Do I really have to brush my dogs teeth?

I've always heard that it's important to brush your puppies teeth, but I've never met a single person who does it. How important is it? Are the ways to ensure that their teeth are clean without brushing? If brushing is unavoidable, what brand of doggy toothpaste should I use?Do I really have to brush my dogs teeth?
Our dog is very little, and thus a very small mouth. Not having a very good sense of smell myself, I didn't realize our dog had plaque on her tiny back teeth until one day she got something stuck there and I pulled her lip back to see and saw her back teeth were brown with plaque! I freaked, because we never had this problem with any dog before. (We always had big dogs and they chewed on big chewies all the time).


So, on a routine vet visit a couple days later, I asked her to clean her teeth and asked her what she rrecommendedI do. She suggest ';brushing'; her teeth, but not with a toothbrush, since her mouth was so small. She suggested I use a clean rag, and simply rub it all over her teeth at least once a day. Also, give her rawhide chewies to chew on.


Well, I got the chewies that day, and she chews on them all the time now, in addition to eating dry dog food which helps keep that tarter at bay. And, I've not even had to clean her teeth with a rag as she suggested, because the chewies are doing the job all by itself....her teeth are beautiful and clean again! But, please, get good rawhide chewies made in the USA, and not those imported from China and everywhere else in the world.


Good luck, I hope this helped.Do I really have to brush my dogs teeth?
Yeah there aren't many people who actually brush their animal's teeth, which is a shame because it is gold-standard preventative dental care. If you start the pup off at a young age with brushing they're more likely to accept having it done.





There are other ways - if you feed a decent dry diet, preferably with at least some prescription dental biscuits (these are almost as good as actual brushing) and give your dog a daily dental treat (something hard to chew, not some crappy soft pedigree treat) you've a good chance of avoiding dental problems when older. Some breeds are more prone to dental problems that others, namely small/toy breeds, especially Yorkies. If I had a small breed I would most definitely brush it's teeth.





As for dog toothpastes - any one specifically for dogs will do, Logic and Enzymatic are both good and come in poultry flavour of course. These work more chemically than human toothpastes so even just getting them on your dog's teeth daily can be useful. I brush my sister's cat's teeth whenever I can, and she feeds them a little of the toothpaste daily too!





Chalice
Your vet can tell you if you need to clean your dogs teeth. My husband grew up with four german shepards, and never cleaned their teeth. If dogs are eating dry food, their teeth should be okay. You can also get them specialty bones to chew on to clean their teeth. My parents have cats and they get their teeth cleaned at the vet about once a year.
Dental care is really important for dogs, so yes. A lot of dogs really don't like having their teeth brushed though so there are other things you can do. Just make sure that the vet is regularly checking your dog's teeth and gums for signs of problems. You should try to brush as often as you can but if you can't (my dog won't let me do it too often) do it too often, you can give your dog dental treats that are designed to clean their teeth. I'd recommend Bright Bites since they are 100% soluble (not all products are, and it is very important).


http://brightbites.com
Yes.


I brush my dogs teeth daily.





EDIT


Not sure why I am getting a TD, to me, brushing everyday far outweighs my dogs getting periodontal disease, especially considering in own a breed that commonly has periodontal disease problems.





http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?鈥?/a>
ive never brushed any of my dogs teeth. my 4 year old dog still has white teeth. they eat dry dog food and they have loads of nylabones that they chew on.


i think your supposed to brush them if they eat wet dog food and they dont chew on any bones. but every time my dogs have finished eating, they will chew one of their bones
It's better if you can, it will save you a lot of money in dental cleanings later on.





(just spent $450 on a dental and tooth removal for my dog....)
No. That is stupid. Just another thing for you to waste your money on. With our country's economy going the way it is, I wouldn't buy anything that isn't absolutely necessary.
I give my dog those breath bones that are green. Also I get him bones one in a while that are good for removing plaque on his teeth. (like DentaBone.)
you can get it at petco and walmart for under 10 dollars with a toothbrush and all .. i do it every other week
yes brush you dogs teeth, you will be happy you did in the long run, the vet can tell you what are good brands of paste