Brushing your dog’s teeth is a vital part of their oral health and preventing expensive dental issues down the line. It’s also something that can give dog owners anxiety since tooth brushing is not natural for dogs and many canines will resist it at first. Here are six tips to help you brush your dog’s teeth with a minimum of stress for both of you:
Choose a calm, quiet time.
You want to make teeth brushing a non-stressful experience for your dog, which means that you should do it at a time that is calm and quiet. Pick a time of day when there are no other pets, kids, or other distractions such as dog chews that might get them riled up. Choose a space with plenty of lighting so that you can see what you are doing. If your dog is small enough, you can pick them up and hold them while you brush their teeth. If they are too big for this, have them lie down next to you on the couch or floor. Make sure they are in a position where you can easily reach their face and mouth.
Get a dog toothbrush and toothpaste.
It’s not safe to use human toothbrushes or toothpaste on your dog. Instead, you should buy products specifically made for dogs. The dog toothbrushes have specially angled brushes and soft bristles to make it easier to brush their teeth, and the dog toothpaste is made of ingredients that are not harmful if swallowed. You should not brush your dog’s teeth with baking soda, which is extremely alkaline and will upset your dog’s stomach if swallowed. Baking soda also tastes bad to dogs, which may make them resist the teeth brushing process even more.
