Dental care is one of the most neglected aspects of looking after a dog, yet it's among the most important for its overall health. The good news is that, with a little patience and the right method, brushing your dog's teeth becomes a quick and calm routine. We talked it through with a vet, who explains how often to do it, what to use and how to get your dog used to it step by step.
It's estimated that most dogs over three years old already show some sign of periodontal disease. Yet it would take so little to prevent it. In this guide we'll look at why dental hygiene really matters, how often to brush, which tools to choose, how to do it in practice without traumatising the dog, whether baking soda is a good idea (spoiler: better not) and which daily habits help keep the mouth clean for longer.
It all starts with plaque, a film of bacteria, saliva and food residue that continuously forms on the surface of the teeth. If it isn't removed, within a few days the plaque mineralises and turns into tartar: that hard, yellow-brown deposit you see mostly at the base of the teeth, where the gum meets them. At that point a toothbrush is no longer enough, and the vet has to step in.
The problem isn't just cosmetic, nor limited to bad breath. Tartar irritates the gum and triggers inflammation (gingivitis) which, if neglected, develops into periodontal disease: the gums recede, the teeth loosen and can fall out. But there's more. The bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and, over time, overload the heart, liver and kidneys. Taking care of your dog's teeth, in other words, means protecting its whole body, not just its smile.
The vet's answer is clear-cut: ideally every day. It may sound excessive, but there's a precise reason. Plaque starts to calcify into tartar within 24-72 hours: brushing daily removes it before it has time to harden. It's exactly the same logic by which we brush our own teeth every day and not once a week.
If everyday life doesn't allow it, don't be discouraged: even two or three times a week makes an enormous difference compared with never brushing. Consider it the minimum to slow tartar formation in any meaningful way. The practical rule is simple: a short but consistent brush is better than a long, occasional session. Here, consistency counts more than perfection.
There are two tools and they're easy to find. The first is a dog toothbrush: they come in various types, with a long handle to reach the back of the mouth, double-headed, or the handy silicone finger brushes that slip over your finger and give more control, especially at the start and with small dogs. For a chihuahua or a toy dog, the finger brush is often the most manageable choice.
The second tool is dog toothpaste, and this is where the most dangerous mistake lurks. Human toothpaste must never be used: it contains fluoride and, often, xylitol, both toxic to dogs if swallowed. And a dog, unlike us, doesn't spit: it swallows everything. Dog toothpastes, by contrast, are formulated to be swallowed safely, are usually enzymatic (helping to break down plaque even where the brush can't reach) and have flavours dogs enjoy, such as chicken or beef, which turn brushing into an almost pleasant moment.
To sum up, what to brush your dog's teeth with: a dog-specific toothbrush or finger brush plus an enzymatic dog toothpaste. No baking soda, no human toothpaste, no improvised remedies.
The secret isn't the technique itself, but going gradually. A dog that has never had fingers or a toothbrush in its mouth needs time to get used to it. Forcing it on the first day is the best way to turn every future brush into a battle. Here's how to proceed, spreading the steps over several days.
There's no need to force the mouth open or clean the inner surface of the teeth: the dog's tongue already does much of that work. The goal is the outer surface, and that's enough.
Brushing a dog's teeth with baking soda is one of the most widespread "old wives'" remedies, but as a vet I advise against it. Baking soda is abrasive: used often, it can wear down the enamel instead of simply cleaning it. It has a bitter, unpleasant taste that makes the dog wary and risks undoing all the work of getting it used to brushing. And, if swallowed in quantity (which a dog inevitably does, since it doesn't spit), it can upset the acid balance of the stomach and, in dogs with heart or kidney problems, deliver an undesirable sodium load.
A safe alternative exists, and it's precisely enzymatic dog toothpaste, which achieves better results without any of these risks. The same goes for DIY dog teeth cleaning with other improvised home remedies: the most effective and safest approach remains regular brushing with products made for the purpose. If the teeth are already very dirty or covered in tartar, no toothpaste will remove it: in that case a professional scale and polish at the vet is needed, and only afterwards does it make sense to restart with daily prevention.
Brushing is the cornerstone of oral hygiene, but it's not the only lever. Chewing, in particular, is a natural ally: biting and gnawing creates a mechanical action that helps lift plaque off the teeth. That's why there are dental snacks, tough chew toys and suitable bones (of a safe type, never cooked bones, which splinter and are dangerous) designed precisely to encourage this cleaning effect. They should be chosen in the right size and hardness for the dog, and always counted in the day's calories.
Food plays its part too. A dog fed a quality, balanced and not excessive diet tends to have a healthier mouth and milder breath: sugary residues and unbalanced diets, on the other hand, can encourage deposits on the teeth. Looking after the bowl is, to all intents and purposes, part of looking after the mouth. The single-protein Pappa Fresh recipes, formulated by a vet with no preservatives or superfluous ingredients, are created with exactly this logic of clean, balanced nutrition. If you're interested in the bigger picture, you'll find more pointers in our guide to the 5 dog feeding mistakes.
Even with a good home routine, there are warning signs that call for a professional's opinion. Keep an eye on these signals:
If any of these signs are present, it's time to book a check-up. The vet will assess whether a scale and polish is needed (the professional cleaning, carried out under sedation) and check the health of each tooth. A check of the mouth should in any case be part of the annual routine visit: prevention costs far less, in effort and in health, than treatment.
Brushing your dog's teeth is simpler than it seems: you need a dog toothbrush or finger brush, a specific enzymatic toothpaste (never human toothpaste and never baking soda), plenty of patience in getting the dog used to it and, above all, consistency. The ideal is to brush every day, but even two or three times a week makes a big difference. Chew snacks and a quality diet lend a hand, while bad breath, inflamed gums and visible tartar are the signs to see the vet.
A healthy mouth is part of a healthy dog, and it all starts with well-tended daily habits, the bowl included. That's the idea Pappa Fresh is built on: single-protein recipes formulated by a vet, with no preservatives, in portions calculated for your dog. If you'd like to see which feeding plan suits it, it takes two minutes.
Veterinary surgeon, medical director of the Clinica ARS Veterinaria di Modena. He works every day on canine nutrition, prevention and wellbeing, with a particular focus on oral health, food intolerances and weight management.
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