The secret to good oral health lies in a simple routine that best suits you and your pet's lifestyle. Although daily brushing is the gold-standard, brushing 2-3 times a week is enough to see a marked improvement. In-between brushing, why not consider additional care options from the Beaphar Dental Care Range.
Brushing takes just 60 seconds; aim to brush each quadrant of your pet's mouth for 15 seconds. Tongue-facing surfaces do not need brushing, as they benefit from the natural cleaning effect of the tongue. Even though brushing your pet's teeth won't take long it is still important to introduce your cat or dog to teeth cleaning slowly and always give them lots of praise.
The following steps should be achieved gradually. Do not move onto the next step until your pet is happy with the current step. The duration and frequency of each step needs to be built up steadily to avoid teeth cleaning becoming a stressful experience for both you and your pet.
1. Lift your pet’s lips to expose the teeth. Reinforce this by giving them lots of praise.
2. Once your pet is used to having their mouth touched on the outside, start running your finger along their teeth. The back and upper teeth are the parts of the mouth most prone to plaque and tartar, so focus on getting your pet used to these areas being touched.
3. When they are accustomed to this, introduce them to a small amount of Beaphar Toothpaste. Place some on your finger, allowing them to lick it off. The toothpaste is liver-flavoured and most pets love it.
4. When they are used to the taste and texture of the toothpaste, and having their mouth touched you can start to introduce a toothbrush. To do this, simply wet the bristles on the toothbrush and place some Beaphar Toothpaste on it.
5. Allow your pet to investigate and lick the liver-flavoured toothpaste off the toothbrush. Be sure to give them plenty of praise.
6. When they are comfortable with each of the steps, it is time to combine all elements of the training. Start by brushing a few teeth on this session and gradually build-up each time until all their teeth can be cleaned for a total of 60 seconds, aiming to brush each quadrant of their mouth for 15 seconds.
Ensure you thoroughly clean the toothbrush after each use. For best results, use with a brush from the Beaphar Toothbrush Range.
Make sure you always have a bowl of fresh drinking water available after brushing.
