How to Brush Your Pet's Teeth

HOME CARE
Even if your pet only ate hard food as most pets do, there still would be problems. You should be brushing your pet's teeth. It's not as difficult as you might imagine. What are the benefits? Brushing removes the daily accumulation of plaque from the teeth. Coupled with regular pet dental exams (at the Pet Yearly Visit), and possibly Veterinary Dental Cleaning, with scaling and polishing will make a significant improvement in your pet's health, longevity and happiness.

 

Pet Toothbrush. Save yourself time by not buying a human adult or child's toothbrush which is usually too hard (stiff bristles) for dogs. The ideal dog toothbrush will have a long handle, an angled head to better fit the mouth and extra soft bristles. Another option is the finger toothbrush that fits over the tip of your finger. We recommend C.E.T brand of Toothbrush or Fingerbrush made for dogs and cats, which has extremely soft bristles.  

START SLOWLY
by gently handling your pet's mouth. Tooth brushing doesn't happen over night. It requires training. Select a convenient time when you and your pet are both relaxed. For the first few days, simply hold your pet as you normally do when petting him/her. Gently stroke the outside of your pet’s cheeks with your finger for a minute or two. Then, after a few days, place a small amount of C.E.T. Toothpaste, on your finger and let your pet sample the flavor. Pets love the flavors of C.E.T. Toothpastes, and soon will consider it a treat. Massage along the cheek-side of the tooth and gum line with your finger. You only need to do the lip-side of the teeth. Dogs and cats do not develop tartar as easily on the tongue-side of the teeth. Thus, this process can be done with the mouth closed (i.e. teeth interlocked). If your pet resists, calmly stroke and reassure him or her. Try again. Make this a comfortable relaxing time for both of you. Talk gently and be patient. Make this fun. Offer a treat or play after this procedure. Do this daily and continue this until your pet accepts this stage without a fuss.

 

Select an appropriate Pet Toothpaste. Never use human toothpastes. They tend to froth. Avoid baking soda, detergents, or salt ingredients. Dogs swallow the paste, can't spit it out and cause stomach upset and vomiting. Use a dog/cat toothpaste only! The best pet toothpastes contain enzymes that help control plaque. We recommend C.E.T. brand of Toothpastes. They have several flavors, poultry for dogs, and malt or seafood for cats. These seem to be the favorite flavors of each species. Placing the toothpaste on top of the brush will just allow your pet to lick it off. Place the paste between (DOWN INSIDE THE BRISTLES) the bristles, this allows the paste to spend the most time next to the teeth.

  WHEN

your pet accepts handing of its mouth, wrap washcloth or gauze around your index finger to wipe plaque from cheek-side tooth surfaces and gum line. After your pet is used to the washcloth or gauze, you may add a little C.E.T. Toothpaste. Wipe the teeth, front and back in the same manner you will eventually be using the toothbrush. Do this twice daily for about two weeks and your dog or cat should be familiar with the approach.

AFTER
your pet accepts the washcloth or gauze, start brushing with a special soft-bristle pet (C.E.T. brand) toothbrush available from your veterinarian. Most pets accept brushing if they are approached in a gentle manner. If you can start when they are young, it's quite easy, but even older pets will accept the process. Be patient and talk softly. Start by placing the tooth or finger brush on one or two teeth along the gum-line and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the tooth and gum. The movement should be in an oval pattern. Be sure to gently force the bristle ends into the area around the base of the tooth as well as into the space between the teeth. Ten short back-and-forth motions should be completed, then the brush should be moved to a new location. Cover three to four teeth at a time. Most attention should concentrated on the outside of the upper teeth. Gradually work around the mouth. This too may take a few weeks for your pet to accept. You can reach the back upper teeth easily by placing the brush under the upper lip while holding the muzzle shut with your other hand.

PLACE
a small amount of C.E.T. Toothpaste on the brush and gently brush one tooth with a slow circular motion. After a few weeks you should be able to brush almost all of the teeth without your pet resisting or struggling. Gently hold the mouth closed with one hand. Lift the lip on one side and brush cheek-side surfaces of teeth and 45 degree. This is where salivary glands are located and many of the problems occur. The entire process should take only a few minutes. Some owners can brush the tongue side of the teeth also. Gradually increase the number of teeth brushed until you’ve built up to 30 seconds of brushing per side. Praise your pet often and give occasional rewards for cooperation. Soon, both you and your pet will look forward to the time you spend together during this important health care procedure. People can choose their own level of oral hygiene, our pets must depend on their owners. If your pet refuses to accept this then return to using your finger for a period of time before reintroduction of the brush.

AS WITH any other routine, it’s best to begin a dental care program when pets are young puppies or kittens. Small animal home care should include daily (or at least every other day) brushing, using an enzymatic pet toothpaste. Taking an active role in the care of your dog's dental care will help reduce dental disease, bad breath and potential life threatening heart and kidney disease. Everyone wins. For more information about pet dental health and C.E.T. Home Dental Care for your pets, consult your veterinarian. Ask how you can get on the path to better pet dental health. Your pet will love you longer for it! As with humans, annual dental cleaning and treatment is often necessary even if you are brushing your pets’ teeth daily. We will help you decide when this is appropriate.

TOOTHBRUSHING
is still the “gold-standard” of disease prevention in the mouth. However, we realize that there are certain obstacles to tooth brushing that are not always easy to overcome. . Or use one or more of these products in addition to brushing for even better results.