How To Protect Your Puppy's Teeth

Dental Health is a fundamental part of your furry best friend’s future. Use these tips to start good habits in puppyhood that carry over into adulthood. Twenty-eight: That’s the number of teeth in your puppy’s mouth, and each of these teeth is vitally important to your puppy’s daily activities and overall health. As with your own teeth, neglected puppy teeth can collect plaque and tartar that can lead to periodontal disease and even tooth loss—a fact that becomes even more important when those 28 puppy teeth are replaced with 42 permanent adult teeth. But if you start training your puppy now, you can teach him to tolerate (and even like) tooth brushing as a puppy and as an adult.

Brush up on your toothbrush options

Dental health is a fundamental part of your furry best friend’s future. Use this handout to start good habits in puppyhood that carry over into adulthood.  As with your own teeth, neglected puppy teeth can collect plaque and tartar that can lead to periodontal disease and even tooth loss—a fact that becomes even more important when those 28 puppy teeth are replaced with 42 permanent adult teeth. But if you start training your puppy now, you can teach him to tolerate (and even like) tooth brushing as a puppy and as an adult.

Don’t use force

‍
Teach your puppy that his toothbrush is super cool and that when it comes out, great things happen (like treats!). Slowly introduce the brush into your puppy’s mouth. As long as your puppy is still comfortable, move forward. But if your puppy withdraws from your touch, go back to the last step where he was happy. Never use force—it will teach your puppy to hate the toothbrush. It’s very unlikely that you’ll brush all 28 teeth on the first try, and that’s OK. Patiently move up to longer brushing periods over time, and keep it positive with encouragement and rewards as he improves. The goal is to brush daily because the plaque can harden into tartar in as fast as 36 hours.

If you brush it off every 24 hours, you’ll help make the most impact.

Pick a Pet Specific Toothpaste

Human toothpaste is not safe for our pets. (Don’t use paste made for people!) Pet dental toothpaste can help make the experience fun for your puppy because they come in different flavors, like chicken and peanut butter. Talk to our medical team for a recommendation.