Cleaning your dog’s teeth

As with us humans, keeping your dog’s teeth clean is very important to avoid plaque build-up and dental disease. Dental disease is very common in dogs, second only to ear infections, and can be extremely uncomfortable – much like we would experience. 

And some breeds are more susceptible to dental disease than others, for example, Brachycephalic dogs, like Pugs and Chihuahuas, have poorly aligned jaws with crowded or absent teeth 

As with everything its always easier to start teeth cleaning when they’re a puppy and brush their teeth every day to get them used to it. However, if you haven’t been able to do this then gradually introduce the activity by having your finger near their mouth. Maintain the habit and slowly introduce brushing until this is natural.

You’ll need a to buy a dog toothpaste as human ones aren’t suitable. A special dog toothbrush that goes over your finger can be used to brush their teeth, otherwise you could use a child sized toothbrush.

You should keep brushing their teeth as part of a regular grooming routine.

When to contact your vet

Regular brushing can keep plaque and dental disease away, but you must contact your vet if your dog has any urgent symptoms such as:

• Bleeding or damaged gums 
• Mouth is infected giving off a fouler than usual smell
• Discoloured teeth that die and fall out
• Sensitive or painful teeth
• Noticeable difficulty in eating.

Emmi-Pet Ultrasonic Toothbrushing

• Stylish Fido uses an Emmi-Pet ultrasonic toothbrush to clean your dogs’ teeth. It is completely silent, non-vibrating and non-invasive as it is held against the teeth with no brushing action resulting in a much calmer experience for your dog. Find out more on the ultrasonic toothbrush blog.