What Are the Dangers of Using Human Toothpaste on Pets?

It is important to use pet toothpaste when brushing your pet̵7;s teeth. Several ingredients in human toothpaste can make a pet sick. Pet toothpastes are available in a variety of flavors, including chicken and beef, which are very palatable to animals. Human toothpaste usually has a minty flavor, which most pets do not like, so they will not keep still for you to brush their teeth. Start brushing your pet̵7;s teeth from a young age to introduce him to the process and make it a part of his routine. It is a good idea to reward a pet with a treat after brushing his teeth to instill good behavior.

  1. Stomach Upset

    • Human toothpaste is made to clean your teeth; however, it is not edible. Humans spit toothpaste out instead of swallowing it. Pets generally cannot spit and will swallow the toothpaste. According to the Go Natural and Organic website, polyethylene glycol is a dispersant which binds water and keeps the toothpaste ingredients equally distributed. This ingredient and fluoride are irritating to the stomach and can make dogs throw up. Human toothpaste tubes have a warning on them that stresses not to swallow it. Manufacturers of pet toothpastes formulate their products to swallow and be fully digestible.

    Unpleasant Experience

    • Human toothpastes contain a detergent, or surfactant, to help fluoride work well. Laurel sulfate is a common ingredient that causes toothpaste to foam and carry away debris while brushing. Pet toothpaste does not foam. The foaming action is very unpleasant to pets and gives them a bad experience that makes brushing their teeth difficult.

    Sodium Bicarbonate

    • Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is in human toothpaste for taste and as a mild abrasive. When soda contacts mouth acids, carbon dioxide gas releases. This adds to the foaming agent and reduces mouth acid. A pet that is on a salt-restricted diet should never eat this product.

    Flavor

    • Gel toothpaste contains more sweeteners, such as sodium saccharin, than paste toothpaste. Diabetic pets can have elevated blood sugar levels from swallowing toothpaste with sweeteners. This action can cause severe medical problems in hyperglycemic pets.