How to Help Protect Your Dog's Teeth From Tartar

Taking care of your canine friend's teeth can go a long way toward keeping your four-legged companion healthy. Brushing your dog's teeth, feeding it a healthy diet and providing it with chew toys will help keep your pooch's mouth healthy and tartar-free. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, home dental care can help you maintain your dog's oral health and can lead to a longer, healthier life for your pet.

Things You'll Need

  • Canine toothbrush
  • Soft gauze
  • Canine toothpaste
  • Chew toys
  • Special dog treats for healthy teeth
  • Dog mouthwash
  • Dry pet food
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Instructions

  1. Tartar Prevention with Home Dental Care

    • 1

      Get your dog used to dental care by starting to gently touch or rub its gums and teeth with your hands on a regular basis. Once your dog is used to your touch, the American Animal Hospital Association recommends wrapping your finger in soft medical gauze and rubbing your pet's teeth and gums in a circular motion.

    • 2

      Brush your dog's teeth daily, once it becomes used to having its gums rubbed with the gauze.

    • 3

      Use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs; toothpaste for humans may upset dogs' stomachs and toothbrushes for dogs are softer.

    • 4

      Focus on the upper teeth, especially the side teeth that touch dogs' cheeks, as this is where the most tartar accumulates. Use the brush at a 45-degree angle, making small circular motions and lifting your dog's lips as needed. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends skipping cleaning the inner surfaces of a dog's teeth if it resists very strongly as not much tartar accumulates there.

    • 5

      Rinse your dog's mouth with mouthwash designed for dogs, and reward your dog with a healthy treat, play time or a long walk after a successful teeth cleaning.

    • 6

      Schedule regular checkups, including oral checkups and teeth cleanings, with your veterinarian, and check regularly for signs of poor dental health in your dog, such as loose teeth, bad breath, swollen gums, mouth tumors and gums growing over the teeth.

    Lifestyle Tartar Prevention

    • 7

      Give your dog chew toys, bones or treats after meals to help fight tartar build-up, as well as improve bad breath. Hard toys and foods help exercise your dog's teeth and scrape off plaque. Raw bones, tendon chews and bully sticks are good for this.

    • 8

      Feed your pet supplements to promote a healthy mouth and prevent plaque and tartar build-up. Many of these supplements can be fed to your dog with food or added to its water.

    • 9

      Feed your dog unmoistened, dry pet food to reduce tartar build-up and plaque, as recommended by the American Animal Hospital Association.

    • 10

      Avoid giving your dog people food and table scraps; give it treats formulated for healthy canine teeth instead.