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This guide is a home-care support tool. It does not replace personalized advice from your veterinarian. For any questions, contact us at 514 223-1197.
Guide contents
Why brush your pet's teeth?
Brushing is the foundation of good oral health, and the single most useful thing you can do at home. Periodontal disease is in fact very common: most dogs and cats already show signs of it by around age 3. As with people, your veterinary team's work is only part of the program: at home, you hold the cornerstone, removing plaque before it has a chance to harden.
Simpler dental cleanings
A well-kept mouth often means shorter anesthesia, fewer extractions, and lighter procedures overall.
Less pain
Gingivitis, the painful inflammation of the gums, recedes markedly with good hygiene, and regular brushing slows the progression of periodontal disease, a source of chronic pain.
Fresher breath, more comfort
Bad breath fades, and a healthy mouth supports your pet's comfort and wellbeing.
Plaque or tartar: what is the difference?
Plaque is a soft, sticky film of bacteria, saliva, and food particles that slips into the space between tooth and gum. Left undisturbed, it mineralizes within days into tartar: brown and hard as stone. Tartar can no longer be brushed away. By brushing regularly, ideally every day, you remove the plaque and keep tartar from settling in. Some pets build it up faster than others and need brushing more often.
Supplies and the right toothpaste
Two items are all you need. The toothpaste, though, is no small detail: a few common household products have no place in your pet's mouth.
What you need
- A soft-bristled brush: a pet toothbrush, or a child's soft-bristled toothbrush. Pick a size suited to your pet and replace it once the bristles splay; use one brush per pet.
- Pet toothpaste: made to be swallowed safely, often in flavors pets enjoy (poultry, fish).
Pet toothpaste
Made to be swallowed, in flavors most pets love.
- Safe to swallow
- Tasty flavors (poultry, fish, and more)
- Often makes brushing something pets enjoy
Products to skip
Three common household products that do more harm than good.
- Human toothpaste: may contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Its fluoride and foaming agents are made to be spat out, not swallowed, and cause stomach upset
- Baking soda: an unpleasant taste that makes pets resist, an abrasive action that wears enamel and irritates the gums, and an alkaline pH that upsets the stomach once swallowed (its sodium content can also be a problem with heart or kidney disease)
- Hydrogen peroxide: irritates the gums and causes nausea if swallowed
The trick that makes it work
Built into a routine and followed by a small treat, brushing quickly becomes a moment many pets look forward to.
Before you start
In a young pet, teaching a love of brushing is easy. In an older pet, the mouth may already be tender.
A painful mouth needs treatment first
Older pets more often have periodontal disease, and their gums can be sore. When that is the case, a full cleaning under anesthesia at your veterinarian may be needed before you begin brushing. Once the plaque, tartar, and any diseased teeth are gone, your odds of success climb sharply, and brushing no longer hurts.
The earlier, the better
A puppy or kitten who gets used to brushing young will accept it as a normal routine for life. While the adult teeth are coming in (around 3 to 6 months) the gums are tender, so stick to gentle mouth handling rather than vigorous brushing, and use a vaccine or spay/neuter visit to have your veterinarian check that no baby teeth have stayed in place. And if your pet is already grown, it is never too late: starting now already slows tartar buildup and protects the healthy teeth.
Getting your pet comfortable
You do not reach for the brush on day one. The idea is to move in small steps, calmly, so your pet ties the whole thing to a pleasant moment.
Pick a fixed time
Routine is reassuring. Late evening works well, when the house is calm. If your pet is very food-driven, brush right before a meal: the meal then becomes the reward.
Get them used to mouth handling
Make it a pleasant game. Pile on the petting and praise to build trust, and never force it. Keep the first sessions very short (a few seconds, then a little more each time) and stop while your pet is still relaxed, before it has had enough.
Touch the muzzle, then the teeth
Gradually move from the lip to the teeth and gums with your finger. A tiny dab of cream cheese (dogs) or a drop of tuna juice (cats) on your fingertip, and many pets will start asking for this little bonus.
Introduce the soft brush
A veterinary brush or a child's soft-bristled brush is perfect. Let your pet sniff and lick it first, with a little toothpaste, before you brush for real.
Cats need extra patience
Cats tolerate mouth handling less than dogs: go more slowly, keep sessions shorter, and repeat each step more often. A small feline brush, a finger brush, or gauze wrapped on a finger often works better. And if your cat never accepts a brush, that is not a failure: see the alternatives in the FAQ.
If your pet resists, stop
If it stiffens, licks its lips, turns its head away, backs off, growls, hisses, or tries to leave: calmly end the session, without forcing or holding it down. Try again later, at an easier step it was already managing. Forcing teaches your pet to fear brushing and can lead to a bite or, in cats, a redirected-aggression reaction. A short successful session beats a long forced one.
Brushing, step by step
Once your pet is at ease, the brushing itself is quick and gentle.
The two golden rules
They make brushing both effective and easy.
The upper teeth
Focus on the top row: that is where plaque and tartar build up the most.
The outer surfaces
Brush the cheek side only, not the tongue side. It is enough, and far easier to do.
Add the toothpaste
A small amount, about the size of a pea, on the bristles.
Expose the teeth
Gently lift the upper lip to reveal the outer surface of the teeth.
Brush in small circles
Rest the brush on the outer surface and brush in small circles, gently, without pressing hard: let the brush do the work. Bring the circles right up to where the tooth meets the gum, where plaque collects. Scrubbing harder does not clean better: it hurts, irritates the gums, and makes your pet resist.
Finish with a reward
Always end on a positive note: a treat, a game, some praise. That is what makes the next brushing easy.
How often?
At least 3 times a week, and ideally every day. Plaque re-forms quickly, so the more regular the brushing, the more it pays off. And if you cannot manage every day, that is fine: brushing a few teeth, a few times a week, is already far better than nothing.
When to see your vet
Brushing at home puts you in the best position to catch a problem early. Some signs are worth an exam, without waiting.
Have the mouth checked if you notice:
- breath that suddenly turns strong or foul
- red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- drooling, or blood in the saliva or on toys
- a pet that drops food, chews on one side, or hesitates to eat
- pawing at the mouth or rubbing the muzzle on the floor
- swelling of the face or jaw
- a loose, broken, or discoloured tooth, or a lump in the mouth
A little blood while brushing: when to worry
On an already inflamed mouth, a little blood or pink-tinged foam at first is common, and usually fades after one to two weeks of gentle, regular brushing. But if the gums bleed heavily, keep bleeding after two weeks, or if your pet suddenly refuses brushing or shows pain: stop, do not push through it, and have the mouth examined. A sudden refusal often hides pain.
To book an appointment: 514 223-1197 · Book an appointment (opens in a new tab)
What brushing cannot replace
Regular brushing at home improves dental health enormously: simpler cleanings, fewer lost teeth, a more comfortable pet. But it has one limit.
At home
You remove plaque, ideally every day, and slow tartar from forming.
At the clinic
We clean below the gumline, under anesthesia, where the brush cannot reach.
Most of the tooth is hidden
The largest part of each tooth sits below the gumline. Cleaning and assessing that area takes anesthesia: that is the role of veterinary dental care, which brushing supports but does not replace.
Your questions, our answers
What owners ask us most about teeth.
Are 'dental' chew toys enough on their own?
What is a 'full dental cleaning'?
My groomer 'does teeth.' Is that safe?
My cat resists, drools, or bleeds when I go near its mouth. Why?
How long before my pet gets used to it?
Why do small-breed dogs have more dental problems?
Should I wear gloves to brush?
See also
A small habit, big results
A few minutes on the outer surfaces of the upper teeth, ideally every day (at least three times a week), plus regular veterinary care: that is the recipe for a healthy mouth, free of pain and bad breath. When in doubt, talk to us, we will gladly show you how.
A question about your pet's teeth?
For a brushing demonstration, a dental checkup, or advice on the right supplies, our team is here to help.