Do You Get Your Dogs' Teeth Cleaned?

Proper diet of dry food mixed with dry treats and maybe some bones really helps. If your feeding wet food tarter can become a nasty problem for pets.

Several years ago, we adopted a dog with bad teeth and spent a LOT of money to have numerous teeth extractions. Since then, we have had our present dog's teeth cleaned every two years. We do brush them weekly, and that seems to help.

Isn't that what Milk Bone treats are for?

Never had any pet ... ever .... get a teeth cleaning. We do occasionally give our dog those "greenies" type of stix that is suppose to be good for bad breath and clean teeth.

About your own teeth .. well ... about mine! I have not been to the dentist in over 8 years now. Not even for a cleaning. Many, many years ago at a flea market I picked up some metal teeth picks, similar to what dentists use. They were sold with mechanics' tools, but I've used the metal "pick" for years now to clean my own teeth. Last time I had my teeth clean by a dentist, I thought to myself, if I had a metal pick, I could do the same. So, I got one. Been doing my own teeth ever since. Between the pick, floss, and a good toothpase, my own teeth have no crud on them.

I will say ... I've NEVER tried the pick on my dog though!

We're having Duncan's done in 2 weeks. He's going to be 6 this year and it's the first time for him.

We've learned our lesson the hard way...our weim never had his teeth cleaned and he had serious problems (he was 13). In the end, he had a cancerous tumor in his head. Was it related? I'll never take a chance again.

Teeth cleaning is important. It is also one of those things that is usually skipped due to costs (the dog is normally put under anesthesia).

I have normally asked for a teeth cleaning to be done at any time the dog is undergoing the anesthesia for something - kill two birds with one stone sort of thing. My current dogs have good teeth with minimal tartar, so I don't do routine teeth cleanings but I keep an eye on things. When I've had dogs with teeth issues or excessive tartar, I've been more pro-active with the teeth cleaning.

After having a few dogs over the years with bad teeth (with gingivitis, which can cause all kinds of health problems all through the body) the last several dogs I have I brush their teeth myself. If you start them out young--usually no problem--and older dogs can adapt too. Definitely notice a difference and so do the vets. I usually only have to get their teeth professionally cleaned once or twice in their lifetime. I don't brush their teeth EVERY day--usually every other. You MUST use dog toothpaste--not people's--there is something in human's toothpaste that is not good for dogs.

Mine gets his done every single year. But he needs it. He's a yorkie and they are known to have dental issues. By the time November comes, the tartar is covering half of his teeth.

It's way, way cheaper in Florida than home, so I get it done while travelling. Wonder if it would be cheaper in Mexico??? :)

Vets have told me that bacteria from gum disease and infected teeth will get in the blood stream and lodge in the pet's heart, causing heart disease. In fact, the same thing can happen to people who neglect their teeth. We've had our dogs' and cat's teeth cleaned for years, and I've brushed them daily myself as just part of grooming. It's no big deal as I have a plastic fingertip scrubber that I put the dog toothpaste on. It's a chicken flavor they like and they look forward to it. We just do this while we're watching TV in the evening.

Gum disease is the biggest issue for dogs and having their teeth cleaned helps prevent it just like it does in humans. When they have gum disease, their teeth loosen in the sockets and it causes pain when trying to eat , or it gets infected and abscessed causing pain. Most small dogs do have more of a problem because they have so many teeth in those tiny little mouths. If you can afford it, I would do it as a preventative type thing. We have our dogs teeth cleaned about every 2 years.