Caring for your dog's teeth at home: a dental surgeon's weekly routine

Most of what keeps a dog's mouth in good order happens at home, in sessions that last less than a minute. Plaque, the soft film that forms on teeth every day, is easy to disrupt while it is soft and almost impossible to shift once it has hardened. That is why a short daily routine beats an occasional big effort, and it is the principle I have taught human patients for more than 35 years.

Here is the routine we use with Merlo, our Cavapoo, laid out by day of the week so you can copy it straight into your own.

Every day: brush the outer surfaces

The outer surfaces of the teeth, the side that touches the cheek and lip, are where plaque collects fastest in dogs, because the tongue does a reasonable job of the inner surfaces on its own. So brushing is simpler than it sounds: lift the lip, place a soft brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line, and use short, gentle strokes along the outside of the teeth, a few teeth at a time. Work from the front to the big back teeth, which are the ones that matter most.

Use a pet toothpaste, never a human one. We stock Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste, which is VOHC Accepted for plaque control in dogs, is made to be swallowed and comes in three flavours. A pea-sized amount is enough. There is no rinsing, and your dog can eat and drink straight afterwards.

Match the brush to the dog. A compact head such as our bamboo charcoal toothbrush suits small dogs and cats; a long-handled large breed brush reaches the upper back teeth of a Labrador or a Staffie without you having to open the mouth.

Every day: thirty seconds is enough

A full-mouth brush on a dog takes well under a minute. If your dog only tolerates ten seconds today, take the ten seconds and stop while things are calm. The habit is the goal; a perfect session is not. Dogs that are brushed for a few seconds every day end up with a far better routine than dogs brushed for five minutes once a fortnight.

If your dog has never been brushed, do not start with the brush. Spend three days letting your dog lick the toothpaste off your fingertip, then a few days rubbing a little paste on the front teeth with your finger, and only then introduce the brush. The full step-by-step is in our FAQ.

Once a week: a two-minute look inside

Pick a quiet moment, lift the lip on each side and look. You are checking for anything that has changed since last week: a tooth that looks different from its neighbour, redness along the gum line, a build-up of brown material on the back teeth, a smell that was not there before, or a reaction when you touch one spot. Then run a finger along the outside of the teeth and feel for roughness.

Write nothing down if you prefer, but do it on the same day each week. Changes in a mouth are gradual, and the weekly look is what makes them visible. Our guide to checking a dog's teeth at home goes through it tooth by tooth.

Most days: supervised chewing

Chewing gives teeth and gums something to work on and keeps a dog occupied, and a textured toy such as our tyre rope flosser can carry a smear of pet toothpaste in its grooves. Chewing supports brushing; it does not replace it. Two rules keep it safe: supervise every session, and throw the toy away as soon as it cracks or frays. Hard objects, including cooked bones and antlers, are a common cause of broken teeth, so stick to toys that give a little under thumb pressure.

Every dinner: the rest of the routine

Fresh water should always be down. If you give a complementary feed such as our probiotic powder, which supports normal digestion, the daily serving goes over the food with the lid tightly closed afterwards. It sits alongside brushing in the routine rather than doing anything for the teeth.

Once a year: let your vet look

Home care keeps a healthy mouth clean. It cannot deal with tartar that has already set, a cracked tooth or sore gums, and nothing we sell is intended to. A yearly check with your vet, or sooner if your weekly look turns up something new, is part of the routine, not an alternative to it. See your vet promptly if you notice persistent bad breath, red or bleeding gums, a loose or broken tooth, drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side or any reluctance to be touched around the mouth.

The routine on one page

• Daily: brush the outer surfaces with a pet toothpaste, under a minute.
• Daily: stop while your dog is still calm; reward afterwards.
• Weekly: lift the lip on both sides and look, same day each week.
• Most days: supervised chewing with a toy that gives under your thumb.
• Every dinner: fresh water, and any complementary feed over the food.
• Yearly: a vet check, sooner if anything changes.

Questions people ask

How long does it take a dog to accept brushing?

Most dogs accept a soft brush within two to three weeks if you start with taste alone and add the brush gradually. Older dogs and rescues can take longer. Keep sessions short and never force the mouth open.

Do I need to brush the inside of the teeth?

Not usually. The tongue keeps the inner surfaces fairly clear, so concentrate on the outer surfaces and the gum line, especially the upper back teeth.

What if my dog hates the toothpaste flavour?

Try a milder flavour first. Petsmile comes in Say Cheese, Rotisserie Chicken and London Broil, and our 30-day taste guarantee refunds the tube if your dog refuses it.

Read next: How to check your dog's teeth at home, Brushing a large breed dog's teeth, The ultimate guide to pet oral health.

About the author. Dr Deepak Songra BDS (GDC 68552) is a dental surgeon with more than 35 years in clinical practice and the founder of Petdentist®. He is not a vet. He lives with Merlo, the Cavapoo you will see across this site.

This article is general information about daily care, not veterinary advice. Petdentist® products are non-medicinal daily-care products for dogs and cats and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are worried about your pet, please see your vet. Petdentist® is the trading name of Pet Dentist L.L.C-FZ, Meydan Grandstand, 6th Floor, Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, UAE. UK orders are dispatched from Northampton.