Having a dog is similar to having a best friend who listens to you, protects you, and loves you like a human being. It waits for you, stays around you, and plays with you to show its adoration. This kind of love never fades. It gets deeper and deeper as the dog gets older.
When a dog takes care of its owner, the owner must also consider the total health condition of the dog. Dogs are man’s best friends. We want our best friends to be clean, fragrant, and healthy. We do not want them stinky. We should get rid of the bacteria from their mouth. Imagine our dogs with full-of-bacteria mouths licking our face and skin!
Dogs’ oral health is often neglected. Imagine if you had a dog for 10 years but you forgot to take care of its mouth. What a dangerous living!
Good news! Today, I am going to teach you the best things to clean your dog’s teeth using the best toothbrush for dogs.
To keep your puppy’s teeth free of plaque and tartar, pick the best toothbrush for dogs. It is also paramount to evaluate your dog’s dental needs and level of anxiety to find the most suitable toothbrush for your dog. Consider first the kind of furry friend you have. Do you have a senior hound, a puppy, or a dog with a large breed? The best toothbrush for your dog has the following characteristics:
• It has the Veterinary Oral Health Care (VOHC) seal of approval.
Choose toothbrushes with a VOHC deal of approval. Dental products with VOHC seal of approval are proven to slow down plaque build-ups on dogs’ teeth. They can remove tartar and create a nice sparkle.
• It is soft-bristled.
Pick a dog toothbrush with soft or extra-soft bristles. Never go for hard-bristled ones. They can cause discomfort to your dog. You do not want your dog to get mad and bite. Brush dog’s teeth with gentle pressure to ensure a mouth cleaning that does not hurt.
• Double-Ended or Dual-Head Toothbrush
Double-ended or dual-head toothbrushes are used for senior dogs to reach different areas of the mouth more easily. One head is smaller than the other toothbrush head. It gives another option if sweeping away plaque on front teeth, canine and hard-to-reach areas are difficult. It cleans not only from the surface of the crown but also the highly important part underneath the gum line.
• A Finger Brush
For puppies, aside from the standard toothbrush for dogs, it is best to have a finger brush to test which will work best. The puppies’ playfulness makes them chew the handles of the standard toothbrushes. So, a finger brush is another option. Finger brush makes brushing more enjoyable for them. It has soft rubber bristles, which are fast and easy to use in cleaning the dog’s teeth and gums. It is suitable for puppies or dogs with very small mouths. Rub it gently around your dog’s teeth and gums. It makes mouth cleaning fun!
• Electric Toothbrush
Dogs with large breed need an electric toothbrush for faster and easier brushing. Since they have wider mouths and bigger teeth, manual toothbrushes are not advisable. Electric toothbrushes for dogs are designed with a pulsating brush head to halt severe plaque build-up. They have an LED light to see all corners of the mouth. This helps the owner gauge and prevent any possible tooth or gum problems.
How to brush your dog’s teeth?
After considering the above characteristics of the best toothbrush for dogs, it is vital to know how to give total oral health care for them. Now, get acquainted with how to properly brush your dog’s teeth.
1. Start brushing your dog’s teeth using warm water. Rub the brush head back and forth with a gentle force to avoid discomfort.
2. Never use human toothpaste on your dog. It is dangerous. The additives can be toxic for them. Use an enzymatic toothpaste. Enzymes fight and wash away bacteria in the dog’s mouth. They maintain good and fresh breath.
3. Rinse the dog’s mouth with water
How to give total oral health care to your dog?
Use tooth wipes. These are helpful when brushing is not possible. They clean teeth and gums, remove plaque and tartar, and freshen dogs, breath. You do not need to rinse their mouth after using. Meanwhile, tooth wipes are not only used for dogs that refused to brush. They are bought for total oral health care among dogs. Owners use them when they are outside, or when they cannot brush their dog’s teeth at the moment.
Give some dental chews. These dental chews remove plaque and freshen breath. See the VOHC seal of acceptance on the packaging that guarantees dogs’ safety while promoting self-cleansing of the teeth. Just make sure that they are not so hard to avoid breaking the teeth. They are also called enzymatic oral hygiene chews. They are highly recommended for dogs who struggle so much with daily brushing.
Sprinkle powdered seaweed into its food. It is a food additive made from a special kind of seaweed that is proven effective in eliminating plaque among dogs. It is an add-on to a dog’s brushing, wiping, and chewing habits. They also have a VOHC seal of acceptance.
Try water additive. To make sure healthy mouth among dogs, use water additives. They have natural ingredients such as papain or papaya extract, chlorophyll, and yucca.
Important Points
The best toothbrush for dogs has soft bristles and a VOHC seal. A finger brush is for a small dog. Dual-head brush is for a senior dog. An electric toothbrush is for a dog with a larger mouth.
There are always ways to dogs’ oral health care. It can be a positive experience even for dogs that do not like brushing. Try including them in their daily routine while they are young so that they will get used to it. If daily brushing is not possible, brush your dog’s teeth at least three times a week.