Well! There should be dental issues included...I am so gonna beat you up for this, Chad! I've heard about dogs getting root canals and actually grew up with a dog who had braces to correct his overbite! Plus I am a dentist myself. Anyway I had some friends (also dentists, no surprise) who would let me babysit/run their terrier and he had this peanut toothpaste. Turns out that he loves it... So I tried it on Gunny and he likes it as well. I would recommend introducing toothpaste to your dogs' and any other animals teeth and then start using the toothbrush and brush their teeth at least once a day. I will consult with the vet when I take Gunny for his first visit to see if that is the proper amount. Us humans are supposed to do it twice a day and floss once a day. I'll get off my dentist soapbox now...

Dental issues are considered medical issues in my book and can be posted in the medical issues sub-forum.

Proper dental care is recommended whether it's brushing, dental treats or the dental chew ropes with Arm and Hammer in it.

But since this is a technical forum and a question wasn't addressed or specific advice given, here's your chance to edit your post with a clear statement/question to benefit future members.

If you want to recommend a product wander over to our product recommendations sub-forum.

To clear up any confusion I did some research on tooth care for dogs. Here are some interesting facts that I have found:

Plaque: Dogs rarely get cavities, but are much more prone to gum disease and excess tartar build-up on the teeth. Food particles and bacteria collect along the gumline forming plaque. Routine home care can remove this plaque.

Regular brushing of your dog's teeth is a very important preventive for oral and other diseases. It is recommended to brush your dogs teeth every day or every other day.

Mechanical removal of plaque: Studies show that hard kibbles are slightly better than canned food at keeping plaque from accumulating on the teeth. There are veterinary dentist-approved foods and treats on the market that have shown that dogs eating these foods have less plaque and tartar build-up.

Canine products that have received the Veterinary Oral Health's Council seal of acceptance are as follows:

Bright Bites and Checkup Chews for Dogs - all sizes
Canine Greenies® - all sizes
Canine Greenies® Lite - all sizes
Canine Greenies® Senior - all sizes
Del Monte Tartar Check® Dog Biscuit: Small & Large sizes
Friskies Cheweez Beefhide Treats for Dogs
Eukanuba Adult Maintenance Diet for Dogs
Hartz Flavor Infused Oral Chews - Large Dogs and Small Dogs Sizes
Healthymouth antiplaque water additive
(Hill's) Prescription Diet Canine t/d: Original & Small Bites
Iams Chunk Dental Defense Diet for Dogs
Purina Veterinary Diets DH Dental Health brand Canine Formula
Purina Veterinary Diets DH Dental Health brand Small Bites Canine Formula
Purina Veterinary Diets Dental Chews brand Canine Treats
Science Diet Oral Care Diet for Dogs
Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews for Dogs
Vetradent Dog Chews marketed as 'Bluechews' and 'dc Dental Chews'
Vetradent Dog Chews - Small Size marketed as Baby Bluechews and dc Tiny Toy Dental Chews

Mechanical removal of plaque can also be accomplished by using toys such as Plaque Attacker dental toys, rope toys, or rawhide chips. Do not use toys that are abrasive and can wear down the teeth. If your dog is an aggressive chewer and likes to bite down, trying to crack the toy, you probably should not let the dog chew on that toy. For especially aggressive chewers, look for toys they cannot get their mouths around. Rawhide or other chews that soften as the dog chews are another option.

Information compliments of peteducation.com

Mine eat raw so i dont have a problem with plaque or anything like that.
My vet loves my dogs teeth and non doggy breath.
Im not sayin raw food is the way to go but some good old fashioned raw bones can work wonders for cleaning teeth.

I was going to reply to this too...

Koda has about 5 bones and you wouldn't believe the state of his teeth... they are perfectly healthy!

So, I guess we should add raw bones or marrow bones to the list of doggy dental foods :-p

I think y'all are gonna hate me for this, but I'm so into teeth so I gotta say it. I asked Gunny's vet today, the same vet that treats Sitka, and he said brushing daily is the best. He also mentioned that the bones made specifically for tartar removal and other chewing toys don't really do much to help keep teeth clean so brushing is the best way to go.

Oh, and I heard that the previous dentist at my office used to bring in his own dog to his office and clean his teeth in the chair! I wonder if Gunny will like coming to the dentist?

My dogs also eat raw and my vet is amazed by the condition their teeth are in, especially Dakota, who will be 11 next month. In fact, he stated that if he didn't know her age, he'd place her at 5 or 6 just by her teeth. I'm a bit lazy about brushing their teeth, so I guess the marrow bones work!

Good to know! Thanks Danielle and Gloria

I'm just wondering if anyone else brushes their dogs teeth? I have been brushing Icon's since he was a baby and he is great at it, I guess I am just wondering if anyone has mastered that particular art with an adult dog. I have tried with Ecko but she gets so stressed out. She really is so much different than Icon in terms of training and I don't know if I should attribute that to her age or to her previous owner/upbringing.

I'm going to throw this in the grooming forum. Great thread though.

These make great toothbrushes...


My idiots get them once a week. I've been doing it for about eight months now, and I was very surprised but pleased at the results. Then we occasionally throw in some raw marrow bones too. I wish I had thought to take pictures. Bubba had tartar buildup stretching almost to the tip of his canines. Now there's just a hint of it left.

Merged with the old topic and given a more appropriate name (old one was "Dental Issues" and was too broad).

We don't brush Koda's teeth, but he does get Marrow bones once a month so that his teeth stay clean. That's how dogs used to 'brush their teeth' in the wild

no brushing here but they love their rawhides and keep the teeth realy clean, been thinking about doing the dental power i keep hearing about and i was wondering about the raw boned chicken (is that the wings in the pic?) do you feed it out side? i just have an issure with the germs from the raw chicken all over the house.

Raw chicken bones (and raw chicken) is actually incredibly healthy and safe for them to eat. The bones only become brittle when you boil or cook them. Think about it... wild dogs/wolves don't cook the chickens and wild game that they eat... and how many of them have died from brittle bones

WOW, treats for the kids tomorrow.

How about cow legs do they cook them.

I would refer to the BARF sub-forum for a list of safely edible raw treats