How To Remove Tartar Or Plague From The Teeth Of Your Dogs?

Plague or tartars are deposits that will form and adhere to the teeth of your dogs. Typically, they are more obviously noticed on their molars or teeth at the back of the mouth. However, they can also be found on the front canine teeth too. If the plague or tartars are not removed over a long time, gum disease is likely to occur and will affect the dogs chewing its food.

There are a few ways to maintain dental health for your dogs. You can buy special toothpaste and toothbrush for this purpose. You should not use human toothpaste as the dogs will definitely lick and swallow the toothpaste as they do not know how to gargle and spit it out. Dog toothpaste is specially formulated so that it will not hurt their body system when they swallow the toothpaste. You need to brush their teeth regularly though for it to be effective and you should start brushing early before any tartar or plague start to form on their teeth. This method is more of a preventive approach and not to remove the tartar or plague that is already present in their teeth.

The toothbrush is like a finger glove that you can slip into your index finger and then you insert your finger into their mouth to brush the teeth. Alternately, you can buy a small toothbrush like those used for kids instead.

There are also specially made biscuits that are supposed to prevent accumulation of tartar or plague. These treats are best given to them after their main meal as the contents are supposedly to scrub or remove any deposits in-between their teeth. Again, I would think this is more for preventive measure and maintenance of the dental health in your dogs.

There are also strong gels that are specially formulated to remove tartar or plague but it is likely to take some time. These gels actually work on softening the hardened deposits on the teeth. Most of them are flavored too so as to make the cleansing of the teeth more pleasant for the dogs. I actually use my index finger without the glove-like brush to rub the gel all over the teeth so that I can spread the gel properly, for it to be effective. This approach may take a longer time but supposedly to be quite effective in softening the deposits and subsequently, they could be removed easily when you brush against it.

A combination of the specially made biscuits and brushing the dogs with their canine toothpaste is another possible approach. You may want to give them the biscuits daily and only brush their teeth every other day, for example.

I have used all the above approaches and I am still giving my dogs these specially formulated biscuits at night after their dinner. I still have some of the gel that I have been using but I have found that brushing their teeth quite a chore though the dogs enjoy licking the toothpaste. You need to give them some time to get use to their teeth being brushed and eventually, they will co-operate and look forward to it as they enjoy licking the toothpaste or gel and may see it as a treat for them.

There is one more method that is most effective and it is to feed the dogs fresh bones once a month. Importantly, whichever method or methods that you are going to try, you must start the dental care early and not wait until you find tartar or plague on their teeth. If the methods do not work for your dogs, please consult your vet for advice or if your dogs already have severe tartar or plague on their teeth.

About the author:
David Poh has a Beagle and a Corgi dog. He has a website where he shares his experiences and tips on caring for dogs. For more information and to view a video clip on his dogs chewing a bone, go to http://www.davidpoh.com/

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