How to Remove Plaque From A Dog’s Teeth

How to Remove Plaque From A Dog’s Teeth

Alpha Paw Sale

Jan 06, 2024

Bad Breath and Plaque

If your dog has bad breath, it may have plaque starting to develop. Most dogs will start to develop plaque and then dental tartar if they do not have a proper dental care routine in place. This can cause your dog to have bad breath. Many times dental plaque can easily be treated at home and prevent your dog from developing dental tartar. You should start dental preventative care early in your dog’s life to ensure that they have healthy teeth. Dental disease can be linked to many other health conditions. A healthy mouth can help keep your dog healthy for many years.

How to remove plaque from a dog's teeth

What Is Plaque Buildup?

Plaque is a mixture of dog food, saliva, and bacteria. If this is left untreated will develop into dental tartar. Dental tartar is a very hard substance that will require your dog to have a dental cleaning to remove the tartar. By starting prevention on your dog teeth when they are young, you can help prevent dental plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease.

What Does Plaque Look Like?

Plaque is a pale yellow gummy substance that develops on your dog’s teeth after they eat. This is also very similar to the plaque that builds up on people’s teeth when they eat. Some plaque will be easily removed when your dog drinks water or licks there lips. While if it is not all removed, this can continue to build up and turn into tartar on your dog’s teeth.

How to remove plaque from a dog's teeth

Can I Scrape Plaque Off My Dog’s Teeth?

Plaque can easily be removed from your dog’s teeth. You can use a toothbrush with dental bristles or a finger toothbrush to help remove plaque from your dog’s teeth. When you start teaching your dog to allow you to brush their teeth, start off slow and only brush one or two teeth each day, then slowly move to brush more teeth until they allow you to brush all their teeth each day.

Maintaining Healthy Teeth and Gums in Dogs

Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is beneficial for your dog’s overall health. Dental disease in dogs can cause these different issues.

Damage to internal organs

Dental disease has been linked to issues with dog’s hearts, kidneys, and liver. The bacteria from your dog’s mouth can travel anywhere in their body, causing your dog to have life-threatening and non-reversible damage to these organs.

Pain and inflammation

Dental disease can also cause your dog to be very painful in their mouths. Dogs with severe dental disease can have painful teeth, causing them to not want to eat. This can cause them to lose weight.

Respiratory issues

The roots of your dog’s teeth also communicate with your dog’s sinuses. If your dog has a tooth root infection from poor dental health, you can see an infection in their sinuses or even an abscess occur under their eyes.

Broken teeth and bones

Dental disease can lead to broken or loose teeth, and it can also cause damage to the bones in your dog’s mouth. By keeping your dog’s teeth healthy, you can help your dog keep all of their teeth and not have any damage to the bones in their mouth.

If you notice that your dog is experience dental disease or some of the common signs and symptoms of dental disease, it is best to start preventative measures to help keep their dental disease from progressing to something more severe.

Top Products for Effectively Removing Plaque in Dogs

Maintaining your dog’s dental health is crucial, and there are exceptional products designed to combat plaque effectively. Explore top-rated dental chews, enzymatic toothpaste, and water additives formulated to reduce plaque and tartar buildup. These products often incorporate ingredients that promote dental hygiene and contribute to fresher breath.

Jasper dog toothbrush, 360ยบ dog tooth brushing kit, cat toothbrush, dog teeth cleaning, dog finger
9.4
  • The unique 360º design allows you to clean your pet's entire mouth with just a few swipes.
  • The silicone bristles are soft, yet abrasive enough to remove plaque.
  • Fits thin and thicker fingers, just add a few drops of water to make the silicone expand. It will also create a seal for smaller fingers!
  • The 100% silicone material is free from BPA and phthalate.
  • Available in different colors and counts to suit your needs!
Vet's best dog toothbrush & enzymatic toothpaste kit - teeth cleaning - made with natural ingredients - reduces plaque, whitens teeth, freshens breath - bonus care guide & finger brush included
9.4
  • SOOTHING AND EFFECTIVE: Keep your dog's teeth and gums healthy with our dog toothbrush and toothpaste kit; our toothpaste is made with aloe, neem oil, grapefruit seed extract, baking soda, and enzymes, which work together to keep you dog's mouth fresh
  • CLEANS AND FRESHENS: Our dog toothpaste gently cleans away plaque and tartar, leaving your dog's teeth and breath fresh and clean; rid your dog of bad breath and gift them a healthier mouth with our dog tooth brushing kit
  • TRIPLE HEAD TOOTHBRUSH: Our dog toothbrush features a triple-sided head that cleans all sides of your dog's teeth at once, making tooth brushing faster and more efficient; no more struggling to clean those hard to reach back teeth
  • NATURAL FLAVORS: Our toothpaste for dogs has natural flavors that your furry friend will love, making dog tooth brushing a more enjoyable experience even for the pickiest of pups, so you can keep their dog breath fresh without any fuss
  • HEALTHY REGIMEN: Regular dog teeth cleaning is an important part of your pet's overall health regimen; use our dog toothbrush and toothpaste in between annual vet appointments to keep your dog's mouth healthy and free of plaque and tartar buildup
Jasper dog toothbrush, 360ยบ dog tooth brushing kit, cat toothbrush, dog teeth cleaning, dog finger
9.4
  • The unique 360º design allows you to clean your pet's entire mouth with just a few swipes.
  • The silicone bristles are soft, yet abrasive enough to remove plaque.
  • Fits thin and thicker fingers, just add a few drops of water to make the silicone expand. It will also create a seal for smaller fingers!
  • The 100% silicone material is free from BPA and phthalate.
  • Available in different colors and counts to suit your needs!
Arm & hammer for pets dental water additive for dogs, tartar control | dog dental care reduces plaqu
9.4
  • Baking soda helps to clean and deodorize your dog's teeth and gums.
  • Powerful enzymes break down and help prevent tartar buildup.
  • Easy-to-use, just mix with your sidekick’s drinking water each time you refill the bowl.
  • Flavorless and odorless, so your dog won't even notice the difference!
  • Formulated with naturally derived ingredients.
Proden plaqueoff powder for pets - cat & dog breath freshener - plaque & tartar remover for pet oral
Proden plaqueoff powder for pets - cat & dog breath freshener - plaque & tartar remover for pet oral
Proden plaqueoff powder for pets - cat & dog breath freshener - plaque & tartar remover for pet oral
Our Score
  • Made from selected North Atlantic seaweed and free from additives and artificial preservatives and contains no gluten or added sugar.
  • Supports normal and healthy teeth, gums and breath odor.
  • Helps treat bad breath, tartar and plaque when added to your pet's daily diet and routine for oral health and hygiene.
  • Results can be seen as soon as 3-8 weeks.
  • Easy to use: simply sprinkle over dry or wet food.

How to Prevent Plaque Buildup

The best way to treat dental disease is to prevent it from happening. These are a few things that you can try at home to help decrease plaque buildup on your dog’s teeth.

Dental Treats

Dental treats are designed to help remove plaque and tartar buildup from your dog’s teeth. Dentalicious Doggy Sticks are perfect treats to give to your dog to help decrease the plaque on their teeth. These treats contain ridges that make reaching some of the harder areas on your dog’s teeth very easy. When your dog chews on these treats, they will help freshen their breath and remove excessive plaque all while enjoying a tasty treat.

How to remove plaque from a dog's teeth

Brush your dog’s teeth

You and easily and quickly teach your dog to allow you to brush their teeth. You can get a doggy toothbrush or finger toothbrush to use. Make sure that you are using toothpaste made especially for dogs as human toothpaste contains xylitol which can cause your dog’s pancreas to release an excessive amount of insulin, causing your dog to have dangerously low blood sugar.

Dental mouthwashes

Dental mouthwashes are another great thing that you can do to help decrease plaque buildup in your dogs. These dental mouthwashes contain enzymes that help break down plaque build-up on their teeth. Magic mouthwash is a great dental mouthwash to use to help keep your dog’s breath smelling great and teeth healthy.

Feed hard food

Wet dog food can cause more food particles to get stuck to your dog’s teeth. By feeding your dog hard dog food, you will decrease the amount of food that builds up on your dog’s teeth. The hard food will also help remove some tartar and plaque. When your dog crunches down on these hard kibbles, it will act as a brush against the surface of these teeth, helping remove dental tartar.

Dental Chew Sticks

Many dogs love to chew on things. Giving your dog a chew specifically for helping remove dental tartar and plaque is a great thing to help keep your dog’s teeth healthy. Many of these chews act as a toothbrush causing plaque and tartar to be removed with every chew. When you first give your dog, these chews make sure to monitor them to make sure that they are chewing them and not just swallowing them whole.

See Your Vet

If your dog’s plaque build-up has also caused tartar to develop on your dog’s teeth, it would be great to see your vet. They can assess your dog’s dental disease and discuss different treatment and prevention options for your dog.

Final Thoughts

If your dog has dental plaque on its teeth, it would be best to start prevention right away to help keep this from progressing into a more severe issue. Dental issues can lead to other health issues making prevention even more important for the overall health of your dog. If you follow these few tricks, you can keep your dog’s teeth healthy and help your dog live a long and happy life.

Alpha Paw Sale
author image

Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM

Member of Alpha Pawโ€™s Board of Pet Experts

Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM is a board-certified, licensed, and USDA-accredited small animal and exotic animal veterinarian. Dr. Sara graduated from St. George's University in 2015 with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. Following veterinary school, she joined the team of pet experts at a small animal and exotic veterinary clinic in east Texas, where she treats all species that walk in the hospital. Dr. Saraโ€™s professional interests include surgery and exotic animal medicine. She enjoys developing positive relationships with her clients, sharing her passion for animals, and helping pet parents provide excellent care for their fur babies. She is passionate about helping our four-legged family members return to a happy and healthy life - making her a perfect fit for Alpha Pawโ€™s Board of Pet Experts!

Disclaimer

The medical, nutritional, or behavioral advice we provide is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Our editorial content is not a substitute for formal or personalized medical advice from a veterinary professional. Only board-certified veterinary specialists who have examined your pet should diagnose medical conditions, provide personalized treatment, or prescribe appropriate medication. For questions regarding your petโ€™s health, or if your pet is exhibiting signs of illness, injury, or distress, contact your veterinarian immediately. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on our site.

6 Must-have products that keep your dog healthy
6 Must-have products that keep your dog healthy
You Should Buy a House!
Check out some of our house listed that you could own within a few days!
You Should Rent a House!
Check out some of our house listed that you could rent within a few days!