Brushing teeth?

[lillyorchid]

My dog Snickers had been favoring her mouth for a couple of days. Took her to the vet and was told that she had a few cavities, a lot of tarter build up, and a tooth infection. Today she had her dental surgery. She did great and I'm very happy at her out come since I was worried that it was her "drop jaw" disease acting up . My vet recommended that I get some of that enzyme toothpaste and brush her teeth with it at least once a week. He said for a dog of her age (she's 10) that she has really good teeth and to keep them that way.

So my question is...

Who here brushes their dogs/cats teeth?
What do you use to do it?
Have you used this enzyme kind of tooth paste before?

I found a enzyme toothpaste on the Petsmart site. Guess I'll check more into that tomorrow after work.

[Blu Mongoose]

I use a rough wash cloth and a dental scraper. If your dog has not been in the habit of having a dental scraper used on his teeth don't try it yourself. Mine stand still for a scraping, but most have to be done by a vet. The rough cloth removes a lot. Be sure to use a clean one each time. Just wrap it over your forefinger and rub the teeth.

[wolfy-hound]

Don't use people toothpaste(for those out there reading the thread).
Using the enzyme toothpaste works ok, but I do it at least 3 times a week. Make sure to get your finger to those back teeth too, not just the fronts.
The washrag on the finger works pretty well, but they make dog toothbrushes, and finger brushes that fit over your fingertip.

[SatanicIntention]

If her teeth are getting a bit bad, you can do a round of doxyclycline every 3-4 months for 10-14 days. It's very inexpensive and can be found pretty much anywhere. Having a dental done once yearly when they are older helps alot too. They have a nice doxycycline gel that can get put into the gumline and it will do wonders for their teeth. I think it's called DoxyRobe Gel?

Vets also carry Prescription Diet t/d(tooth diet). The kibbles are huge and a different texture. You could feed those as treats to help clean her teeth some.

Brushing will help alot, as will not feeding wet food(if you do).

[Shadowspider]

Ditto what Becky said. The type of food you are feeding can and possibly is a large contributer to the dental problems. Evaluate your food. If it has a lot of grains in it and especially if grain, that being rice, wheat or corn, are the first ingredients on the list, or, if there is only one or two "meat" sources listed first, then a whole host of grains, switch foods. Grains, when digested, turn to sugar which is not only bad for the dog's system as a whole, they are empty carbs that the dog can not properly utilize. In addition, check the size of your kibble. If it is small, ditch it. A dog (and cat) need to be able to *chew* their food in order for their teeth and jaws to receive a proper workout and cleaning as well as for the digestive enzymes in their stomaches to get a kick start while the dog is eating.
IMO, be wary of "prescription" foods from a vet. There is a world of "evidence" as to what these so called "healthy" foods that are "prescribed" by vets *really* are and what they really do to an animal....as well as plenty of "evidence" as to *why* vets "prescribe" them in the first place (it's NOT for the health of the animal ).

Honesty, the single best thing you can do for your dog... if her teeth can handle it, is to get some chicken legs or beef/pork ribs and give her one of those a couple times a week...RAW... *don't* cook it and let her eat the entire leg or naw on the ribs until all meat is gone and the ends of the bones have been chewed off, then throw the rest of the rib bone away. Do not let *any* dog eat an entire rib bone. They are weight bearing bones and are too hard on a dog's teeth.

Letting your dog have something to actually *chew* on will help immensely in getting and keeping their teeth clean as well as strengthening their jaws and freshening their breath, especially since bad breath is caused by the tartar and plaque buildup of excess grains in processed foods and foods that dogs do not have to work at (chew) in order to swallow.
But, whatever you decide to do, just PLEASE do not give your dog a "Greenie" to help clean her teeth.

[lillyorchid]

Thanks very much Becky!

Also thanks for the info ShadowSpider but sadly I can't do much to make my dog chew. She has a jaw disease which prevents her from really chewing on anything. I forget the real name for it but it's known as "Drop Jaw". The muscles in her jaw are very very weak. She can't chew bones or even hard food anymore. We have to water down her hard food for her to eat, if not she just swallows it all whole. I'm sure she'd love to chew on a beef rib, but I know she can't and if she tries she will be in a lot of pain for the next few days. This is why my vet told me to brush her teeth weekly.

[Shadowspider]

That's right, you did mention a jaw disease in your O/P.
That's so sad for your girl.
Yes, brushing her teeth at least once weekly would be good for her.
I have never had to brush any of my babies teeth so I can't offer much as to what toothpastes would be good or bad but, do let us know what you decide to use and how it works for her teeth as well as her system in general.

P.S.
Don't forget about her gums and tongue as well.
The gums and tongue can harbor a lot of bacteria that can aggravate any existing condition and of course contribute to many.

I use just a soft bristled tooth brush or a "tongue pad" for my babies tongues to gently remove plaque and gunk and I, if needed, will take a damp cloth and rub their gums with it as well as the roof of their mouths and under their tongues.

[Jay_Bunny]

We gently brush our dogs' teeth during each bath. I do not brush my cats' teeth, but I was going to give it a try.

[Shadowspider]

We gently brush our dogs' teeth during each bath. I do not brush my cats' teeth, but I was going to give it a try.

Heh, do try it. It's umm...... interesting....? fun.....? oh heck, it's A PAIN IN THE BUTT! LOL