Since doggy dentures aren’t a thing, keeping your pup’s teeth clean and gums healthy is crucial for their overall health and well-being. Obviously, the best way to get your dog’s teeth clean is to have the vet scrape them while your dog is under anesthesia. This can be very expensive and there are risks associated with anesthesia, so you want to do everything you can to keep your dog’s teeth clean yourself.
Brushing your dog’s teeth every day with a dog-safe toothpaste is the best way to do that, but some dogs hate it and will run from the sight of a toothbrush. Luckily, there are other options that your dog might actually enjoy. Here are 10 ways to clean your dog’s teeth that they won’t hate.
#1 – Natural dental sprays
If your dog will hold still long enough for you to pick up their lips on either side of their mouth, a natural canine dental spray may be a good option. Many dental sprays will help reduce and prevent dental plaque and tartar build-up as well as control the bacteria that causes bad breath, as long as you can manage to spray the product directly onto your dog’s most-affected teeth. As a bonus, sprays often give your dog minty-fresh breath.
#2 – Healthy/natural diet
Dog food companies would like to convince you that dry kibble is better for your dog’s teeth than wet food. Relying on kibble to keep your dog’s teeth clean would be as effective as expecting crackers to keep your teeth clean. Fresher diets with healthier ingredients tend to help improve your dog’s overall health and well-being, and that includes their dental health.
#3 – Dental chew toys
There are lots of toys on the market designed to encourage your dog to chew. Dental chew toys with lots of variety in texture can help scrape the plaque off your dog’s teeth as they relax and enjoy their primal instinct to chew. Your dog should always be supervised when playing with chew toys to make sure they don’t swallow any large pieces.
via Whisker Therapy