Teeth Brushing

[ShadowCat]

When I brush my dogs' teeth, how do I effectively get the farther back teeth brushed? Do I just pull the cheek back to get at them?

[bubbatd]

I don't brush now, but had the rubber finger thingy. Was much easier to do . Chip brushed his teeth today ... 10 minutes with a raw bone. Nine years old and never any tartar .

[MK&C]

Is brushing teeth really neccesary? I was planning on doing it but I heard that it wasn't worth it so I'm not sure...

[bubbatd]

I always did it when breeding with my pups, to get them used to it in case their new owners wanted to . This week when Chip went in for his annual , the vet again marveled at his teeth. She told me never to tell other dog owners I didn't brush !! I really think it depends on the breed and the food. I think small breeds have the most teeth problems and it could come from soft canned food. I've always fed moistened kibble . None of my dogs have ever had their teeth cleaned. It's VERY important to do it when plaque builds up. !

[brem]

I've had most success so far with the finger rubber thingie... the toothbrush usually only hurts my dog as he fights it... thinking it's a stick.

Yoshi had a foul odor coming out of his mouth... gums bleeding, yellow buildups... brushing his teeth really helped.

[SummerRiot]

Riot absolutely LOVES his teeth brushed!! He'll sit there with his lips curled whenever he sees the brush coming. lol its too cute! :)

I'll ask him "You want your toothbrush" and he'll run to the bathroom and sit down with the lip curl thing and wait for me to get his brush ready for him :)

For his molars, I pull back his cheek and brush back and forth on the sides and then the tops of them.

Hes not too fond of the very back teeth getting done, but will sit there enduring it lol

[Pomp]

I used to brush their teeth (with the rubber finger) until they started eating bones. The bones do a great job.

[lpollockandrsn]

The rubber finger brush seems to work best for the back teeth. Some breeds are much more prone to teeth problems than others. I would suggest that it is probably a good idea to keep ahead of.

[ShadowCat]

Sitehounds generally seem to have horrible teeth. My dogs are whippets. They have pretty bad teeth. My dog Andrew is a small whippet and has a small mouth and I have a lot of trouble getting those teeth in the back. I try to pull back the cheek, but I can't seem to get it back enough. Is there some sort of thing I can do to get his cheeks back?

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

I use a toothbrush and the rubber finger thing. I only by white colored toothpaste now, he used to have chicken flavour (it was a brown color) and it smelt really bad, and made his teeh brown.

[ShadowCat]

he used to have chicken flavour (it was a brown color) and it smelt really bad, and made his teeh brown.


Really? I use a chicken flavored brown tooth paste. I hope it doesn't change the color of their teeth. Maybe the next time I buy dog tooth paste I'll get a different color. What flavor is the white stuff that you use? Also, are there any tooth paste brands that you guys recommend?

[soft pawz]

i have heard about somebody having success by freezing a normal toothbrush with some dog toothpaste on it and giving it to the dog to chew on it ...

might try that out.....

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Really? I use a chicken flavored brown tooth paste. I hope it doesn't change the color of their teeth. Maybe the next time I buy dog tooth paste I'll get a different color. What flavor is the white stuff that you use? Also, are there any tooth paste brands that you guys recommend?

I know for sure it's the toothpaste that cuased his teeth to turn brown. It is the same color as the paste, and his teeth should definatly not be that color when he is only turning 2 years old (he never eats can food either).

The toothpaste I buy now has a nice fresh smell to it and it's white in color, the company is "Smart Groom by WAHL" and it just says "Toothpaste For Pets" I scanned it so you can see what it looks like:
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5348/toothpaste6cz.jpg

[MK&C]

Do you think this is good brush + paste?

http://thepuppyshop.com/grooming.html

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Do you think this is good brush + paste?

http://thepuppyshop.com/grooming.html

Looks good to me! Personally, I'd get the mint flavour, the dog may enjoy meaty flavours better but boy, does it ever smell horrid.:p The mint is also most likely white paste, I'm never getting brown again.

[MK&C]

Thanks! :)

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Remember to clean the toothbrush frequently. The toothpaste and slober makes the bristles hard and sticky, just run it under hot water and it will become soft again. If you don't clean the brush the hard bristles could make your dog's gums bleed.

[Kenzie]

Remember to clean the toothbrush frequently. The toothpaste and slober makes the bristles hard and sticky, just run it under hot water and it will become soft again. If you don't clean the brush the hard bristles could make your dog's gums bleed.

Good tip ACD4Ever! I brush Kenzie's 2-3 time a week as part of her normal grooming routine, also with the white toothpaste. Being a mal, she has a big mouth, lol, so getting to the back teeth isn't a problem. I lift the upperlip and pull back like she was smiling. You can hold the lip up with the thumb and index finger while brushing with your other hand. Same with bottom teeth. Also, I was told by my vet and the breeder to always use a circular motion and pay extra attention to the tooth at the gum line ( or where the gum line meets the tooth). Apparently thats where the plaque will start as a very thin line. It's also an excellant time to massage the gums with your fingers! Kenzie also gets bones, but they just don't do the job as well as brushing.

[soft pawz]

ACD4EVER i use the same toothpaste!!!
i love the vanilla smell

bailys breath smells so nice after using it!

[SummerRiot]

hehe Riot has the Wahls brand as well! :0

hehe I trust it.. they make horse stuff too that I use :)

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

ACD4EVER i use the same toothpaste!!!
i love the vanilla smell

bailys breath smells so nice after using it!

lol, yes it does smell great! :p

hehe Riot has the Wahls brand as well! :0


Wahls is the best, no brown teeth :D