How to clean your dog’s teeth (without brushing them)
Have you ever thought about your dog’s oral health? When I first got Soda, I just assumed whatever she ate cleaned her teeth, but then I heard an alarming stat from my vet - 80% of dogs experience some level of gum disease by the age of three. Wow, that got my attention, so I researched ways to keep my girl’s teeth and gums healthy.
Gum disease (also know as periodontal disease) is a progressive disease caused by bacteria in the mouth (the result of a build up of plaque and tartar) that can cause inflammation of the gums and damage to the soft tissues and bone that support the teeth. If the condition progresses it can lead to life-threatening conditions such as kidney, liver and heart disease.
What are the signs of gum disease?
If your dog shows any of these signs, they may have gum disease and you should contact your vet: bad breath, yellow or brown teeth, swollen or bleeding gums, difficulty eating or loss of appetite, pawing at their mouth.
Ok, enough of the doom and gloom. The good news is gum disease can be prevented (and reversed if found at an early stage) by establishing a healthy oral hygiene routine for your dog at an early age.
Here are six ways to help keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy
They say the best way to remove the buildup of plaque is to brush your dog’s teeth regularly with a dog toothbrush and dog toothpaste. “What do you mean?” I hear you say! “As if my dog is going to let me brush their teeth!” I hear you, my dogs wont let me get anywhere near their teeth, but that’s ok, there’s other ways we can keep our dog’s teeth and gums clean and healthy.
Let them chew raw bones
Wild dogs, wolves and foxes keep their teeth clean by chewing on the bones of their prey. Gross I know, but that’s nature for you. Chewing is a natural way for dogs to clean their teeth as the constant gnawing scrapes plaque off their teeth. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing bones for your dog. Make sure you get raw bones, cooked bones can splinter posing a choking hazard and if swallowed could cause an intestinal blockage. Bones should be larger than your dog’s mouth and meaty. The action of tearing off meat, gristle and cartilage is similar to us brushing and flossing our teeth.
Treat them to dental chews
If you like rewarding your dog with a treat, why not give them a treat that’s good for their dental health. Dental chews are designed to remove plaque and tartar and reduce bad breath. They come in all different shapes, sizes and flavours. They feature different textures to help clean those hard to reach teeth and ridges that dig into gums which helps stimulate blood flow.
Here are some of Soda and Poppy’s favourites:
Play with dental toys
Why not trick your dog into cleaning their teeth by simply giving them a toy to chew. They won’t even know it’s good for them. Dental chew toys combine the element of fun with your dog’s oral hygiene.
Look for dental toys with different textures like rope and rubber. Find durable toys of different sizes, and keep an eye out for flavoured toys – my Soda loves her egg and bacon flavoured bone I brought her back from Hawaii. Make sure you rotate your dog’s dental toys regularly so they don’t get bored. Here are a few of our faves:
Add a water additive to their water bowl
There’s nothing worse than getting sloppy kisses from your pup with bad breath. Your dog’s breath is never going to smell like roses, but it shouldn’t smell revolting. One way to treat bad breath is to add a water additive to your dog’s drinking water. It fights bacteria that cause bad breath and helps defends against plaque and tartar. Some products are tasteless and odourless which means your dog won’t even notice it.
When Soda was around six months old she was loosing her puppy teeth and she had the worst breath, it was absolutely foul! I ended up buying Tropiclean fresh breath dog water additive to add to her drinking water and it worked wonders!
Feed a dental diet
If your pup has recurring dental problems, your vet may recommend putting them on a scientifically formulated dental diet. These products have specifically designed the kibble to be of a unique shape and texture to encourage chewing rather than swallowing. The kibble acts like a toothbrush, while the chewing helps to breakdown the bacteria that make up plaque. Some dental diets may even include ingredients to keep your pup’s breath fresh!
Here are my top picks:
Visit your vet regularly for a dental check-up
Keep up with your regular visits to the vet. Each visit your vet will preform an oral exam to identify any dental problems. If they suspect any issues, they may take an x-ray to evaluate the health of the jaw and tooth roots. They may recommend performing a professional clean where they’ll remove any plaque and tartar above and below the gum line. This is usually performed under anesthetic, however some vets and dental technicians can perfect a dental clean without anesthetic under certain circumstances.
There you have it, six ways to clean your dog’s teeth without using a toothbrush. Once you’ve worked out which methods work best for you, you’ll soon establish a daily oral health routine for you and your pup. For more advice on how to keep your dog’s teeth clean and healthy speak to your vet.
Note: Please ensure you supervise your dog whenever they chew any bones, treats and toys to ensure they don’t choke or injure themselves.
Disclosure: Healthy Happy Paws is a reader supported website. If you purchase products through links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.