How to reduce plaque
 

My little doggy keeps getting plaque build up and I want to know how to reduce the amount if not completely eliminate it.

Any ideas?

Brushing and dentals as needed.

Can it remove it all? i dont like the idea of my dog being put to sleep to have her teeth cleaned. She gets nervous travelling, and is terribly shy at the vet

Brushing is the best.

My Jackson is a nervous wreck at the vets - I have to often give him Trazodone for anxiety. He hates going, I hate leaving him, but he's had... 3 or 4 dentals now? and he will be 10 this year. Some pups have one every year.

I hate it so much I legit cried after I dropped him off at his last one in November. He lost six lower incisors :( So he REALLY needed it. Dentals under anesthesia are really so important, always get x-rays first so they can see what is going on under the gumline.

In the mean time, check out the list of VOHC approved products. They've had studies and trials and proven to be effective at removing tarter.

In addition, some products I like-
CET toothpaste
Proden Plaqueoff
Vetriscience Perio Powder
Petzlife gel or spray

I rotate between items. I also give some kind of dental chew, either purina dentalife or a Greenie or something like that before bed.

yea i have been grooming her myself. getting mass amounts of dead hair as it seems to build up fast.xcx ill look into it

It’s the best way because it gets under the gum line. Bad teeth can actually cause heart and other organ issues. There are some dogs that have to do it yearly.

oof. I hope she doesn't freaks out.... i wish I could do it for her instead but i wouldnt know how....

do you think I'd be allowed to stay and watch? Last time it was done it wasnt cleaned as well... they missed the back teeth.

That’s why they put then under anesthesia so they can’t feel it or get anxious. They also have to intubate them so the water the use doesn’t get aspirated. You can’t watch. She had a dental done before?

Yeah last year.... She means the world to me. My best friend imho, even in comparison to my two legged friends. I want her to be happy, healthy and live the best life I could possibly offer her.

My Cali has a terrible mouth and is the plaque queen.mmteeth brushed every day with PetSmile (VOHC approved) and she loves the taste. She also gets a dental every 3 to 4 months, since we have been doing this she has not lost any more teeth.

What causes plaque build up if you brush her teeth daily? Although I hear you're supposed to brush your teeth after every meal because plaque hardens in 2 hours or so.


I will look onto petsmile.

I get the PetSmile at Amazon usually. Since I started doing it every day the plaque has decreased tremendously.

What about twice a day? I mean people are supposed to brush their teeth after every meal or at the very least twice a day. Would it be a bad idea to clean her teeth after her meal, set of treats? and before bed? If I manage to get her used to it. I mean I did get her to get used to brushing her fur for hours..... one day a week to remove fur build up.

What else can I do?

My late senior, Katy, did not have plaque issues.

I understand that brushing helps prevent buildup, but it isn't considered sufficient to eradicate existing buildup.

Likely you won't know how serious things are until the vet observes the x-rays and then performs the cleaning. Depending on what is learned, often from the x-ray, the vet may need to extract some teeth.

Were I in your shoes, I probably wouldn't begin a brushing regiment until after the dental cleaning. Yorkies are famous for masking pain--if there is any existing infection, tooth brushing could be very painful. I wouldn't want to risk my pup associating brushing with lots of pain. (I'm sure it is awkward enough for them in the beginning.)

After the dental, your vet can advise you on whether to begin brushing right away, or to wait a short period while the gum line heals up.

While the gum heals, would it be good to just apply something to their mouth without brushing?

Possibly. The vet performing the dental can advise you.

true. i have a mentality of prevention is better than the cure

None of us can know in advance just how much "healing" will be required.

True. Does 800$ sound okay for a dental? Also I am thinking of pet insurance that covers yearly dentals, check ups and shots when needed. Any idea on any that cover as much as possible?

Our insurance didn’t cover the full cost of everything based on caps for the service . The reimbursement did help. Cost is dependent on location. In my area it’s crazy expensive so take that into consideration. Call at least vets, make sure they are accredited by the dental vet association, interview and then use the cost comparison to make the best choice .

Some yorkies have worse teeth than others , it is a genetic component in my opinion . I’d start your new regimen after you have had the dental for maintenance.

I use CET toothpaste and chews . We brush 2-3x a week , I could do more but that’s what I’m doing consistently. We bought Healthy Mouth water additive and will apply that once a week to her teeth as well . Emma’s teeth were cleaned in February and there’s little to no plaque build up or terrible breath.

You’ve gotten some good suggestions so far , but yes please consider a dental . I doubt the vet will let you sit in on the procedure . I know she’s your baby and best friend but the dog will be fine . I think we’ve all experienced the anxiety around such procedures.

$800 for a dental is a little high, if there are no tooth removals. For that price, they'd better not skip cleaning any teeth. But yes, dentals are essential, and no, they won't let you watch, since it's under anesthesia and practically a surgical procedure, especially if there are any tooth extractions.

According to my small animal clinical nutrition textbook, once daily brushing is sufficient. Just be thorough.

I would be afraid over brushing would irritate the mouth. I wouldn’t do it more then twice a day.

Usually they advise you not to anything with there mouth for 2 weeks after a dental.

Sounds about right as far as cost goes. I looked into that kind of pet insurance and it was pretty pricy. I decided just to get illness and injury ( will also cover genetic issues) insurance. I get reimbursed 80% after my $250 deductible. I pay $92 for three. My oldest doesn’t have any because she has way to many pre existing conditions and it would be useless. Google pet insurance. There is one that covers that stuff but I can’t remember which one. I have healthy paws which is rated the best but doesn’t cover what you are looking for.

Teeth
 

I well understand how you feel about the anesthetic cleaning. I hate that, but it is the only way to get the teeth thoroughly cleaned and detect teeth that need extraction. But if precautions such as pre tests and hydration etc are done I have found the procedure safe and effective.
As for the cost, it depends on what is included. I tend to get whatever the vet suggests, and always get the pain and antibiotic meds injected, that prevent me having to administer them to a dog who may not be eating or is stressed. As my dog has an acidy stomach and gets sick if he goes without food for a long time, as in fasting surgery or dentals, he gets a shot of Famatodine the morning of the dental and it keeps his stomach happy. So for all this I have paid as much as $800. If you get a detailed estimate you can decide what you are comfortable doing. Certainly it is worth pre dental blood and urine tests.
Insurance that covers all you suggest you would like is very expensive, and I never did that. Even if it covers dentals and other procedures, they may not cover the cost of the complete treatment you might desire. Any insurance proposal has to be read very carefully, and comparisons have to be with apples and apples. I found it very difficult to do this because of the different coverages and exclusions etc. There are web sites that help with this selection process and also advice from people here who have insurance.

Wow thanks I feel reassured. I will check with my vet. As long as every tooth is cleaned I don't mind.

Twice a day sounds okay. I wonder if there's something else I can add to keep it 99% clean. I know dogs teeth deteriorate as they age but I want to reduce pain.

An old thread which I just queried has several suggestions you can implement after the dental, "Bone to clean teeth?". In addition to brushing,

*Right-sized raw meaty bones (NOT cooked bones)--but do some reading and check with your vet. Some folks worry about that chewing on bones can cause a tooth to break.
*CET Chews (product)
*Leba III (product)
*PetzLife Oral Care Gel (product)

Yet another thread, "Concerned about yorkie teeth" has more suggestions.

*Healthy Mouth (product)
*Purina DentalLife Chews (product)
*Vetriscience Perio powder (product)
*Proden Plaqueoff (product)

That sounds perfect. Thank you I will look into them.

I would also be extremely concerned about raw not just breaking teeth but the dangerous of it. Unless you are fully bathing them and their face and completely cleaning their mouth out after giving raw then they are spreading germ that can be harmful especially to people with low immune systems. Once a dog has raw in their mouth it gets into the water dish when they drink and all over any where they put their face. This can be a real risk. Vet associations are very against raw. Also I would never buy any Purina treats they were the makers of the chicken jerky that kill hundreds on hundreds of dogs and they refused to pull it for years and when they finally did they just put it right back out there so are they really trustworthy?