How to Care for Adult Dog Teeth

Dog owners often neglect the care of their adult dog's teeth and only think about it when there's a problem. Establishing a healthy dental plan for your dog can help to keep your dog much happier and healthier in the long run. Read the following to know how to care for your adult dog's teeth.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Examine your adult dog's teeth and gums often, every day if possible. Lift up the sides of the dog's mouth or his lips and run your fingers down the tooth line by the gums to get a close look at his teeth. You are looking for any broken or chipped teeth. Also, check to see if there is a build up of plaque on the teeth. The plaque is chalky looking in color and texture and can be chipped or brushed away. The plaque that is not cleaned away will turn into tarter that hardens on the teeth and will need to be removed by a vet.
2. Smell your dog's breath. Bad breath is not normal for a dog to have. The bad breath signals a lack of dental hygiene. It's time to clean her teeth.
3. Brush your dog's teeth daily with a canine tooth brush. Buy the appropriate size toothbrush according to the size of your dog. There are flavored types of canine toothpaste available that you do not have to rinse out of the dog's mouth. It is better to work with your dog to get them accustomed to tolerating the tooth brushing with plain water or a very small amount of the canine toothpaste. The toothpaste causes the dogs to want to lick and swallow, making the teeth cleaning process a bit more difficult.
4. Use canine dental wipes to rub the plaque and grime off your dog's teeth if you cannot handle the teeth brushing. These wipes do an adequate job and are another option to brushing.
5. Take your dog to the vet for her regular examinations and checkups as scheduled. A part of these should be to check your dog's teeth and gums. Your vet may recommend a thorough teeth-cleaning procedure. Some of these cleanings can take place with little to no anesthesia. Severe buildups of tarter may require that your dog be under anesthesia to clean the teeth and gums thoroughly.
6. Offer chew toys and hard bones to your dog regularly to help with the care of his teeth.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your dog to the vet if you notice a tooth that is broken, especially if there is bleeding in the area, to have the tooth properly repaired or pulled. Your vet will recommend the best course of treatment for a broken tooth.
• Dogs that eat soft canned food are more prone to dental problems than dogs that eat crunchy dry dog foods.