My dog has white/yellow buildup on his teeth. Is it plaque or tartar?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like Prince has dental tartar that has hardened and become calculus. It isn’t dangerous unless your pet has heart disease. They only way to remove calculus is to have his teeth cleaned under anesthesia. The vet will remove the calculus and polish the teeth after. Once the teeth are professionally cleaned, I would start a daily cleaning routine to slow down future buildup. The best treatment is dog toothpaste (NOT human) and a toothbrush daily. At your next vet appointment talk to them about his cleaning options. Good luck and kisses to Prince!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Joshie's tartar build up isn't that bad. I think the best thing for you to do if you do not want to anesthetize him to clean the teeth is to be as aggressive as possible to prevent further tartar build up. Some dogs will allow you to try and scrape the tartar off with your nail or the Vet with instruments. But honestly they have to be VERY good as no one wants to get bit. So I would focus on prevention. He should have his teeth brushed at a MINIMUM of 3 days a week. I would put him on Hill's t/d food and take a look at this link from the Veterinary Oral Health Council on accepted products: http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_dogs.html I would try to buy a dog tooth paste but the paste you are making should be fine. I hope this helps and I wish you and Joshie the best!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Daisy's teeth actually look amazingly clean, so good job brushing them! It is not unusual for cat's teeth to have a yellow tone to them. They don't have a significant amount of tartar build up (very dark yellow to brown/grey in color); they look very clean. Keep up the good work!

Hello! She has a very small amount of tartar accumulation right on her gum lines, which is perfectly amount of plaque to develop by her age. I think with some increase in dental home care, you can probably get all that plaque dissolved and back to pearly whites! Excellent job with the teeth brushing! I would recommend trying to increase that to daily brushing and make sure that you are using a toothpaste with an enzymatic cleaner. The enzymatic part means that it still works after you stop brushing to break down the plaque and tartar. A small amount of this tooth paste put on chew toys can be a way for her to brush her own teeth as well. :) There are also diets formulated for dogs that accumulate dental plaque quickly. Hills T/D is one that I know of off the top of my head, but there are likely other brands as well. The kibbles are made in larger pieces that crunch in a way that cleans that teeth while they eat. Dental chews, like greenies, can be given daily as well for their dental benefits. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Beto. Tooth brushing is very beneficial to a dog's overall health. If the teeth are more yellow in color due to an accumulation of tartar, then the brushing will not remove what is already on the teeth. It will prevent more being deposited though and will help to prevent gingivitis. Gingivitis is a redness along the gumline indicating an infection. If left untreated it can destroy the attachments of the teeth creating a source of chronic painful for the dog. It can also spread the infection to other areas of the body. In this case, the teeth will need to be professionally cleaned under anesthesia. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do not see anything urgent regarding Harley Mason's teeth! The red spot in the back could be from an injury, from chewing on something or from tartar touching the gums. You can take your time scheduling a dental cleaning. Have a good day!

Tartar buildup on a dog’s teeth is very common. The best way to prevent it is by brushing their teeth daily, usually in the evenings after their last meal. In most cases, unless the pulp cavity (the inner, live part of the tooth) or the crown (the whitish part of the tooth you can see) is damaged there is no need to remove the tooth. With a good dental cleaning (that must be done under general anesthesia) the tartar can be removed and the tooth polished so that the tooth can remain with the dog. If you are going to have a dental performed on your dog ask the veterinarian about performing dental x-rays. This will help determine the viability of the tooth. Once the x-rays are performed the veterinarian can make a better decision on whether or not the tooth needs to be removed. If tartar on the tooth is the only issue, there is no discoloration, cracks or fractures, or anything abnormal about the tooth, your dog will likely be able to keep the tooth. Pricing of dental cleanings very from clinic to clinic. Once you have your initial consultation with your veterinarian they should be able to provide you with an estimate. In the States a typical dental cleaning, depending on the size of dog and the problems present, can be anywhere from $300-$1000. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Best of luck.