# Do you have to brush a dogs teeth?



## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

I was just wondering if you have to brush your dogs teeth. I don't want to waste the time and money of doing that. Can you just give them those dental sticks or whatever and be good?


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Those dental sticks are surprisingly expensive, you won't save any money doing that instead of brushing the teeth. They're also not very healthy. The answer is that some dogs need tooth brushing and some don't, but it's generally a good idea. Some dogs chew on things (Nylabones, Bully Sticks) and keep their teeth clean that way. Lots of people feed their dogs raw meaty bones and have good luck with that keeping their dogs' teeth clean. Small dogs are more likely to develop tooth problems, so I would plan on toothbrushing.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

If your dog is the puppy in your avatar, I would suggest starting tooth brushing with him now, just to get him used to it. He may be just fine with out tooth brushing when he's older if he has a good supply of bully sticks/meaty bones to chew on, but he may not, and it will be a HECK of a lot easier to brush his teeth when he is older if you got him used to it when he was young. A tooth brush and dog paste isn't very expensive, especially not in comparison to the chews!!


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

@hamandeggs- oh wow i didn't know that. I might just end up brushing his teeth. My mom had big dogs when she was little and she never brushed their teeth and had no problems so ur probably right on that.
@Binkalette- my avator is not my puppy but it is the breed of the puppy. I have not gotten him yet but will in a week or so. Thanks for the advice.


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## PatchworkRobot (Aug 24, 2010)

Raw meaty bones help clean a dog's teeth. It's generally cheaper than those dental sticks too. Do some research into feeding them as treats.


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## lovecockerspaniels (Feb 15, 2012)

Yes brush your dogs/ puppy's teeth. Raw bones and chews are not a bad idea. But for some breeds they don't help as much. We give our Cocker Spaniels bully sticks and they still need teeth brushing. Better safe than big dental bill.


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

lovecockerspaniels said:


> Yes brush your dogs/ puppy's teeth. Raw bones and chews are not a bad idea. But for some breeds they don't help as much. We give our Cocker Spaniels bully sticks and they still need teeth brushing. Better safe than big dental bill.


Not only that but teeth problems can cause heart disease, just like in humans. Also the stress of being put under anesthesia is much greater than brushing 2-3 times a week, not to mention the risk of death.

Small breeds especially MUST have their teeth brushed. Because their mouths are so tiny and teeth so close together, bacteria breeds faster and plaque builds up.


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

Thanks I will end up brushing his teeth if it means less pain for him.


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

HavamaltLuv said:


> Thanks I will end up brushing his teeth if it means less pain for him.


Not only what but less money! They sell little tooth brushing kits pretty cheap, less than $20.


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

haha ya that is cheap


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

HavamaltLuv said:


> haha ya that is cheap


Lol compare that to the $300 I spent on my Yorkie's teeth cleaning last month! Definitely worth the brushing.


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

wow thats alot! what was wrong with her teeth?


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

Well I had never really brushed them so they had a lot of build up and plaque. They were starting to irritate her gums. I used to use those Greenie treats that supposedly keep teeth clean, well great job they were doing. I also stopped giving Greenies because they are very hard to digest and can block the intestines.

She didn't have to have any teeth pulled, she just had very dirty teeth. Just little things like a teeth cleaning can be soo expensive. I learned the hard way that you get what you give. I only gave her a Greenie daily for her dental care, and I got hit with a big bill a year later. Served me right, but I definitely know better know. She gets her teeth brushed now and raw meaty bones. I just got a Maltese puppy about two weeks ago so luckily he will probably not have to have his teeth professionally cleaned since I will be starting brushing with him so early.

Give your puppy a treat after each brushing so he eventually learns that brushing means good things.


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

Ya now im definetly gonna brush his teeth. That a good idea too about the treat


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

HavamaltLuv said:


> Ya now im definetly gonna brush his teeth. That a good idea too about the treat


Brushing is still pretty new for us so a routine hasn't been set, but my boyfriend's mom brushes her cat's teeth all the time. He HATED it at first but will now just sit there because he gets treats after. He will now walk to the couch where he usually gets his teeth brush when she brings the brush out. He is all like "FINE just brush my teeth if you hate me that much… MMMM TREAT!"


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## HavamaltLuv (Feb 15, 2012)

haha thats funny


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## lovecockerspaniels (Feb 15, 2012)

Yes treat after is great! I like the 3 sided tooth brush. Not sure who makes them found them in petsmart


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

I have never tried the three sided one. My yorkie has a very small mouth so I have to be careful of what size I use. Itty bitty baby tooth brushes would probably work okay too, and they come in cool old themes like disney princesses and batman haha.


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## lovecockerspaniels (Feb 15, 2012)

Aw so cute


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## BassetMixUp (Dec 14, 2011)

LOL at the cost of brushing vs a dental cleaning. I wasn't initially planning on brushing my dogs teeth. I was just going to have them professionally cleaned when needed. Well, I stopped by the vets office to drop off a "sample" and asked how much the cleaning costs since they had a giant banner out front that read "Making teeth cleaning affordable - 10% OFF!!"

Well, 10% off of $350 and yeah, I bought a toothbrush the next day.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Most pups don't get their teeth brushed or cleaned until they are 3 yo. Then, the owner gets slapped with the Vet's $300 (or more) bill for cleaning. And, the need for cleaning can recur every 2 - 3 years ... $300 each time. If you don't clean the teeth, then the gums can get infected around 10 yo and cause continuous pain. .... This is how I learned to brush my second dog's teeth every day, or every other day when he got older.

Use doggie toothpaste and start now. Only takes a few moments, and when the dog is an adult, it'll be easy. If you have questions/troubles, ask the Vet to show you how.


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## Sasha1/2 (Dec 22, 2011)

Perhaps my parents were just lucky, but they had two miniature American Eskimo dogs that lived to 12 years old and never needing a dental. They attribute it to giving the dog a large raw carrot every day. My dogs are getting carrots every day now, too, but they are young so time will tell if it helps or not. The dogs love their carrots and they certainly cannot hurt.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

my motto "only brush the ones you want your dog to keep!" Pretty sad to see 7 year old dogs have full mouth extractions due to never having dental care. At this point of time it is too late for that dog's owner to wish they would have brushed their dog's teeth Have your vet check your dog's teeth. If he/she suggest that your dog needs a dental, then get it done. If the tartar is so built up, toothbrushing alone will not remove it. Just be sure never to use human toothpaste on your dog. The fluoride in the toothpaste can make your dog sick.


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## JulieK1967 (May 29, 2011)

LilasMom said:


> Not only that but teeth problems can cause heart disease, just like in humans. Also the stress of being put under anesthesia is much greater than brushing 2-3 times a week, not to mention the risk of death.
> 
> Small breeds especially MUST have their teeth brushed. Because their mouths are so tiny and teeth so close together, bacteria breeds faster and plaque builds up.


Prey Model raw fed small dogs do not need their teeth brushed. Kibble or prepared raw fed small dogs definitely do.


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## JulieK1967 (May 29, 2011)

Before we went prey model raw with Molly, I used a finger-tip dog tooth brush and poultry flavored toothpaste.


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## LilasMom (Jan 18, 2012)

JulieK1967 said:


> Prey Model raw fed small dogs do not need their teeth brushed. Kibble or prepared raw fed small dogs definitely do.


I know, but most people feed kibble so I was basing my response on that.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I've never used DentaSure, but "naturally sweetened with Stevia" is only a positive for people who taste the spray 

Dogs don't care about sweet food, altho they do like it. They prefer meat-flavored.

The toothpaste that I use from PetsMart also has a sweetener - a waste of ingredient - but I don't know of an inexpensive dog toothpaste without a sweetener .... gotta keep the owners happy


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I use an exfoliating bath glove instead of a toothbrush. Kabota hated the brush and I couldn't tell what I was doing in there and I very well could have been hurting him a little. With the glove, I just put a dab on my forefinger and thumb and gently rub his teeth and gums. Then he gets a treat.

I'm not sure why Stevia sweetening would be a selling point for dogs. Plus, Stevia is refined to make a sweetener. It's not nearly as "natural" as it's marketed to be.


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## kafkabeetle (Dec 4, 2009)

Amaryllis said:


> I'm not sure why Stevia sweetening would be a selling point for dogs. Plus, Stevia is refined to make a sweetener. It's not nearly as "natural" as it's marketed to be.


Stevia itself isn't necessarily that refined, especially if you're just buying stevia extract. But yeah, Truvia and all the other powders are highly processed. And I'm sure that's what a majority of people use...and possibly what's in that product. I agree that it's a weird ingredient to tout in a product made for dogs. ;p


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