While we all know how to take care of our own teeth, caring for your pets teeth isn't so easy. You might be fortunate if you have a dog or cat tha loves to have his teeth brushed, but more than likely you might have a dog like mine that has an iron jaw that will not open when a tooth brush is around. So what does that mean, your pet is doomed to plaque covered teeth?

No, there are options out there to help you keep your pets teeth gleaming. You will need to decide what works best for you and your pet. Toothbrushing can be the best option, but does require time on your part to do it for your pet, plus if your pet as of right now will not allow you to brush his teeth, this means to have to ease him into the process of toothbrushing.

• - Introduce the toothpaste first. A small dab on the end of your finger for him to sniff and lick (most pet toothpastes come in a beef flavor.)
• - You can wrap a soft cloth around your finger with toothpaste on it and rub that along his teeth and if this works you can keep this method or move up to trying a toothbrush. Use a size that works best for your pets size, do not use a large toothbrush on a small dog.

(DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE ON YOUR DOG -your toothpaste is not edible)

If you find this doesn't work, or you just don't have the time, there are many products for you to choose from.

• - One of the more popular options are chew treats that remove plaque and tartar. There is a problem that this will not reach all parts of the teeth and plaque can still build up. But it's better to remove some plaque than no plaque at all.
• - Going to the Dentist is a great option. Of course your pets dentist will also be his vet, and not all vets provide this service, but more than likely if your vet does not provide dental cleaning, you will be able to find one near you. You will have to consider the costs, and how stressful of a situation this will be for your pet. Vet visits can be stressful in any situation, this might not be ideal for older dogs as they will usually be under anesthesia and older dogs can suffer from complications. Best to try and keep plaque under control on a daily basis rather than just try one big clean up at the vets office.
• - Dental toys. You can also find toys that are meant to remove plaque as your dog chews on it. Again the problem would be the same at the chew treats that they are not able to reach all parts of the teeth and plaque will still build up.
• - NEW products. There is a huge variety of products now that are just drops or oral rinses that help control the plaque build up. Depending on the product you use, you will find that they do different jobs inside your pets mouth, from killing germs that cause bad breath, to "hiding" bad breat, or preventing the build up of plaque. These offer an easier method of dental care on your part, but you must ensure you use a quality product to get any results and use as directed.

Caring for your pets teeth is important as all the dental health problems you have, your pet can also have. Cavities, bleeding gums, etc. Another important note: I get this all the time from new puppy owners, "My puppy is losing his teeth, what is going on? Is he sick?" No, it's normal, just like children losing their baby teeth, your pup will lose his puppy teeth, so his adult teeth can come in. This can be normal, around 4-5 months of age. Problem can occur in that your puppy might get his adult teeth and not lose his puppy teeth. We see this in our chihuahuas, your vet can go ahead and simply remove that extra row of teeth.

Pet Dental care can seem like a lot of work, or overwhelming when you look at all the options out there. Find what best works for you and your pet and you should have a long healthy dental life together.

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