Dental Health

Hello fur friends and fur parents. As someone who leads a nontoxic lifestyle, that extends to my babies. Everything on this blog, is as nontoxic as I could find. I’ve learned over the years just how important dental health is for our beloved family members. Good dental health can extend their lives and save you money and then pain from unexpected tooth extractions. Dogs, just like humans, need to focus on keeping their mouths, teeth and gums healthy. Bacteria causes plaque and tartar build up which leads to infection, inflammation and eventually gum disease that can not only cause dental problems down the road, but over serious health problems as well. The bacteria can spread to other parts of the body and we really don’t want that. If we can do something to prevent this, why wouldn’t we? Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not perfect. Your best is good enough.

Lately, I’ve been taking it more seriously. I’m doing my very best to be consistent and am working up to brushing their teeth every night. I’m not there yet, but I’m working toward it. I have been using the nontoxic silicone finger brushes, but I’ve noticed there’s still build up on their teeth. So, I did some research and I’m now slowly easing them toward an electric toothbrush. I’m saving up for the good quality dog electric toothbrush below, but for now, I’ll use separate heads on my oral B toothbrush and clean thoroughly before and after each use. I have slowly been turning it on and getting them used to the sound with treats. I have easing my way to putting it near their ears and on the outside of their mouth to work up to them feeling comfortable and safe using it. Using the treats is helping them associate the noise with something positive and I am making progress. I think we’re almost to the point where I can start to brush their teeth. I notice my girls respond best to positive reinforcement and positive association. So, that’s where we are on the dental hygiene journey.

Here’s a rundown of our dental health goals

Brush teeth every night with electric tooth brush or electric toothbrush 4x a week and finger brush 3x.
V-Dog Breath Bones a few times a week to scrape teeth, maintain fresh breathe and offer wonderful nutrition while we’re at it.
Snacks on the Lick Mats to scrape tongue and build more saliva for better defense against plaque and tartar. Take a look at our Instagram for lick mat treat ideas.
Cleanings. Cleanings are over $500 and when other pet bills come up, it can be hard to be consistent, plus putting them under anesthesia every year makes me uncomfortable because I know how hard it is on their bodies. It is our goal to get a cleaning every few years and focus on things we can do at home. When we do get cleanings, making sure to detox and give their bodies extra support is a must.