Your veterinarian or veterinary nurse/technician may have advised you to brush your dogs teeth. This factsheet will help guide you on how to do this.

These are normal, healthy dog teeth ©Hayleigh Green

Dogs, like us, get plaque build-up on their teeth. Plaque is fluid, protein and bacteria that sits on the surface on the tooth and overtime becomes hard (becoming tartar). This fluid can be removed by brushing teeth and preventing the plaque from becoming solid. Plaque and tartar cause gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontal disease - which can lead to loose teeth and infections if left untreated. Toothbrushing is the best way to reduce your dog’s risk of dental disease. Small and toy breeds of dogs are more likely to develop dental problems, so may benefit from more regular brushing.

It is never too late to train a dog. It can be easier to train a puppy, and they are less likely to have existing dental issues but a dog can learn at any time.

Toothbrushing requires a dog to be comfortable with you putting a toothbrush in their mouth, to a dog, this can be a very strange and scary concept and therefore it is best to start slowly. Begin by buying a VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved enzymatic dog toothpaste. The enzymes in the toothpaste will help to break down any plaque. Human toothpaste can contain sweeteners that are harmful to dogs and therefore shouldn’t be used. Start by placing a pea size amount of the dog toothpaste on your finger and letting your dog lick it off, use a cue such as “brush” to introduce them to this process. . This should be repeated across several days until they are comfortable and relaxed with this step. Reward with special treats, praise and encouragement throughout each step of the process. The next step is to introduce a toothbrush to their mouth. Place a finger toothbrush over your preferred finger and repeat the above step, letting them lick off the toothpaste until they are comfortable and relaxed with this. This step can take several days for your dog to become comfortable, and they should be given the time they need to adjust. Then move onto touching their teeth. Lift up their lip and rub the finger toothbrush with the toothpaste along their teeth. Follow with a special treat to reward your dog. You may need to start with just touching their teeth for a few seconds and gradually build up the time as they get used to it. Repeat this for a couple of weeks, building up the time you are able to brush your dog’s teeth with the finger toothbrush. Once they are comfortable and used to the finger toothbrush, you can start using a dog toothbrush and brush their teeth. You may notice when you first introduce this, they go back to only tolerating their teeth to be brushed for a short period of time, this is normal, and you can build it back up slowly as they adjust. In time, you should be able to brush the inside of your dog’s teeth as well. It’s not such a concern if your dog doesn’t tolerate brushing on the inside of the teeth, as their tongue will do some of this job. It is important to build the foundation of this training slowly while simultaneously creating pleasant and enjoyable memories, it can take several months for a dog to learn to have their teeth brushed. Ensure your dog is comfortable so that they begin to expect and enjoy the process. This allows you to brush their teeth to a better standard and more regularly without causing stress to you or your dog. Continue to use your cue word at every step of the training and reward your dog for their good behavior. Dogs have incisors at the front of their mouth, molars at the back of their mouth and canines in between. When you brush your dog’s teeth, lift their lip to brush their incisors and canines. Most dog toothbrushes have a narrower end to allow you to brush their molars. You may not be able to see these as well, so be gentle to ensure you do not hit their gums or jaw by mistake.

The main benefit of brushing your dog’s teeth is preventing future dental disease, dental pain and associated problems. But it also allows you to examine your dog’s mouth preventing oral health problems from going unnoticed. It is also extremely helpful to the veterinary practice to be able to examine a dog’s mouth without resistance.

Some dogs do not allow tooth brushing and if you are struggling then ask your veterinary team if they can offer support. If after giving it a good go, you decide that toothbrushing is not for your dog, please don’t feel bad – after all, we are asking them to let us put a strange object in their mouth, and they don’t understand why. It’s not worth stressing you or your pet out over this and your veterinary team can advise you on alternatives such as VOHC approved products which can help prevent the build-up of plaque. There are solutions that can be added to drinking water, dental treats, powder to add to their food and many other alternatives to support your pet’s oral hygiene if toothbrushing is a step too far!