No, that is not true in most cases based upon my experience. If you have a pup that it works for for many, many years it is because the pup just happens to have good teeth and you are very lucky!. Most yorkies have dental issues and, while brushing teeth may help some, it will not for that long.

Never had problems with my Yorkies. I brushed them at least 3x a week. I try to make it everyday and usually do but at times I get behind. I know 2 Show...breeders that there dogs all have good teeth. Only dog I ever had a problem with was my old Pom. Coouldn't get in there to brush. Very small mouth. And he didn't like to chew. JME

It is genetics, plain and simple. I have tried the daily brushing and all it did was perhaps extend the need for a dental a month or so...but NOT many, many years.
You are fortunate if your yorkies don't need dentals. All of mine do.
I have seen many, many yorkies from all sorts of breeders and they are not immune to dental issues.

Dunno but none of my dogs ever had bad teeth except the Pom. He also was the only none chewer. I also feed hard veggies. No soft foods. Even if they say hard food kibble isn't any better I believe soft food coat the teeth more and make it hard hard brush. But to be clear I do have dentals done on my Dogs. Just no teeth get pulled out from being bad. Not until they get old then maybe have one or two. I will do a dental if they get altered while they are under or anytime they need to go under if it happens. And at least every other year if the teeth look clean. Mokie teeth are white and have no Tarter. But he's only ~14mo. My only current pup. JME

I thought you had said that before...that you do dentals. So...really you don't know that there would be no issues if you did not brush. That's all I was really saying..that if a dog is prone to dental issues, brushing will not replace professional cleaning.

Miss communication. When I think of dentals I think of teeth extraction. Because when ppl talk about Dentals they always say how many teeth were pulled. I mean more that is you brush all the time and let you dog chew they maybe able to keep there teeth :D. I do Dentals also. So everytime Dentals was mentioned in this thread my mind automatically thinks why do they need to get there teeth pulled so much .:confused:. The Vet always say my Dogs teeth as so clean he hardly needs to do any work.
Just like ppl you can brush keep your teeth clean but still need to go for checkups. Basically if you don't brush there guaranteed build up on the teeth. No doubt brushing will help remove Tarter.
Moki was getting staining on his Molars. I brushed it out. Still yellow but not brown. I will stand firm that brushing helps.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...psa7f0438a.jpg

Exactly!! No...dentals do not mean extractions..it happens but that is not what we mean when we talk about them.
Yes, you are right that brushing can help but is not going to replace is what I am saying. Yes, it will remove tartar but when plaque starts to form it is brutal.
My pups all get dentals on average about once/year. Some need them sooner..and some can stretch out a bit more.

I live near Canada, (one foot over the border) and there Dr's., vets etc, are very expensive, many who live near border come to this side of the border for such.

Great thread thanks for the information...all of it! I really learned a lot here from all of you.

Okay finlly were on the same page.:D My Pom had to get dentals once a year. He could have used them more but he was small and not good with anesthesia. Barely could brush his teeth and he wasn't a chewer. Many ppl might not agree but chewing imo helps alot. When I watch Moki chew it like he's rubbing his teeth on the object. But I'm always a firm believe whatever works keep doing it. Not everything works the same. You dogs health will let you know.

I agree that chewing helps...just does not prevent all of it. My one pup who loves her nylabones is one that can go every 1 - 1.5 years. I suppose it could have nothing to do with it because we really don't know about the genetic part of it; but I do think it is helping her.

I am kind of confused. I mean, if brushing barely helps, then why even brush at all? Why not just get professional dentals every year and skip the added time and energy put into brushing?

But my goal is to not get dental cleanings... at least as few as possible. Which is why I try to brush every night. I noticed a HUGE difference with his teeth the moment I got lazy and just stopped brushing, hence why I got him another professional cleaning. But I will avoid them for as long as I can. Not to mention the expense, but the stress it puts on my dog to go through it is enough to remind me to brush every day.

With that said, I feel like if you're only brushing like once or twice a week, it's kind of pointless, and might as well not. No less than every other day IMO or it's a waste (veterinary dental specialist told me the same thing).

But he had his first cleaning at (just turned)3yrs, in Nov. 2011. Second cleaning at 4.5 years old in April 2013. I fully intend on not getting him a professional dental for at least 2-3 more years. And I know it will not be needed if I continue with brushing and keeping up with his oral care.

What happened last time was, I pretty much stopped brushing and all oral care in Nov. 2012. Got out of habit, holiday's, laziness, and then just after getting out the habit, I'd just forget. I'd remember once I was laying in bed, half asleep, lol... between Nov-April with zero oral care happening, I noticed the build up had gotten fairly bad (but still, our vet was pretty happy with his teeth, said "they weren't BAD by any means" but she was happy I brought him in for preventative reasons).

Okay, anyway, I am rambling. But I don't see a need for yearly cleanings unless it's truly necessary... I do not think a tiny bit of yellowing, etc, is enough to put my dog under. Even though I am a FULL advocate of the importance of professional dental cleanings and think oral care in our pets is so much more important than most people make it out to be. But I think case-by-case basis should be taken into account too.

Oh, FWIW, I do think chewing helps, but not a replacement for brushing for sure!

I'm a firm believer in Brushing. I mean don't brush your teeth for a week and see all the build up? Eat an Apple it's refreshing to your mouth. Like chewing?? If you hunt you may go all day without brushing and it feels bad. I still think 2-3x a week is better then nothing. But it harder. If you do it or try to everyday the pup will let you. it's routine then. Otherwise it's just a fight. Whatever works best for your dog. most ppl think what they do is best anyways :D. At least debating how why or should you brush you dogs teeth is better then alot of other Topics I read here :eek: IMO.

All I am saying is that brushing will not prevent the need for dentals. The length of time it gives I think depends a lot on each dog.

Indeed!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I have my dogs teeth cleaned by a vet every 2-3 years. My vet charges $211 for the teeth cleaning with a blood workup for $62 before the surgery. I don't think I would or could pay $900..

I THINK we can all agree that chewing helps remove some tartar, not prevent it. Brushing helps, but doesn't prevent it either. Soft food def creates more tartar faster but so does chewing on kibble but slower than soft food. Depending on where you are Dental cleaning ranges from $200+...but $900 is ridiculous loll!
Now, my question is for those w/pups that you brush their teeth everynight & they don't need bi/annual cleanings or even had to do cleaning for years...what toothpaste do you use & what do you feed? Bc I brush my guys teeth every night & the girls still have so much gunk forming on their back molars right below their gum line. It's not that bad now, but I can see yellow stuff. This is why I'm thinking it's genetics, bc Princess is Mimi's daughter, but Turbo who is Mimi's son has white teeth. BTW, they eat 100% soft food, moistened kibble, sometimes mixed w/canned food & they don't get any kind of chews.

Moki chews. Eats Fromms with meats. Get veggies/fruit for snacks. Sure some maybe genetic but I brush the back of his Molars. I brush tooth by tooth. Its routine. I've had many dogs that let me. Only one that didn't had bad teeth. I figure any plague that is removed always helps. For ppl who think it doesn't work at all don't brush your teeth for 2 days. Look at the build up. Some ppl get more plaque then others but we all will get build up if we don't brush. I just use the Dog toothpaste forget the brand right now. JME

Mine all lets me brush their teeth except Momo...he's the only one who had 3 small molars pulled, but I'm not even sure if all 3 were bad. Bc he has impacted saliva glands & I think the vet removed the very back ones bc she thought they were causing his saliva glands problems. I think this bc she was sure that pulling those teeth would solve the saliva gland issue (which was sent to be tested & it came back as salivary tissue) but it had not.:( They're still hard as almonds & shaped like them too. When I asked her about it @ the recheck, she said 'That's just Momo'. WTFreak? She is no longer our vet. Anyway, getting way off topic!

I believe daily brushing helps tremendously, along w/a good chew (raw meaty bones would be best, or just even chewing on the raw meat helps like Teegy mentioned) & for those not comfortable w/raw meat (like me), dental cleanings will do.

I all I can is I believe it helps. Still get Dentals. If they aren't pulling teeth great. If you don't brush I think thats no help at all. And the dog will get more build up more chace of getting decay and gum disease. I can look at my dogs teeth and see if they look bad and maybe need teeth pulled? Can see decay. Ppl will do what they do. Doesn't matter. I brush thats what I do

Has anyone ever used Tropiclean gel and water additive for their
Yorkies teeth? Does it work ?

When it comes to dentals, I don't think there is a one size fits all kind of solution. Every dog is different and may have different dental needs and what may work for one may not for another. You find what works and keep up with it, there is only so much we can do. Dentals are great but they too are short limited. And unfortunately genetics plays a huge role in this. So you can brush, scale, have professional dentals all you want and it still isn't enough for some because genetics love to mess it all up.

Think about this, all dogs have about 44 teeth. From your Great Dane to your Yorkie. Now think about the mouth size. The yorkie still has to fit in as many teeth as a great dane but with less room in their mouth to work with. So of course yorkies are going to have more dental issues and the smaller the mouth, the more crowded the teeth are and the more possibilities of dental problems.

Bottom line is find what works for you and your dog and stick with it.

Genetics may pay a role. But brushing is helping everyday vs not. You may need dentals more often. Great Danes also have alot bigger teeth so they maybe just as crowded in proportion. But it would be easier to brush. IMO regardless not brushing there teeth to me isn't gonna help.Brushing will help more then less. Maynot work as well on one dog vs the other but it will. To me thats like saying a Yorkie can't run cuz there to small?? They need exercise also. I also see ppl who won't let there dogs run JMO everyone may not agree

Hi all, all the way from the UK

I have read with interest the comments about dental costs and feeding raw meat.

I agree that sometimes vets will charge the earth for dental work and this was proved with my vet. Molly went to be spayed and I asked the vet to give her teeth a quick check and clean whilst she was asleep. The vet this could not be done and it would be another job at cost of £150.00!!! Vets know how to charge these days.

With regards to feeding raw food, Molly, won't eat any meat at all except sausage!!! she was a rescue dog and just will not eat meat of fish of any description except a grilled sausage. She only eats fruit, veg and rice and loves a cup of tea. My vet has said that as she has gained weight (she was very under nourished and in poor health when I adopted her) and is a picture of health there is nothing wrong with giving her pork.

Many years ago and today is still a favourite with breeders fresh raw meat is the most natural food for a dog to eat as is chewing on a good meaty bone.

If Molly would eat meat, she would get fresh raw meat every day along with her fruit and veg of course (I wish my kids and loved them so much when they were little!!)

Best Cat and Dog Nutrition (BCDN) by Roger Biduk This is a very thorough and extensive 37 page website about holistic veterinary, cat/dog nutrition and what pet food companies and veterinarians don't or won't tell you. It will always be a a little information on food and diet