I’m a firm believer that brushing your dog’s teeth is one of the most important health-related things you can do for your pup. I’ll admit, I got into the game a bit late. I’ve been brushing my dogs’ teeth for the past two years, but even starting when they were adults has helped to prevent and even reverse certain issues.
When I began brushing their teeth, their gums bled, but it didn’t take long for that to stop and for their gums to turn a nice healthy pink color. Luckily, neither of my boys had any detrimental oral issues when I began brushing. Caesar has always had very clean teeth. Jeter, however, had some stuck plaque but much of that broke off and stayed away after I began regularly brushing his teeth.
After talking with my vet, I learned that oral diseases are one of the most common preventable diseases in our canine friends. Simply brushing their teeth every day now can save them from a lot of pain later.
Bad oral hygiene can be linked to heart disease, arthritis, kidney and liver issues, and other complications. Regular brushing can also help prevent periodontal disease, the most common clinical condition that occurs in dogs. The disease to totally preventable with good dental hygiene.
Stinky breath, swollen or red gums, brown or yellow teeth, and even poor appetite can be warning signs of dog dental disease.
When Caesar chipped his tooth last year, I discovered it pretty quickly because I brush his teeth daily. After taking him to the vet, I learned that not taking care of a chipped tooth in a timely manor (and not brushing regularly) can cause bacteria to get into your dogs blood stream which can cause kidney failure. This is 100 precent preventable and because I brush his teeth, I was able to quickly find the issue and get it taken care of before it became a real problem.
It can be difficult to brush your dog’s teeth, but getting into a routine and sticking with it can make the nightly task easier for both you and your pup.
Each night before bed, I brush each of my dog’s teeth. Usually, Caesar’s are done first. Caesar often runs and hides from me as soon as I pull out his tooth brush. Still, he lets me brush them and stays very still as I brush the back of his teeth, top to bottom, and then the front, top to bottom. After I am done brushing, I give Caesar his joint supplement treat and he’s good to go. Giving him a treat afterward has really helped with keeping him still as I brush his teeth.
Next comes Jeter. He loves getting his teeth brush; he even waits by the bathroom sink for me, but he is a lot more wiggly. With Jeter, I usually have to hold his head still as I brush in the same fashion as I brushed his brother’s teeth. Jeter also has a lot deeper mouth and a lot looser lips, so sometimes I have to move his cheeks around to make sure I got the furthest teeth brushed. When I am done, Jeter also gets a joint supplement and runs excitedly to bed.
It took almost a week of doing this at nearly the same time for both of my dogs to accept it. At first, I had to almost put them in a head-lock while I brushed. But with treats, and patience, it can be done and it’s important that it is done.
When I first began brushing, I bought the tooth brushes at the pet store, but now I usually use a dollar store tooth brush; they work just the same for a lot cheaper. I use Nylabone Advanced Oral Care dog toothpaste which I have been happy with.
Aside from brushing your dog’s teeth, other things that can help your pup’s dental hygiene are regular cleanings at the vet, chew toys made for cleaning teeth, and treats specifically formulated to freshen breath and clean teeth. However, all of these things work best when you are combining them with brushing.
Both of my dog’s have the freshest breath I’ve ever smelled in a dog. It’s really incredible what brushing your dog’s teeth can do, and doing so now can possibly save you a lot of money in vet care later as well as save your dog a lot of preventable pain.