Dental care is very important. The best dental care you can give your dog is by brushing their teeth and you should aim to do this on a daily basis, ideally after a main meal. You need to build up to this point gradually so that your dog can get used to this procedure. First you need to get your dog used to having his mouth opened and examined.
The next step is to start gently touching your dog’s teeth and gums with your finger. After this you can introduce a pet-friendly toothpaste (these are usually poultry or meat flavoured so your dog will like them). The best way to do this is to start by smearing the paste over the teeth with your finger. It is ok for your dog to swallow this. Do not use human toothpastes as they are not designed to be swallowed. They contain fluoride, which is harmful when ingested.
Next get a finger brush and start gently brushing your dog’s teeth with this, once they are happy you can progress onto a dog toothbrush.
Feeding a dry complete diet is an easy way to help reduce plaque, due to the abrasive action the dry kibbles have on the teeth. Tinned meat, on the other hand, just sits in the gaps between teeth and is a haven for bacteria, which results in plaque formation.
Many dental chews are now available, some of which contain plaque-fighting enzymes, and their abrasive action as they are chewed helps clean teeth. The same abrasive action occurs from chewing toys so these are also beneficial. Bones are not suitable as they can break teeth or splinter and damage your pet’s gut.