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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.
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. 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
Periodontal disease, the painful inflammation of the gums and the tissues that hold each tooth, recedes markedly with good hygiene.
Fresher breath, better health
Bad breath fades, and your pet's overall health improves along with its mouth.
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 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.
- 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, and fluoride; its foaming agents upset the stomach once swallowed
- Baking soda: very high in sodium, a problem with certain conditions
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 mineralizes quickly, so the more regular the brushing, the more it pays off.
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 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?
How long before my pet gets used to it?
Why do small-breed dogs have more dental problems?
Should I wear gloves to brush?
A small habit, big results
A few minutes on the outer surfaces of the upper teeth, every day, 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.