Be sure to use dog toothpaste and never ever use human toothpaste as it contains fluoride which if swallowed can hurt the dog’s stomach.
Step 3. Choose Your Strategic Position Before The Battle
Choose a comfortable position for you and your dog and Avoid any alarming ones. Don’t hold him down or stand above him.
Instead, try kneeling and sitting in front of or to the side of him. Your dog’s comfort is a major key here so don’t mess with your dog’s anxiety levels.
If your dog feels is upset stop and come again later
Step 4. Loosen His Defenses
Test how your dog is willing to let anyone touch his mouth by rubbing your finger along his gums and apply light pressure.
This also has a relaxing effect on him.
This will help ease your puppy into the process and make him used to the sensation of something touching his teeth.
Repeat this many times until your dog feels comfortable.
Step 5. Choose The Toothpaste
Toothpaste for dogs come with many flavors, such as peanut butter, beef, chicken.
It is easy to get the supplies, just go to your nearest pet store and choose one that your dog likes.
You can test that by putting some toothpaste on your fingertips and let your dog lick it.
That will make him accustomed to the flavor and texture and you will know if he likes it or not.
After a few days if you did the same process and your dog refused to lick your fingers, Try a different flavor.
Step 6. Start Brushing
OK, after your pup is comfortable with you opening and touching his mouth, Now the real action begins.
With one hand open his mouth and with the other hold the toothbrush with the toothpaste on it.
Approach your dog’s teeth with the bristles angled so that they can reach the gum line.
Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against his teeth letting the bristles massage the gum line and clearing away the plaque.
Step 7. Choose a Brushing Style
Surprising to no one, brushing is one of the best ways to clean dogs teeth, just like it’s one of the best ways to clean human teeth as well (I really hope this is a surprise to no one)
The actual act of brushing can be done in several styles depending on the size of your dog’s mouth,
Your grip on him and his comfort level of you touching his mouth. Work with what you can get.
There is a technique that can work for most cases,
The circular motion technique, Brush in small circles, Get the toothbrush to touch the top and bottom on each side, Move the toothbrush along the gum-line.
Sometimes a little bit of bleeding may occur but don’t worry that happens often.
But if there is heavy continuous bleeding stop immediately, that means either you are brushing too aggressively or there is a chance of gum disease.
Either way, you should check with your vet, you can’t be too cautious in these situations.
Step 8. Aim for The Plaque
The plaque tends to collect on the outsides of the canine and back teeth so that’s where you need to focus.
Don’t get sloppy, brush a few teeth at a time and move to the next.
Start from the outsides to the insides.
If your dog resists you going to the insides, Don’t stress it too much, you will get it next time, working up to more each day
Try to make the brushing session no more than two minutes
Step 9. End with a Treat
After you finish the brushing session, end it with a positive note.
Pat his head and stroke his jowls.
Remind him what a good pup he was, Reward him with his favorite treat and extra attention.
And you, what is your funniest experience you had while trying to brush your best friends teeth? Tell us in the comments.
As always if you liked it, share it
Feel free to check out my other articles on How to tell dog age by teeth or the puppy teething timeline.
Also, you can check this GENTLEBRUSH™ that clean their teeth gently and comfortably at home.
Have a nice day and see you next time
