One of life’s hardest missions is getting that damn toothbrush into your dog’s mouth without turning into an attack victim! But it is something that needs to be done with dog dental disease prevalent in 8 of 10 dogs over the age of three. But how on earth do you <h1>clean a dog’s teeth<h1> you say? We have come up with 7 guaranteed ways to clean a dog’s teeth without you losing your hand keeping your canine’s pearly whites shining brighter for longer.

Toothbrush

Yes, we said we wouldn’t let you lose your hand but using a tooth brush is still the number one solution in cleaning your dog’s teeth! Keep to these simple steps and your dog’s teeth will be looking healthy and your hand still intact.

1. Allow your dog to taste the toothpaste and provide a tasty reward once licked.
2. Place a little pressure on your dog’s teeth and gum to get your canine friend use to the feeling, if they become agitated cease immediately and try again tomorrow.
3. Place the toothbrush on your dog’s teeth starting very slowly and picking up tempo as he becomes used to cleaning. The great Cesar Milan  suggests the toothbrush be placed at a 45-degree angle to clean below the gum line.

Lucky for your dog most toothpaste is liver flavoured increasing the chances your dog will love it! The question everybody asks though is how often to brush dog’s teeth? Aim for brushing your dog’s teeth every 2-3 days in order to keep up a scheduled dental regime.

Dental Treats

Dental treats are the biggest trend in the pet industry today with countless brands of treats designed to clean a dog’s teeth. Dental treats are designed to clean bacteria and plaque off keeping your canine having healthy dog teeth. Not only delicious for your dog these treats counter bad breath providing fresh mint flavours allowing your dog to lick your face without the threat of being knocked out with bad breath.

We have countless people asking us how can a treat be so beneficial to healthy dog teeth? Look no further then the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) who approve dental treats who meet specific criteria.  Such products include Greenies which are shaped ironically as a toothbrush! 

Dental Chews

Hold on, dental chews and dental treats, aren’t they the same thing? Not exactly! Dental Chews are mainly toys which are shaped, textured or are flavored to encourage chewing. Studies have shown dogs who chew enthusiastically throughout the day can reduce plaque by up to 70%! There are 3 types of dental chews we have found to clean a dog’s teeth all while providing them with countless hours of enjoyment!

Shaped Chews

-   Chews which have special grooves that clean teeth and gums are perfect for healthy dog teeth while satisfying their curiosity while chewing.

Textured Chews

-   These chews are specifically textured to clean your dog’s teeth and gum’s while chewing, through textures such as ribs as the dog chews the ribs glide in between and over the dog’s teeth cleaning plaque and bacteria.

Flavoured Chews

-  Flavoured chews provide meaty flavours including beef and liver inside the chew in order to keep your dog chewing as long as possible!

Dental Food

This method is our personal favourite cleaning your dog’s teeth while filling up his stomach, talk about killing two birds with one stone! One study has show increasing the diameter of kibble by 50% led to a 42% reduction in tartar. How does a bigger kibble help clean a dog’s teeth? The idea behind this is your canine friend bites into a larger size kibble and as he does the tooth slides into the piece of kibble and when the tooth comes out the plaque is drawn off the tooth providing shiny and healthy dog teeth.

Your favorite premium food brand most likely will have an oral care product within their range allowing you the ease of mind when deciding what dental food you should choose for your dog! These foods are perfect for your dog’s complete diet while providing excellent dental care and keeping your dog free from dental disease. While providing this food avoid feeding other sweet treats or dinner scraps as it will counter the effect of the dental food which will limit the results

Raw Bones

Imitating a dog’s natural environment is a perfect way to keep your dog’s teeth clean and free from dental disease and a perfect treat for your canine. Chewing bones is beneficial in your canine’s dental care without the additives, flavouring and colours of many treats in the marketplace today which can only add to your dental nightmares by yellowing of these teeth and increasing bacteria build up.

There are multiple benefits in providing raw bones to keeping healthy dog teeth:

• Providing adequate calcium is vital for strength in your dog’s teeth allowing them to chew and chew all day!
• The process of which the meat and bones is macerated massages the dog’s teeth and gums eliminating plaque and bacteria build up.

Owners must be aware of the size of the bone needed for your canine, a large bone for small dogs doesn’t allow them to exercise all their teeth properly while a smaller bone allows limited chewing for a bigger dog. Recommended bones for a large dog include lamb shanks and necks while smaller dog’s necks and lamb briskets are perfect.

Dental Gel/Liquid

A new addition to the dental care category for dog’s is dental gel and liquid which clean a dog’s teeth through adding gel or liquid to your do’s food or water. By adding this liquid to your dog’s water bowl it acts as a preventative by reducing tartar formation which can help eliminate dog dental disease. These liquids contain delicious flavouring for your dogs which can also help if your dog has urinary tract problems and needs to be encouraged to drink water. While also helping reduce tartar formation these come in a range of flavours to reduce bad breath and keep your dog smelling great all day everyday! These liquids should be used in conjunction with a toothbrush or another form of dental care as it is more of a preventative rather then a solution on how to clean a dog’s teeth.

Dental Wipes

A very similar alternative to toothbrushes are dental wipes, these are similar to wet wipes you use at home but are mint flavoured and easier to use if brushing your dog’s teeth isn’t your forte! Each wipe allows you to clean each of your dog’s tooth preventing tartar build-up and cleaning bacteria of the toot. This product is perfect for pets who are fussy when it comes to having their teeth brushed!  

If you made the end of this list, I can guarantee your dog must have the best smile of all time, people will be the envy of your pearly white canine! Do you think you can top our list and provide another way to clean your dog’s teeth? We want to know, comment below!