Pet Dental Care Tips
Oral hygiene is a critical part of keeping our pets healthy! Unhealthy teeth and gums can lead to significant pain and expensive extractions. Read on for our top to-dos to keep your pet’s pearly whites clean and healthy!
Establish a routine: Getting into a routine can help with consistency and allow your pet to become accustomed to having their teeth brushed!
Use ‘Shaping’: Shaping is done by breaking a goal behavior down into micro steps to eventually achieve an end goal! Having fingers/toothbrushes/cloths in their mouth can be stressful for some pets, and shaping can help your pet become accustomed to it in order to tolerate having their teeth cleaned. Watch this example of using shaping to brush your pet’s teeth!
Use a species-appropriate toothpaste: Or create your own natural option! Mix a 1:1 ratio of baking soda and coconut oil, and add fresh mint and/or parsley for fresh breath!
Touch/Massage your pets teeth and gums: Touching and/or massaging your pets teeth and gums can help them get used to the sensation of having their mouths touched prior to introducing a toothbrush. For this, you can use a natural fiber washcloth, soft bristled tooth brush or finger tip fabric tooth brush.
Reduce the Hassle! Tooth-safe chews are another helpful way to support healthy teeth by offering tartar control through gnawing. Supervised raw meaty bones are what we give our fur family on a regular basis. These options from integrative vet, Dr. Judy Morgan, are other great natural options.
Reduce simple carbs and sugars! Read your labels on treats and pet food: Facultative carnivores (dogs) and obligate carnivores (cats) need no simple carbohydrates like corn which is often used as filler in the pet food industry. Limited-ingredient, clean high-protein for species-specific nutrition is best to support healthy teeth and your dog or cat’s whole body!
