When to start brushing my dog's teeth, how often, and with what?

Hello, actually, putting your finger in their mouth or brushing is better when started as a puppy to get them conditioned to the kind of sensation. It will make your life and his a lot easier for when he has a full set of adult teeth that need to be brushed daily to keep clean and prevent infections. Therefore, the more you can brush his teeth now the better. Obviously, start slowly with very quick procedures, an increase the procedure time as the weeks go on until you're able to brush all if his teeth, including the very back ones. Best of luck

I would try to find a dog finger brush or a small tooth brush and you will want to use dog tooth paste as it doesn't have fluoride, no foaming and not mint flavored so it makes it more favorable to the dog. You can slow start by just do a small section and work your way around the whole mouth over a matter of a few days. It is best to try and brush their teeth at least every other day to may a difference. Also remember that their large chewing teeth are further in the back past where their lips end. I would not try to open the mouth to get the inside of the teeth as most dogs don't appreciate that. If he doesn't like it or resists you, then it may be best just to give him dental chews like C.E.T chews and start using a water additive for dental health. Also, if the teeth already have a lot of tartar build up, he will likely need a dental cleaning from your vet. I hope this helps!

Home dental care is one of the best ways to help keep your dog's teeth and gums healthy. I would wet the toothbrush (you can get it at a pet store). You can also use a children's toothbrush. I would then use Pet approved toothpaste. There are wide varieties of flavors. Never use human toothpaste, baking soda or salt. While safe for you, these cleaning agents can be harmful to your dog if swallowed. Lift your dog's lip and brush with a gentle motion to clean his teeth. Just like you would your own teeth. Most pets will not allow you to brush the inside surface of their teeth, so typically you can just brush the outside portion of their teeth. Make sure you reward your dog after! Ideally, this process should be done daily. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, I like the Virbac enzymatic tooth paste and tooth brushes the most. I also like the OraVet chews for dogs that do not tolerate toothbrushing. At 8 months, he may not need to have his teeth cleaned yet. However, at his 1 year old checkup you should make sure to ask your veterinarian to assess his teeth and give you a recommendation on when you'll need to have his teeth cleaned. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Winston. The teeth should be brushed daily if possible. However, this can be difficult to achieve. If 2-3 times per week is more feasible for you, it is still helpful. You will need a tooth paste for animals as the human forms have too much fluoride. Pick a flavor that he would like (chicken, beef, etc). You can look for products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Concil (VOHC). I hope this information helps!

For puppies I just get them used to you lightly brushing the teeth and applying the toothpaste. He will lose his baby teeth at four to six months. Once the permanent teeth come in then I like to brush the teeth on a regular schedule. Daily is best but three times weekly is ok too. That way you’ll keep the teeth clean and be able to see if there is tartar build up or red gums that may indicate the need for a veterinary dental cleaning. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jasper. .

Try an enzymatic toothpaste such as Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste. Make sure whichever toothpaste/toothbrush you decide on has the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal of approval on it. If the fingerbrush is not working as well as you'd like, try a brush with stiffer bristles or use a gauze pad.