How to brush your pet's teeth
Good dental health is a very important part of maintaining your pet’s overall wellbeing. As with our own teeth, plaque will develop even on the cleanest of teeth – and if not removed properly it will soon become mineralised tartar or calculus. This can then lead to chronic inflammation and in turn the teeth and gums will begin to separate – and again cause more problems like rotting or teeth falling out. Inflammation in the mouth can also take a toll on your pet’s immune system and even effect their bones, kidney or cause heart disease.
A spokesperson from the RSPCA tells Over60 they recommend an annual health check for all pets. "Preventative dental scale and polish is advocated for pets so that the dental issues are addressed before infection and pain progress. Some animals require more regular dental prophylaxis due to their genetics, diet and other underlying conditions," the spokesperson explains.
Studies have found that 85% of dogs and cats over four years of age have some form of dental disease. More serious cases can lead to pain and life-threatening illness. Early intervention is best, the RSPCA spokesperson advises. "Just like we should get regular dental checks, so too should our pets. Dental disease may affect dogs and cats at any stage of life, but it is most common as pets enter middle age."
You should be checking your pet’s teeth every month. While there are excellent options available to feed our pets, we need to clean their teeth too.
Things to look out for:
- Bad breath
- Discoloured teeth
- Broken teeth
- Loose teeth
- Excessive drooling
- Inflamed or bleeding gums
- Dropping food from the mouth when eating, or reluctant to eat at all
- Pain when handled around the head
- Facial swelling
- Behavioural changes
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR PET'S TEETH
Toothbrush
You’ll firstly need to select an appropriate toothbrush – a soft finger-brush works best.
Toothpaste
Next up you’ll need to get some pet-safe toothpaste. Your local pet shop should have a variety of different flavours.
Start early
They say it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, so with this in mind you should get your pet used to brushing by starting as young as possible. You need your pet to get comfortable with you gently handling them around the mouth, teeth and gums. You can start off by just gently touching these areas so they can get used to it first. Then rubbing toothpaste over these areas. And the final step is to get them used to the brushing sensation, you could try using a washcloth or gauze before moving onto a toothbrush.
Begin brushing
Once you feel your pet in comfortable with all of the above, you’re ready to move onto a toothbrush. Remember to build up to this gradually and for short periods if your pet is not accepting. Try brushing once your pet is tired after a big walk or run, this way they are less likely to think it's a game.
Game time
You can now begin the read deal. Apply the paste between the bristles, as this allows for greater contact time with the teeth. Angle the brush at 45 degrees and rub in circular motions over and between the teeth and gum margins (where the teeth meet the gum). Ten circular motions should be completed at a time covering three to four teeth – this will depend on the size of the brush and your pet’s teeth.
Brush daily
Not only is dental disease painful for your pet, it is also costly to treat and can progress to life-threatening illness. Brush your pet’s teeth daily to avoid bad breath and dental disease.