Our four-legged pets suffer from dental diseases, like humans. As a result of malnutrition, the lack of regular examination by the veterinarian and a sedentary lifestyle, the dog can develop tartar and become infected with microbes and bacteria that damage the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. All this gives the pet a certain discomfort. Therefore, the owner must follow the hygiene of his pet's oral cavity. How to brush a dog’s teeth at home? Let's try to figure this out.
Why does a dog need to brush its teeth?
From time to time, the owner must bring his pet to the veterinarian, who examines the oral cavity and its mucous membrane, evaluates the condition they are in. If necessary, the doctor prescribes treatment procedures, as well as gives advice on how to properly care for the dog’s mouth and with what means.
If you do not pay attention to the poor condition of the teeth of the pet in a timely manner, then subsequently this can cause them to fall out. The problem in the pet's oral cavity can be detected by the following signs:
- bad breath;
- discoloration of tooth enamel.
Teaching Your Pet Oral Care
How to brush a dog’s teeth at home? To accomplish this without problems, they teach this procedure from puppyhood, encouraging perseverance and patience. You can award her a treat, as a result of which such a process will become pleasant for the pet. Milk fangs are recommended to clean with plain water, without paste. But the dog’s molars are cleaned with a special paste or gel.
So that brushing your teeth in a pet does not cause any negativity, it is necessary to develop a normal attitude in it that a hand is thrust into its mouth. Forcibly doing this is not recommended, as this will cause negative emotions in the dog. Therefore, you can dip your finger in something tasty and then immerse it in the mouth. After the puppy gets used to the fingers in the oral cavity, you need to accustom him to pastes and gels.
Dog toothpaste
Animal hygiene items are best purchased at pet stores. You can’t use a paste intended for humans to brush your pet’s teeth, because the dog will necessarily swallow some part of it, and this can cause digestive upset in the pet. The manufacturers of pet products took this into account, therefore they produce pasta with harmless components, and they made the smell and taste pleasant for the pet.
Toothbrushes
Since the structure of the jaw in the animal is different from the human, then the toothbrush for dogs is completely different from the one intended for humans. It is characterized by rigidity and shape - at its end there are two heads with bristles that look in different directions. Due to this, several adjacent teeth are simultaneously brushed. In addition, such a hygiene item can also be intended for massaging gums.
Other dentifrices
Manufacturers of animal oral care products also produce gels. With this tool, the teeth are cleaned, the gums calm, breathing becomes fresh and the formation of stone and plaque is prevented. Gel for cleaning teeth in dogs is applied directly from the bottle. In this case, a brush and subsequent wiping with a special cloth are not required.
The pet must be given special sticks, the use of which several times reduces the likelihood of gum and tooth disease. Such a remedy does not cure, but is used for preventive purposes. If you give daily sticks for brushing your teeth for dogs, this helps to remove plaque, and the composition of saliva improves, which will be a good prevention.
In pet stores, you can also buy ready-made kits designed for caring for the oral cavity of an animal. It includes the following items:
- special toothpaste;
- two fingertip brushes;
- Toothbrush for dogs with two work surfaces.
If it is not possible to buy a special paste, you can make it yourself. To do this, mix white chalk, soda and lemon juice. Instead of a special brush, take a regular bandage and wrap it around your finger. Dipping it into the resulting composition, the same manipulations are performed as when applying the brush.
How to brush your pet?
It is important to observe the correct cleaning technique, as this will help not to injure your gum and tooth enamel. Before proceeding with such a procedure, the dog must be given a taste of a small amount of gel or paste on hand. Toothpaste on the brush should be applied over the entire length of the bristles. After that, they put the animal on their lap or turn it on their back.
How to brush a dog’s teeth at home? The cleansing process is best started with the back teeth. To do this, push the cheeks of the pet with your fingers and raise the lip above the place where the cleaning will be performed. The brush is promoted with light massage movements.
Side surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. They begin to process the lower jaw, performing movements from the bottom up, and the upper one from top to bottom. First they brush the molars of the dog, gradually moving towards the fangs. During the procedure, do not press hard on the brush, as this will cause the animal pain. It is advisable during the process to gently talk with your pet and praise him for his patience.
After the teeth are brushed, it is necessary to massage the gums with a special brush worn on the finger. This procedure is carried out carefully and carefully so as not to injure the oral cavity. Thanks to massage, metabolic processes are stimulated and the condition of the gums improves. After all the manipulations, it is recommended to rinse the dog brush under running water. Pastes intended for animals do not require rinsing the mouth after cleaning.
Use of ultraviolet light
If the owner was unable to brush his teeth on his dog’s territory, you can do this in a veterinary clinic. The doctor anesthetizes the animal and, using special equipment, removes stone and plaque, and also covers the enamel with a special solution of fluoride.
Output
Thus, if the question arises of how to brush your dog’s teeth at home and whether there is a need for it, you can answer that you must do this. A neglected oral cavity in an animal after some time leads to various diseases. For preventive purposes, you should regularly visit a veterinarian and monitor oral hygiene. For the procedure, various accessories are sold in pet stores, and you can buy a ready-made set for brushing your teeth for dogs.