Doggy Dental Care: What You Can Do at Home to Support Your Dog’s Oral Health

“Dog breath” might be an age‑old insult for us brutal Brits, but modern pet owners are now more aware of the importance of oral health than in the past. And who knows, maybe one day “dog breath” will be a compliment. It’s not as far‑fetched as it sounds, because there’s a lot you can do at home to keep your dog’s mouth healthy.

To support your dog’s oral health, it helps to understand what the risks are. Dogs’ mouths work similarly to ours. When they eat, tiny food particles stick to the enamel of the teeth. If these particles aren’t removed, bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugars and starches and form a sticky biofilm called plaque.

If plaque stays on the tooth, minerals in the saliva mix with it and cause it to harden into tartar (dental calculus). Tartar attracts even more bacteria and creates the perfect environment for them to thrive. This leads to inflammation of the gums, known as gingivitis. Once bacteria get under the gumline, they begin to damage the supporting structures of the tooth leading to periodontal disease, a condition that requires veterinary treatment.

Without veterinary intervention, periodontal disease can progress to advanced stages. Bacteria can eventually enter the bloodstream, travel through the body and contribute to wider health problems, including heart disease.

As humans, we brush our teeth twice a day to remove food particles and plaque before they harden into tartar. You can absolutely do this for your dog at home. Manual toothbrushes and dog‑friendly toothpaste are widely available. Just remember that human toothpaste contains fluoride, which is toxic to dogs, so always choose pet‑safe products.

Tartar takes around two to three days to form and becomes hard like rock. A manual toothbrush can’t remove tartar once it’s formed, but it can prevent more from building up by removing the plaque on top. So even if your dog already has a little tartar, brushing is still worthwhile.

Ultrasonic toothbrushes, such as Emmi‑Pet and Cleany Teeth, use ultrasound to create nano‑sized oxygen bubbles that can work their way between the enamel and tartar. This helps to gently break down the bond between tartar and the tooth so it can be pushed away safely. Sessions must be kept to a suitable length to avoid heat build‑up in the pulp, so removing heavy tartar may take more than one appointment.

If there’s a significant amount of tartar, it may already have damaged the gum tissue, and there may be subgingival tartar that an ultrasonic brush cannot reach. Tartar is visible as a brown build‑up, usually at the gumline. Plaque is invisible to the naked eye so if you can see it, it’s tartar.

Ultrasound is completely silent, so unlike vibrating human toothbrushes, Emmi‑Pet and Cleany Teeth brushes make no noise at all. They’re one of the best tools we have for preventing periodontal disease.

At Hardwick Hounds, we’re trained to recognise signs of dental problems that require veterinary attention, and we will always refer you to a vet if we spot anything concerning. Only a vet can diagnose and treat dental disease, so be sure to keep up with your annual health checks.