How to remove dog teeth tartar without a costly vet cleaning?

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!

I am so sorry that your pet has dental disease and a heart condition. Unfortunatley the tartar that causes dental disease is mostly underneath the gumline, hence the name periodontal disease. So most of the tartar that we see on the surface of the tooth is not the main issue here. It is the tartar that is touching the gum and underneath the gum that is the problem. This isn't tartar that you will be able to get off with the pet awake, because it will be uncomfortable for the pet. Also, you have a good chance of causing damage to the gum trying to do this in any awake dog. What you are asking is not possible unfortunatley. However, there are a number of heart dogs that can actually go under anesthesia for a dental cleaning, even with a heart condition. I would suggest taking Chhutki to get an echocardiogram of her heart to determine if she is a good candidate for anesthesia and then go from there. If she isn't, then the only thing you can really do here is to do a daily oral rinse and water additive such as this one --> https://www.chewy.com/nylabone-advanced-oral-care-liquid/dp/47912 Dental disease and at home care recommendations --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951515 I do hope that your pet Chhutki proves to be ok to go under general anesthesia, just like many other heart disease pets, and can appropriateliy address her dental disease condition. Best of luck moving forward. Take care. : )

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.

Hi and thanks for posting on PetCoach! There are a wide variety of products out there that help decrease plaque on teeth to some degree. Some products are better than others. However, the best product out there is actually a toothbrush! Brushing your dog's teeth daily (or as frequently as you can) will help decrease plaque build up on the teeth and help prevent dental disease. Be sure to use a dog friendly toothpaste you can get from your local pet shop. I have linked one I recommend below. Sometimes, however, the plaque hardens and becomes calcified on the tooth. When this happens, it is very hard to get rid of with brushing or commercial products like dental sprays or water additives, etc. A dental scaling done by Hiccup's veterinarian is the only way to get the dental calculus off the tooth. The sprays and commercial products along with daily or frequent brushing will help substantially at reducing plaque build up in the future.

Hi. Great question! Once the tartar is there, the only way to remove it is to have a professional cleaning done with your veterinarian. This involves scaling and polishing the teeth similar to the way ours are done. The best way to prevent more build up is to brush them daily. Which can be hard. There is a food by Hills/science diet called T/D that helps with tartar as well.

Hello, you'll likely need to scale the tartar accumulation off of his back teeth so that you can have an easier time keeping them clean. Ideally, after their teeth have been scaled, brushing their teeth and using dental treats may help keep their teeth clean and white the longest. As in humans, dogs should have a dental exam at least every 6-12 months with a scaling and polishing as needed. Brushing daily and dental chews such as OraVet have worked the best for my clients in the past. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The gold standard for at home dental care is brushing teeth. However, we all know this is not easy for you or your pet!! If Lilly will let you do so, then yes, I recommend getting a silicone tooth brush (finger or long handle- whichever is easier) and brushing her teeth all the way from her back molars to her front incisors. I also recommend the dental chews called OraVet. They tend to work a little bit better reducing plaque and maintaining better smelling breath. You can likely find these dental chews at your local veterinary's office. With age and time, dog's teeth tend to build tartar more quickly. Therefore, I recommend brushing, dental chews and even particular dental food. Thanks for being so on top of Lilly's care! You are doing a great job!