"Brush your teeth before you go to bed!!!" If you have kids, I'm sure you or your spouse has yelled that to them at some point in their life. Tooth and gum health is just as important for your pitbull. The condition of a dog's teeth indicate not only his age but also his health. Rotting and decaying teeth can lead to other problems and once they get to a certain point can cost lots of money to fix. So what steps can you take now to maintain or improve the health of your pitbull's mouth?
Please note that if your dog's teeth are rotting, severely decayed, or covered in plaque, you need to see your veterinarian before trying anything at home. Your dog may need professional dental work or may even need to have some teeth removed.
First, don't rush the process. If your dog is not used to things being put in her mouth, she's not just going to open up and say 'Ah.' If your pitbull is still a puppy, this should be fairly quick to accomplish. But even if you are starting with an adult pitbull, you can still succeed with some extra patience. Either way, you want to make toothbrushing a positive experience for your pitbull so take it slow. Start by massaging the outside of her mouth when you are petting her. Try to always begin oral contact when the dog is relaxed and happy. As she adjusts to this, progress to pulling back her lips to expose the teeth and gums for a few seconds, both in the front and on the sides. Once she consistently accepts that it's ok for you to touch and put pressure on her muzzle, you are ready to move on to the next step.
Find a dental spray at your local pet store. I always read labels for anything that I will be using on myself or my animals and I recommend you do the same. Make sure that you get a spray that is not just for fresher breath. We are focusing on the health of your pitbull's mouth, not the smell. So you need something that has enzymes that will fight bacteria on your pitbull's teeth and gums. Then just follow the directions. The one I use involves simply pulling up the lips to expose the molars (which he should already be used to) and spraying twice on each side. Even once you are able to do this, continue touching all over the muzzle.
Now, you need a dog toothbrush or finger brush - which I prefer - and some dog toothpaste. Most pet stores sell these together in a kit for your convenience. The toothpaste should also use enzymes to fight bacteria and I recommend getting a poultry or beef flavored toothpaste rather than a mint toothpaste for your pitbull. Generally, dogs don't like mint but they love meat so a meat flavor will make it easier to accept some foreign object in their mouths. Once again, don't rush. Put a bit of toothpaste on the brush you are using and let your pitbull sniff it and then lick it off, which they should do willingly if they find the smell appealing. Then put a generous amount of toothpaste on the brush, pull back one side of her mouth and sweep across the teeth and gums applying gentle pressure. Don't try to stay in her mouth for a long time at first. Begin with just getting toothpaste on as many teeth as possible. Remember, this is a happy experience. Then, gradually extend the amount of time you spend brushing each side and the front. Don't forget to work your way back to the molars.
So, now that you know how to do it, how often should you brush your pitbull's teeth? Well, how often do you brush yours? Every day. Likewise, daily would be ideal, but I'm realistic. With the busy schedules we keep these days, that probably will not happen. So aim for at least once a week, more often if possible. But you can also do other things to help your pitbull's mouth stay healthy. Feed him dry, crunchy food instead of semi-moist or wet food. Make sure he has something constructive to chew on like an aritificial bone or an extra tough chew toy. Doing those things will lead to friction that can discourage plaque from staying on his teeth. But toothbrushing is still important. So, adjust your pitbull slowly, keep the experience positive, and be consistent!
~ November 24, 2009
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