Recommendations for choosing toothpaste for dogs

The quality of life of a dog directly depends on the health of the teeth. The stronger and stronger her jaw is, the longer the dog will live, and this life will be healthy and happy. That is why you should not neglect the oral hygiene procedures for pets. And this will help a properly selected dog toothpaste.

The dog, in fact, is deprived of the opportunity to brush his teeth on his own. But over time, plaque accumulates on them, and pathogenic bacteria do their job, destroying tooth enamel. Dogs, like humans, suffer from tartar, they have halitosis (bad breath), and periodontal disease, in which the gums are destroyed, the teeth become wobbly. This can cause their early loss, and the dog will not be able to eat the usual food, digestion and metabolism are disturbed.

Veterinarians do not recommend brushing your dog’s teeth with human toothpaste. Ordinary pasta, which is familiar to us all, is not suitable for dogs. It contains rather large amounts of xylitol and lauryl sulfate, which are not dangerous for humans in a small amount, but can pose a serious danger to an animal.

If you use ordinary human paste for a dog, the dog quickly begins to feel bad, because he basically does not understand that you can’t swallow pasta.If a person begins to brush his teeth and swallow the cleaning composition, he will soon become ill too. To teach the dog to spit paste in the sink, as we understand it, there is absolutely no way - the dog simply does not have such a reflex and mimic skill as spitting. But because the usual composition of toothpastes, even the best and most expensive, is toxic for pets.

For dogs, special formulations are developed that will not harm either a small puppy, a bitch awaiting the appearance of offspring, or an elderly dog ​​with a fragile health due to age.

In the zoological paste there is purified water that dissolves solid ingredients, titanium dioxide, which removes a whitish bacterial plaque. Sorbitol helps to slightly sweeten the mass so that the dog does not feel so disgusted with the owner to hygiene her mouth. Sodium triphosphate helps to cope with plaque, including hard deposits. There are preservatives in the composition of veterinary pastes, without them the product will not be stored, it will deteriorate. But relatively neutral sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate were chosen as preservatives. Enzymes dissolving food residues between the teeth of the animal are also introduced into the composition, and sodium bicarbonate whitens the teeth of the pet.

Almost all dog pastes contain flavors that are pleasant for dogs. If people mainly prefer mint, cedar and coniferous pastes, then for dogs it is easy to find a paste with the taste of meat, vanilla, nuts, tomato or milk: if you wish, you can choose the right taste for the most fastidious animals.

Dogs very often injure their mouth by chewing on another toy or bone. They are simply incapable of complaining of minor wounds in the oral cavity, and therefore, for the most part, even caring and attentive owners may not be aware that a shaggy friend generally has such a problem. Natural components in the composition will help to heal such small wounds more quickly, which will significantly improve the condition of the dog and its mood.

First of all, read the composition of the product. This is a very important characteristic of veterinary toothpaste. If you see goods from an unknown company in the store, but for the offer, cheaply, do not rush to sweep it off the shelf for the future - there is a lot of counterfeit goods on the pet products market. And fake pasta, if its "authors" are not aware of the requirements for the composition, can be deadly for your animal. It is better to use the products of time-tested and millions of dogs of firms that have earned trust in the quality of their goods.

Shelf life must be checked without fail. It is indicated on the package. If the paste is expired, then there is no guarantee of its safety. The packaging must be intact, and the tube securely and tightly closed.

Even if you have chosen, in your opinion, the perfect product, do not rush to immediately experience its effect on the pet. Open the tube, inspect the contents. The paste should be uniform, without lumps. If it has an uneven color or is too liquid, this indicates that the goods were stored with violations, and you can not use paste.

For dogs, pastas began to be released not so long ago - only at the beginning of the new millennium. It is difficult to say how the motives of manufacturers were dictated at the initial stage. There are suggestions that thirst to earn more on the love of the owners for their four-legged friends and companions, since the compositions then were far from ideal and looked more like human ones.

In the understanding of man, pasta is something thick and viscous, in a tube. In relation to dog paste, there may be other options: it is available in the form of a regular paste, in the form of a spray for irrigation of the oral cavity and gums, in the form of a gel that can be easily applied to teeth and gums without rinsing, and also in the form of hard tablets, which the dog is invited to chew with all diligence.

German pasta. The composition is considered one of the most hypoallergenic and safe to date. In the package you can find not only a tube of paste, but also a special brush, the design of which is convenient for applying the substance to the animal’s teeth. This tool is recommended for dogs that are prone to the formation of mineral hard deposits on tooth enamel. It also freshens the breath of the animal well.

This is also a set, and it includes a universal double-sided brush that cleans gums, teeth and the surface of the tongue. One side of the brush is adapted to the anatomical features of the jaws of small dog breeds and puppies of all breeds. The second half of the brush is designed for adult dogs of medium and large breeds. Also in the package you can find two special thimble brushes that are worn on the owner’s finger. This is a great option for restless and swivel animals that can’t stand still for even a few minutes. The paste itself has a balanced composition with natural ingredients. Everything is made in the USA.

A gel-like option, completely useless in the presence of even starting plaque, but perfectly preventing the formation of stones and mineral deposits at the base of the teeth. It has a moderately antibacterial effect. It is not necessary to force the dog to brush his teeth if the dog fiercely resists. You can simply add a little gel-like substance to your pet’s food. He will not even notice how he will get something useful along with tasty.

This spray is easy to spray into the animal's oral cavity. The formulation was developed by a veterinary laboratory in the Netherlands and is completely safe to swallow. The cost is quite high, but the reviews are extremely positive.

The product is available in solid tablet form. Perfectly relieves the dog of bad breath. Pills have a beckoning meat smell, like dogs, and therefore do not have to persuade the animal to gnaw such a cleaning agent for a long time. It can be used autonomously, or in combination with paste from the same manufacturer.

These are wet wipes with which you can clean your dog's oral cavity. They have a slight whitening effect, they cope well with halitosis. It is undesirable to use separately, the best effect can be achieved if applied simultaneously with any of the above tools.

If you choose by price, then the most affordable are products of the 8 in 1 series - from 270 rubles. The most expensive is Dental Fresh - its cost exceeds 700 rubles.

This is quite real. Safe and effective may be homemade composition of natural clay and water.If you cook this paste for the future, add a natural preservative, for example, sage oil or honey, if the dog does not have allergic reactions to beekeeping products. For 50 grams of clay and water, you need only a teaspoon of honey or a couple of drops of sage oil.

If you want to whiten dog teeth, add about half a teaspoon of sea salt to the composition. Please note that salt should be edible, not bath. Homemade homemade mixtures do not store for more than 2.5 weeks. Then you need to prepare a new composition.

Do not expect your puppy or adult dog to be very enthusiastic about dental hygiene procedures, so you should also train your dog in brushing your teeth. First give a try, and as soon as the taste becomes familiar, proceed to cleaning.

An overview of Trixie dog toothpaste in the video below.