Do puppies need to brush their teeth?

Question

Recently I received a 7 week old labrador retriever.
Do I need to brush her teeth? If so, then how do you brush them?
Are there any alternatives to brushing?
Is it absolutely necessary to brush them when they're adults?
Help is gladly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

YES!! good dental hygiene is as important for dogs as people. dogs do get help in cleaning there teeth when they chew on things like Bone but that is not enough. just like chewing dental gum is not a replacement for brushing your teeth. you can by sup lament to add to your dogs watter but it is more expansive and not as good as just brushing your dogs teeth your self. i brush my dogs teeth once a week. you can get puppy tooth past form your vet or at a pet store and use what ever brush you want. you can have your vet clean your dogs teeth at his cheek up but why not do it your self?

Answer 2

Labs don't have particularly bad tooth rot, unlike sighthounds. You should be fine giving her a rope bone or some other chew toy that can help clean her teeth. Brushing her teeth isn't a must, and you won't need to do it at all until she loses her puppy teeth, since those get replaced soon anyway. So, no, it's not absolutely necessary.
She'll be healthier and need less vet attention if you do brush her teeth, though. You have to do it every day to do any good. Pet stores have special enzyme toothpastes for dogs, or you could just dip the brush in some human mouth rinse and brush her teeth in that. Don't let her drink the mouth rinse, just use enough to keep the toothbrush wet. You can use a toothbrush for babies or another soft-bristle brush. Brush them at least once a day, or it's not worth the trouble.

Answer 3

Since he is so young, it's unnecessary to brush his teeth right now. However, you want to get him used to it so that when he's older and you do need to begin brushing his teeth, he'll let you with ease. Buy the toothpaste and tooth brush if it comes in a package or just buy a tooth brush in the meantime, and practice brushing his teeth every few days, without toothpaste. Just get him used to the feeling, the motion, the bristles and the whole act. That way when he's older he won't make such a big fuss. When he gets older and you do need to brush his teeth, some say to do it every single day, and some say to do it once a week. I do it twice a week and my dog's teeth are very white and healthy. P.S. Feeding your new puppy dry kibble (as opposed to wet food) will help clean his teeth every time he eats. The chewing helps scrape off plaque and tartar. Really, all chewing of his toys and bones help to clean his teeth. And as he's older you can give him Greenies which most dogs love. However, you still must brush his teeth regularly. Good luck with him! Enjoy it! It goes by so quickly :)

Answer 4

Brushing as the above posts state is important. At 7 weeks though the dog might still have their baby teeth in or may perhaps still be teething. The best thing to do is wait until the adult teeth come in and to start brushing then.

You can go to your local vet or pet store and purchase a dog toothbrush and toothpaste. They have a variety of dog toothpaste available for the dog, never use human products. You just want to put the toothpaste on the brush and just swiftly brush over the teeth. You don't have to brush like you do your own teeth, just swiftly going over it will do it. The toothpaste works on it's on.

You can also purchase products that help dog's teeth, bones/treats/etc. they're all helpful, but in the end you still might want to brush your dog's teeth. I can't recall how often.

Answer 5

Congrats on the latest addition to your family.

Pet tooth brushing is a relatively new phenomenon - within the past 8 years.

As a puppy, just wipe the teeth after meals with a wet paper towel.

There are numerous rubber finger tip toothbrushes and liver flavoured tooth pastes for dogs on the market, but I've found them too messy and it is very difficult to get the dog to stay still, even when starting the process at the puppy level.

I used to take my dog in every 2 years for teeth cleaning, but since I've found "greenies" there is no longer a need. Cost-wise it is about the same, but the plus is that the dog doesn't have to be put under for the procedure. She looks forward to "toothbrush Tuesdays" as the greenies taste good and keep her busy for awhile.

Merry, Merry.

Answer 6

Yes, you really need to brush her teeth at least once a week and take her to the vet once a year to have them clean. This will not only clean them and prevent them from rotting, but it will help refresh her breath (As we all know...DOG BREATH...YUCK!). Having her teeth rot can cause serious problems in the future if an infection starts and spreads through the body. Go to your local pet store and get the dog tooth paste and brush. Hold her mouth open and brush them. As simple as that? NO, this will take time for her to get use to, but if you be persistent she will catch on. HOWEVER, we are talking about a lab (VERY HIGH ENERGY...RIGHT?) so you need to start NOW, because as she gets older this process will become impossible if not trained right away. GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 7

Most people don't brush their dogs teeth though it is very important. Not only can plaque build up but that plague can cause organ problems too. So yes I highly recommend you start brushing at an early age so that its not hard when the dog gets older. They do make liquids that help cut down plaque or vets do do dental cleanings but it means putting a dog under.

Answer 8

I just paid 400 dollars to have my dogs teeth cleaned. BRUSH THEM! Do Not Use People Toothpaste!!!!! PETCO carries a lot of different brushing implements. When the dogs get older the build up of plaque can cause blood infections just like in humans. It is better to keep up with it all along rather than wait until there is to much plaque to take care of yourself.

Answer 9

you dont have to brush her teeth, but it would help a lot. Instead you can buy the kibble or hard food once her adult teeth come in. If you do decide to brush, dont use regular tooth paste buy the kind for animals. Good luck

Answer 10

You could brush their teeth. It is very difficult though and you have to get a special toothpast from a pet store. Greenies work for my dog. They are a bone that they chew on and it cleans their teeth. That's probably the easiest.