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How to brush your dog's teeth

Short answerBrushing is the most effective home dental care you can do - the gold standard in the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines. Use a dog-specific toothpaste (never human paste), start with a finger or cloth and work up to a brush over days to weeks, focus on the outer surfaces of the big cheek teeth and canines, and aim for daily brushing, as the WSAVA guidelines recommend.

Sources: WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines and the US FDA, linked at the end.

The kit that actually matters

Dog toothpasteFormulated to be swallowed and flavored (poultry, beef, malt). Human toothpaste is not made to be swallowed and can contain xylitol, which the US FDA lists among the potentially dangerous items for pets.
A brush that fitsDog brushes with angled handles or multiple heads, finger brushes, or a soft baby toothbrush for small mouths. Many people find a finger brush easiest at first.
A quiet time and placeTraining acceptance matters more than the hardware. Pick a calm moment, praise through every step.

Training the habit, step by step

  1. Start with a finger or soft cloth. Rub the outer tooth surfaces where gum meets tooth, back and forth, a few teeth at a time. Stay on the outside surfaces to avoid an accidental bite.
  2. Let them taste the dog toothpaste from your finger once the rubbing is accepted.
  3. Add paste to the cloth and keep rubbing over the teeth.
  4. Introduce the brush once the cloth is routine. Lift the lip with your free hand and brush the big cheek teeth and canines first - that is where plaque builds fastest.
  5. Widen coverage over days or weeks. Do not worry about the inner surfaces; the tongue does part of that work.

How often is enough

Plaque begins combining with minerals into tartar within about a day, so frequency is the game. The WSAVA guidelines recommend daily home care for exactly that reason, and your vet can tell you what your dog's mouth needs. Small breeds and flat-faced dogs, whose crowded jaws can trap plaque, may benefit from brushing every day. Replace the brush when the bristles fray, and use one brush per dog.

When brushing is not enough

Brushing controls plaque brilliantly but cannot remove tartar that has already hardened - that takes professional scaling under anesthesia. If you can already see crust at the gumline, read what a professional cleaning involves, and keep brushing between cleanings to stretch the interval. For extra support between brushings, see chews and products with the VOHC seal.

BackSigns of dental diseaseNextVOHC chews & products
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