Keeping your dog’s teeth clean and healthy is very important. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from periodontal disease which is considered as the most common tooth problem for dogs. It is a disease that attacks the gum and bone and around the teeth. Worst, this gum problem can even lead to other serious problems. Good thing, periodontal disease is preventable and treatable with proper care and brushing your dog’s teeth.
If you observe that your dog is having a bad breath, and red, swollen gums, these are symptoms of periodontal disease. As a responsible dog owner, you should know how to take care of your dog’s teeth. And if you are a newbie, don’t panic because brushing your dog’s teeth is very simple. It just takes a lot of practice and patience though because some dogs don’t like their teeth being brushed.
The first thing that you should remember is not to use human toothpaste or baking powder. These can upset your dog’s stomach if they swallowed it. Of course there are toothpastes made for dogs available at any pet shop. These toothpastes for dogs are specially formulated for dogs having special flavor and less foaming action. You can use any brush, even human tooth brush just be sure that it has soft bristle and has a design and shape not to cause any uneasiness for your dog.
First, you can put toothpaste on his gums using your finger so that he will get used to the taste of the toothpaste. And then you can start massaging the gums. Once he get used to the massage and the taste of the toothpaste, you can start using the toothbrush. You can start brushing his front teeth all the way to his back teeth. From time to time, praise him for being so cooperative. For comfort and ease, you can lift his lip up so that you can see all his teeth. Be sure to brush it thoroughly. Check each of his teeth if it is already clean. You can also check if there are broken or cracked tooth. If you find any broken tooth, you can bring him to your vet immediately for treatment. To keep your dogs teeth unbroken or damaged, be mindful of what he is biting or chewing especially those hard objects hard rocks.
