Diseases of the mouth, teeth, and gums can be very painful for your pooch and because they aren't able to tell us when they have a toothache, as pet owners we must be diligent in keeping up with our dog's dental care. If left untreated, a tooth infection may develop into serious complication for your dog and affect vital organs such as their heart, liver, or kidneys.
You dog's diet has a real impact on their dental health. Dog food and treats which are fortified and made specifically to keep your dogs' teeth in good shape are a healthy choice for your pet. While you can have your dogs' teeth cleaned by your vet, this is very expensive and since your dog must be anesthetized for this to be done, can actually be dangerous for your pet! Professional cleaning should only be done in extreme cases.
Getting Your Pet Used to Dog Teeth Cleaning
With some patience, you can train your dog to accept tooth brushing. Adult dogs and puppies can both be trained by starting with your finger and some peanut butter.
As your pet licks your finger and the peanut butter, begin rubbing the teeth and gums while offering plenty of praise. After a day or so of this, or as soon as your dog begins accepting this new process, use a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger and do the same thing as above. Rub the gauze around the teeth and gums using a circular motion as you would with the toothbrush. Once they are used to this, it's time to introduce them to the real thing.
Never use toothpaste intended for humans on your dog as ingredients such as baking soda will upset their stomach. Also, dog toothpaste is specially formulated for their teeth and will have an appealing smell and taste to help make the process a bit easier. Start out by letting your dog lick a dollop of toothpaste off of the brush first, then use more to finally start brushing.
You'll need to lift up your dogs' gums to be able to reach their upper teeth -the canines especially. To get the best results, hold the brush at a 45 degree angle; this lets you clean teeth and gums simultaneously. Use a circular motion and pay special attention to your pets' back teeth, which are especially subject to tooth disease.
Make dog tooth cleaning time a happy time for your dog. Stay calm so your dog won't get too excited. It should only take about a minute a day for effective dog teeth cleaning and maintain their good health.
Dog teeth cleaning is imperative to dog health, and canine teeth cleaning can be done in a number of ways. Keep your dog's teeth clean by brushing your dog's teeth, by a healthy diet, and by adding a canine teeth cleaning agent to your dog's drinking water. All can play a part in keeping your dog's teeth healthy.
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