As technicians with over 10 years of experience in pet care, we have provided cosmetic teeth cleaning for well over 500 pets. As a result, we have met many people with varying levels of knowledge when it comes to their pets’ teeth. We have also noticed that most owners do not clean their pets’ teeth frequently enough (if at all) because of a lack of education on the subject. To set the record straight and help owners get the information they need, we have provided a list of myths about dog teeth care that no one should believe.
1. You don’t need to brush your dog’s teeth. Dogs’ teeth do not get clean on their own, so they need to be brushed regularly to remove buildup that can ultimately lead to oral diseases. We understand that brushing your dog’s teeth can be difficult when they try to resist you, but with a proper toothbrush, tasty toothpaste, and positive reinforcement, you can gradually help your dog become more comfortable with the idea.
2. Chewing bones can replace teeth brushing. You might disagree with the idea that dogs need to brush their teeth because they don’t in the wild. There’s some truth to that. Wild dogs gnaw on bones all the time, and that helps them clean their teeth, but unless your dog has a raw, meaty bone to chew every day, it probably won’t be enough for proper dog teeth care. Even so, domesticated dogs have a longer lifespan, and they can live to see the day when their tartar buildup causes serious problems while wild dogs may not.
3. Kibble cleans your dog’s teeth. This could not be further from the truth. While some people say that kibble can remove some of the buildup on your dog’s teeth, the carbohydrates in it actually worsens your dog’s teeth and are part of the reason they need dog teeth care.