How Important is Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth?

By Dr. Jan Bellows

Every pet owner – especially with a particularly hairy or smelly dog – recognizes the importance of grooming. Even if your dog is shorthaired and rarely needs any type of brushing or bath, there is an implicit understanding that your dog gets dirty, and there are times where your dog needs to be cleaned.

Yet despite this knowledge, very few dog owners pay attention to your dog’s teeth as part of the grooming process, despite your dog’s teeth being one of your pet’s most important features. Most people do not even bother checking the teeth for problems, while others limit their tooth care to that provided by a vet or groomer.

But your dog’s teeth are something that need to be checked regularly, since your dog depends on them for almost every activity. If your dog gets gum disease or has cavities or plaque problems, it can be painful for your dog to bite down – and since your dog is always biting down, your dog will be in constant pain.

When You Need to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Any time you see plaque buildup in your dog’s teeth, or your dog has terrible breath that does not appear due to its dog food choice, you need to brush your dog’s teeth. Once your dog starts having tooth problems, they will only continue and get worse, becoming more and more difficult to fix.

Some people choose to brush they’re dog’s teeth every day, but this may be both unnecessary and ill advised. Unlike human beings, your dog has a variety of good bacteria inside their mouth designed to kill of germs. This bacteria keeps your dog’s mouth clean on its own, so brushing daily is not necessary, and it is possible (though unlikely) that this may harm your dog’s mouth rather than help it. But once a week is a good choice, and once every two weeks should be fine as well. Talk to your vet if you have any questions.

When You Don’t Need to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Your dog should get a regular tooth brushing, but if you are very reluctant, you may be able to avoid brushing your dog’s teeth often if you do several of the following:

• Give your dog lots of ropes and other beneficial tooth chew toys to play with. These clear off plaque on their own.
• Give your dog dry dog food. Dry dog food can break down plaque, while the internal bacteria will kill off the germs.
• Give your dog rawhide bones and dental treats – These treats as well are rough enough to help clean your dog’s teeth while the internal bacteria kill off any persistent germs.

Avoiding brushing your dog’s teeth is not advised. Your dog benefits from a good tooth brushing, and as a dog owner you want to do what is best for your dog. But if you are dead set against brushing your dog’s teeth, if you perform all of the above actions you will be able to help make sure your dog’s teeth are cleaner, and can avoid brushing your dog’s teeth as often.

Buy Special Toothpaste and Train Your Dog

Even if you do not plan on brushing your dog’s teeth often, it is best to train your dog on getting its teeth brushed so that if you ever decide to start, your dog is used to the idea. There are special dog-formulated toothpastes available that are safe for your dog’s stomach and taste like its favorite doggy flavors. Pick some of these toothpastes up and start training your dog so that you and your dog can be used to the tooth brushing process, allowing you to continue brushing your teeth for years to come.