Take great care of your dog with these helpful tips for brushing pets' teeth during National Pet Dental Month
National Pet Dental Health Month is recognized in February each year
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Staying on top of your dog's dental health is so important.
February is National Pet Dental Health Month. During the month, there is a large focus placed on the dental hygiene of our furry friends, although it's important to keep up with their brushing all year.
Brushing your dog's teeth is vital for your animal's health — and also keeps their breath smelling fresh when they jump up on your lap for some kisses and cuddles.
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Not only does brushing your dog's pearly whites save you from having to hold your breath when they get close, but it also helps keep their dental health intact.
Poor dental health is a huge problem for dogs. According to many sources, including Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 80% of dogs over the age of three have periodontal disease.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Poor dental hygiene is a huge problem among dogs. ( TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Guildford-Jamestown Veterinary Hospital says periodontal disease in dogs is caused "when bacteria and food particles collect along the gum line and are not brushed away during a regular tooth brushing."
This bacteria then can cause irritation to the gum line.
Even though keeping up with your dog's dental hygiene is important, it can be a challenge to get pets comfortable with teeth brushing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}These tips and tricks may prove helpful in trying to keep your dog's breath fresh and teeth top-notch when it comes to hygiene.
- Use chicken-flavored toothpaste
- Use treats to make it a positive experience
- Allow them to examine the toothbrush
- Make it part of their daily routine
- Reassure your pup through the process with praise
1. Use chicken-flavored toothpaste
There are lots of different toothpaste flavors for dogs, but did you know that you can get poultry-flavored toothpaste for your pup?
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This simple switch of flavor could help make the tooth brushing process a lot more enjoyable for you and your dog.
Using chicken-flavored toothpaste could help make the brushing process more enjoyable for your dog. (Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
2. Use treats to make it a positive experience
It is vital to make teeth brushing as positive of an experience for your dog as you can.
It is completely fine to give your dog a treat whenever you feel necessary during teeth brushing, even if it's right in the middle of the process, says betterpet.com.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}3. Allow your dog to examine the toothbrush
Before starting to brush, allow your dog to become associated with the toothbrush.
Let your dog sniff the toothbrush and become comfortable with it. After this, you can begin to brush in circular motions, making sure that you reach all the teeth, even the ones way in the back.
Allow your pet to taste the toothpaste on your finger or the brush bristles before you begin brushing.
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4. Make it part of your daily routine
According to petMD, pet owners should brush their dog's teeth two to three times per week at a minimum. Brushing more often than that wouldn't hurt.
The website also recommends that you bring your dog in for a professional dental cleaning once per year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It is important to make brushing your dog's teeth a positive experience for your dog. One way to do this is to make it part of your pup's regular routine. (iStock)
When it comes time for teeth brushing, make sure your dog is in a comfortable, quiet setting so that they don't get distracted or overstimulated.
The more you incorporate this into your dog's routine, the more comfortable they will get with the process.
5. Reassure your pet through the process with praise
Since brushing can be uncomfortable for your dog, especially at the beginning of the teeth brushing journey, reassure your pet through the process.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}You can keep pets calm through simple actions like petting, talking to them and showing them extra love while brushing to make them more comfortable.
Tell your pet he is a good boy or she is a good girl to remind your pet of good behavior.
Give your furry friend lots of love and reassurance while brushing their pearly whites. (Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Even though February is National Pet Dental Health Month, it is important to remember to keep up good oral habits for your pet every day of the year.
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If you're unable to figure out the best brushing technique for your animals, talk with your vet about other ways to get their teeth clean.