What should I use to brush my dog's teeth?

If you have a young puppy introducing a tooth brushing routine will probably be much easier then if you have an adult dog. In either case start slow, keep the sessions short, and be very gentle while working in your dog’s mouth. Use lots of praise and reassurance to reinforce good behavior. You will not want to give your dog treats during this task for obvious reasons.

Since a dog will swallow whatever you use never brush your dog’s teeth with “people” toothpaste. This toothpaste is not formulated to be ingested and can upset your dog’s stomach. It’s also designed to foam which is not desirable when brushing a dog’s teeth. So use a pet toothpaste formulated for dog dental care that does not require rinsing.

You will also need a pet toothbrush. There's a great triple sided pet toothbrush that will get the job done faster than a traditional style toothbrush. Or if you have a small dog you may want to try a pet finger toothbrush. Finger toothbrushes slip right onto your finger and are easily controlled to reach the common trouble spots up near the gum line. Add some specially formulated tartar removing toothpaste and you’re all set. Dog toothpaste is even available in all-natural formulas and yummy flavors like chicken and vanilla.

If this is your dog’s first toothbrush look for a pet dental care kit to get you started. These kits typically include a pet toothbrush, a tube of pet toothpaste and a pet finger toothbrush.

Pet dental wipes are great for use on dogs that resist brushing. These easy-to-use pet teeth cleaning pads help remove food debris and plaque, kill germs and help to control bad breath. If your dog will not allow you to use the toothbrush method try using dental wipes regularly as part of your dog’s home dental care program.

You may also want to try to increase the amount of time your dog spends chewing on real bones, dental dog chew toys and edible dog chews.

This type of chewing helps remove food debris and prevents tartar build up. If your dog chews enough you may be able to reduce how often you need to manually brush your dog’s teeth.