HOW TO START AN ORAL CARE ROUTINE AT HOME

Ideally, plaque should be removed from pets’ teeth every day before it mineralizes to tartar. By brushing your pets’ teeth properly each day, you will remove plaque buildup. In addition, you can feed specially formulated foods that help reduce the accumulation of plaque and tartar from teeth.

Below is a step-by-step procedure you can follow when establishing an oral care routine at home.

• Introduce a brushing program gradually; training may take several days or weeks.

• At first, dip your fingers into beef bouillon for a dog or tuna water for a cat and rub their fingers over the pets’ mouth and teeth.

• Make these initial sessions brief and positive.

• As a pet owner, you should introduce gauze on your finger with the same beef or tuna flavor and begin rubbing the teeth in a circular motion.

• Before graduating to a soft bristle toothbrush, put a small amount of toothpaste specifically designed for pets on your finger and allow them to taste it.

• Finally, apply a small dab of pet toothpaste on a moist toothbrush or finger brush and allow your pet to lick the bristles. Begin brushing gently at a 45 degree angle away from the gum line.

*Please note: Toothpaste designed for people contains ingredients that may upset pets’ stomachs.  Fluoride is actually poisonous for pets, even at concentrations meant for human children.

           
Also, schedule your pet for regular dental check-ups.  These checkups are essential,  just as twice-a-year checkups are important for people.  For pets that form tartar quickly or those with a history of oral problems, frequent examinations and cleanings may be advised.

For more information, please visit these trusted websites:

www.petdental.com, www.vohc.org,

www.veterinarypartner.com, or www.cetdental.com