Did you know that the leading cause of health issues in a dog is due to poor dental health? Usually, pet owners are very good at taking care of their furry pets, but brushing their teeth isn’t always a priority. While most pet owners are aware of the issues that come with rotten teeth, only a small percentage of pet owners actually brush their dog’s teeth each day.
Believe it or not, there are even dog owners that have never brushed their pup’s teeth at all. Dog teeth cleaning can actually be a fun activity to brush your dog’s teeth, and, if you have never done it before, it’s time that you did. Dental health is important at each stage of a dog’s life. It’s also important that you use toothpaste appropriate for a dog and avoid human toothpaste. Better yet, it’s super easy to make your own puppy toothpaste. Here are some tips and recipes that will help you keep your dog’s teeth healthy from a few common ingredients that you will find in your pantry for a DIY dog toothpaste.
Brushing a Dog’s Teeth
It’s important to make brushing your dog’s teeth a fun and pleasant experience. That way your dog will willingly go through the entire teeth brushing session each day. You need to reassure your dog if he is nervous or give him some sort of calming remedy about thirty minutes before you start.
Steps for Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth
- Decide on a time of day when you feel your dog is happy and content.
- Brush his teeth in a quiet area that is free from distractions.
- Make sure to position your pup with his face looking away from you.
- Introduce the tooth brushing sensation by using a cloth around your finger and then brush his outside teeth with it while focusing on his gum line.
- Start slowly and stop if you feel your dog can only handle a little brushing to start.
- Try again the next day and slowly get your dog used to the teeth brushing process again.
- Eventually you will need to reach his inside teeth as you slowly get him accustomed to the process.
- After your pup is comfortable with brushing his teeth with the cloth, then you can introduce a finger brush or toothbrush.
- Brush his teeth using a circular motion reaching his molars and canines often since they are the prime areas for the risk of periodontal disease.
- Do not worry about the areas inside your dog’s teeth unless your pup is super cooperative since your pup’s tongue will move away plaque buildup in this area.
- Remember that the outside surfaces of your dog’s teeth need the most attention
- Remember to repeat this process daily to keep up an important dental health routine
Tips for Doggie Teeth Brushing
- The earlier that you introduce your dog to a toothbrush, the earlier that you will be able to establish a healthy tooth brushing routine and make future brushing a whole lot easier, so it is important that you start the process when your dog is just a puppy
- Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly or wear gloves when you brush your dog’s teeth due to the number of bacteria in a dog’s mouth
- Also, make sure you use different toothbrushes for each of your pets that’s why you won’t forget which toothbrush is for which pet since it’s important that they don’t share toothbrushes
- Always clean your pup’s toothbrush after it is used—the best way to do this is to boil it in water and then stand it upright to dry out
How Frequently Do You Need To Brush A Dog’s Teeth?
When you are taking care of a dog, it also means adding healthy habits for your pup to your daily routine. This can include walking your dog, grooming him, clipping his nails, and brushing his teeth. Similar to how humans should brush their teeth two times a day, your dog should also have good oral hygiene, which means that his teeth need to be brushed regularly.
It is suggested that you brush your pup’s teeth as often as you brush your teeth. That does seem like a lot, so try to do it at least once a day or two or three times each week. If you can, brush your dog’s teeth for about 30 seconds on each side depending on what he will tolerate. If you aren’t able to brush every day, give your dog dental chews on the days that you aren’t able to brush his teeth.
Toothpaste Ingredients that are Dog-Friendly
By adding a pinch of this and that along with a ton of love, you can make your very own doggie toothpaste for your pup. Using natural ingredients, you can make a non-toxic, effective, and safe toothpaste to use on your dog’s teeth. Also, remember that you won’t be judged for buying toothpaste that is puppy safe in a store, but when you make dog toothpaste at home, you can ensure that it will be able to take on your dog’s stinky breath and also have additional perks for your pup.
In an ideal world, you will want a doggie toothpaste that is able to clean your dog’s teeth while also tasting good. Here are a few of the best ingredients to include in a do-it-yourself doggie toothpaste.
Coconut Oil
Offering many different uses, coconut oil is a great addition to any dog’s life [1]. As far as coconut oil and toothbrushing, coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, which are effective when you need to remove any harmful bacteria. It can also help to lessen plaque buildup, stop tooth decay, and help to combat gum disease.
Anyone that already adds coconut oil to your pup’s diet for its other health benefits will already have a dog that is familiar with the taste of coconut oil, which makes cleaning his teeth a lot easier.
Beef or Chicken Broth
Low-sodium vegetable, chicken, or beef broth is a flavorful addition to puppy toothpaste. Just buy some specially made bone broth that is safe for dogs, and you can easily make some homemade broth. When you make a homemade broth, remember that it is worth extra effort since it will last a while once it is frozen.
Just freeze the broth into ice cubes and then use them for your dog’s toothpaste or you’re your dog’s meals. Remember that while beef bouillon cubes can seem like an easier option, the store-bought option is usually too salty and can often contain onion powder that is toxic for a dog.
Peanut Butter
Every dog loves peanut butter, which is a great way to flavor your homemade dog toothpaste. This secret ingredient will help your dog love having his teeth brushed since it will be delicious and fun. Just make sure that your peanut butter doesn’t have xylitol. You can even get a tub of peanut butter that has CBD, which can give your dog even more benefits.
Baking Soda
Featuring a high alkaline content, baking soda is a great abrasive ingredient [2]. It prevents plaque from forming and is an incredible deodorizer. Just a small amount is safe for a dog, but a larger quantity may be toxic for a dog, so make sure that you only use tiny amounts for doggie dental care. Remember that the taste of baking soda isn’t super pleasant, so you may want to use a flavored broth to mask the taste.
Turmeric
You can also add turmeric to homemade doggie toothpaste to add flavor as well as antibacterial benefits. Not only does turmeric contain antioxidants along with anti-inflammatory properties. Just remember that turmeric is somewhat messy and will stain surfaces, so you may want to brush your pup’s teeth outside if you want to use turmeric toothpaste.
Mint Leaves
Believe it or not, your dog can actually give you fresh minty kisses. Not only is mint leaves antibacterial, but they are also anti-inflammatory, which helps to stop the growth of bacteria in your dog’s mouth, but it can also help to stop infections.
Other advantages of mint leaves include that they contain phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Not only can mint leaves help to strengthen the density of your dog’s bones, including his teeth and jaw, but it’s also an easy ingredient to give your dog without brushing his teeth. Just give him a couple of leaves from your garden, and he will still see all its benefits.
Cinnamon
A great ingredient for a dog with bad breath, cinnamon also helps to break up any food particles that are found in a dog’s teeth. You can easily add it to homemade dog toothpaste and even just sprinkle it on dog food. Not only does cinnamon help bad breath, but it improves your dog’s brain function. This is a non-toxic ingredient for dogs, but it should only be used moderately.
Dogs Cannot Have Human Toothpaste
Since a human is able to spit when they brush their teeth, human toothpaste is safe for them to use. Dog does not spit. Toothpaste made for humans includes harmful ingredients for a dog like xylitol, fluoride, and foaming agents are all things a dog shouldn’t eat. These products can cause a dog to have vomiting, runny stool, and diarrhea.
Homemade Dog Toothpaste Recipes
If you like to cook or make different recipes, it will be easy to make homemade dog toothpaste. Easy to make, these recipes will help save you money and are great for your dog’s teeth.
All you need is a food processor or mixing bowl and you can easily make homemade in just a few minutes. You should also use a container that is airtight so that your toothpaste will last all week.
Basic Doggie Toothpaste
- One tablespoon of homemade broth or water
- One tablespoon baking soda
Combine the ingredients into a paste and then apply a little bit of the toothpaste onto your pup’s toothbrush. Mixing the water and baking soda is just a basic recipe for doggie toothpaste. You can make it tastier by adding a flavored broth instead of the water and any of the ingredients that are listed above.
Mint Doggie Toothpaste
- Six to seven mint leaves
- One teaspoon sodium-free or homemade broth
- Two tablespoons of baking soda
- 1/4 cup of coconut oil
Use a food processor to pulse together the ingredients and then store it in an airtight container and use it for two weeks.
Spicy Doggie Toothpaste
- One tablespoon of water
- One tablespoon of beef or chicken broth
- One tablespoon of baking soda
- One teaspoon of cinnamon
- One pinch of ground cloves
- One teaspoon of dried parsley
- ½ cup of coconut oil
Mix the water and broth together before adding the flavorings and baking soda. Then, you should combine the ingredients together.
Turmeric Doggie Toothpaste
- One cup of softened or temperature coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric
- Pinch of fresh or dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon of organic kelp flakes
Mix the ingredients together in a food processor until it reaches a smooth consistency. When you add the kelp to the recipe, you will add more antibacterial elements.
FAQs
What can I brush my dog’s teeth with at home?
Yes, you can! And you can even make your own doggie toothpaste at home using common ingredients that are found in your pantry. Coconut oil, baking soda, mint, cinnamon, peanut butter, and parsley are all great ingredients when you are creating homemade dog toothpaste.
What can I use instead of toothpaste for my dog?
You can actually make your own dog-friendly toothpaste at home for your pup. Using natural ingredients that are non-toxic, effective, and safe for your pup and his teeth. Coconut oil, mint, turmeric, kelp, cinnamon, and homemade broth are all great natural ingredients that can be used when you make your own organic dog toothpaste at home.
Can you use baking soda and water to brush your dog’s teeth?
Absolutely! All you need to do is combine water and baking soda to create a nice basic recipe for doggie toothpaste. You can make this recipe better by improving the flavor with mint, cinnamon, or even beef broth, which your pet with heartily approve.
Can you use human toothpaste on dogs?
Absolutely not! Human toothpaste has several harmful ingredients that can make your pup sick and even kill him. ingredients like detergents, foaming agents, and fluoride shouldn’t be ingested by a dog, and a dog can’t spit out toothpaste the way a human can. If he swallows human toothpaste, it may cause him to have gastrointestinal issues or worse. Since human toothpaste may contain xylitol, you should avoid giving it to your dog since it is very toxic for a pet and may cause death.
