What's the best way to remove stubborn plaque from my pet's teeth?

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, thanks for using PetCoach! Sadly the only way to get that thick tartar off is with an ultrasonic scaler. And dogs do not stay still for this to happen awake. We also do not know the extent of the periodontal disease in dogs awake. Once the tartar is chipped away we can probe the sockets and take X-rays to determine if the roots are diseased or abscessed, which requires extraction. Leaving diseased teeth in the mouth leaves the dog with chronic pain and risk for abscesses popping through the skin. The only thing you can do at home is try to chip the tartar with your nails if Deeva will even allow you to do so. Do not get bit. You can start brushing her teeth to at least prevent further tartar build up but brushing will not remove what is there. Below is a link to the Veterinary Oral Health Council's approved products. You can try some of the products to see if they help. Also Veterinary dentists recommend a MINIMUM of 3 days a week of teeth brushing. Anything less is likely not doing anything. I wish you the best! http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_dogs.html

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, 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.

Greenies can help remove some fresh plaque. However if your dog already has a moderate to high amount of plaque on his teeth, then he will need a dental cleaning under sedation. Once the teeth are cleaned you can keep plaque from attaching to the teeth by brushing regularly. This is more effective than any dental chews.

My own preference is the Virbac C.E.T enzymatic toothpaste. You can find it online or in most pet stores. https://us.virbac.com/home/our-products/pagecontent/product-selector/cet/cet-enzymatic-toothpaste-dog-cat.html

Brushing teeth is definitely the best way to avoid periodontal disease in the future but unfortunately if the tartar has already build up can be hard/not possible to remove it completely just with brushing. Tartar is rock hard and if you don't see any improvement, the next step would be a professional dental hygiene session (descale and polish). Your veterinarian will provide this service. Leo will need to be under anesthesia (they won't keep the mouth open for us while descaling and polishing!) during the procedure. In the meantime and after the procedure please continue with the brushing! Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.