What is a routine dental cleaning for dogs?

A routine dental cleaning for dogs involves brushing their teeth regularly as part of a regular grooming routine. You should ask your vet first before you start cleaning your dog's teeth, it's always best to ask your vet to show you the best way to do this. Start teeth cleaning when they're a puppy and brush their teeth everyday to get them used to it. If you haven't done this before, gradually introduce it by having your finger near their mouth. Keep doing this and then slowly introduce brushing until this is natural. You can use a special dog toothbrush that goes over your finger to brush their teeth, but if you don't have one then a child-sized toothbrush is fine. Buy a dog toothpaste - human ones aren't suitable. Dental chews and treats are also a good way of helping to keep your dog's teeth clean. Feeding bones is controversial - although raw, meaty bones may be a tasty treat for your dog and do help clean teeth, they can be hazardous.

A routine dental cleaning for dogs involves daily brushing, a suitable diet, and dental chews to prevent the buildup of plaque, which can lead to dental disease. You can start by brushing your dog’s teeth daily, using a suitable brush or rubber thimble. You'll also need to use a dog-friendly toothpaste, these are available in dog-friendly flavours such as chicken, to make them more appealing to your dog. Giving your dog dental chews and a suitable diet also has some effect in reducing plaque. Specially formulated diets for dental care are also available, your vet will be able to advise you on the most suitable food for your dog. It's best to get your dog comfortable with having their teeth brushed from an early age, take it slowly and keep sessions short, end the sessions on a good note and stop while your dog is still happy. When your dog is comfortable with you doing this, you can introduce them to the toothbrush, dab some toothpaste on the brush and allow them to lick it off, do not put the brush in their mouth right away. Once you're able to brush the front teeth and the canines, you can move onto the back teeth, repeat the stopping and starting process. After a couple of weeks you should be able to gently brush your dog’s teeth without any fuss, if you can, try to focus brushing where the teeth meet the gum.