Home Dental Care

Brushing your pet’s teeth can go along way toward preventing dental disease. Some pets resist brushing, but most eventually accept it, especially if you start a brushing routine when your pet is young (10 weeks to 10 months). Aim at brushing your pet’s teeth once a day or at least 3 times a week.

Step 1: Choose a pet tooth paste your pet likes (don’t use human tooth paste or tooth brushes on your pet. Human toothpaste may be toxic in pets if ingested, and human toothbrushes are too big usually for their mouths). Place a small amount of toothpaste on your finger, and offer it to your pet daily for several days as a reward or treat. This will condition your pet to view brushing as fun and rewarding. Once your pet accepts toothpaste as a reward, use your index finger to stimulate the brushing motion of a toothbrush, while praising the pet and giving the daily dose of flavored toothpaste.

Step 2: In five to seven days, introduce a soft bristled pet toothbrush. You can apply a small bit of the flavored toothpaste at the beginning and end to reinforce the conditioned behavior, position the brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth. Make small circular motions beginning at the back of the pet’s teeth moving forward and around to the otherside. Eight to ten strokes are sufficient for any given area.