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Dental cleaning next wk for toy poodle

9K views 43 replies 16 participants last post by  fjm 
Those teeth do look pretty rotten, and probably painful for her. Have removed whatever teeth the vet says need to go and do the cleaning of what’s left.
I’m sorry you’re feeling bad about this. But from here on out you will be her oral health champion.
I don’t think water additives, wipe on gel, or dental chews are enough. just regular old teeth brushing is the only way to keep dog’s teeth from getting bad or worse.

These toothbrushes are the ones I use for my mini. She has very small teeth and a small mouth like your toy. the heads on this brush are smaller and softer than the small end of the typical double ended pet toothbrush. Someone else here on poodle forum recommended them, that’s how I found them.


I originally started with silicone over the finger brushes but I personally found them harder to use than small headed regular toothbrushes.

Wait a several days for the soreness of her dental cleaning/extractions to resolve, then look into brushing her teeth. She’s not gonna like it, you’ll just train her to tolerate it enough to get it done. Her gums will still bleed for awhile when you first start brushing. Make sure you use a VOHC approved toothpaste. Those are the only ones that have shown effectiveness to reduce plaque and tartar on the teeth. I’ve only ever used Petsmile brand in the London broil flavor and my dog thinks it’s a treat.

I brush my dog’s teeth 3-4 times a week (I should do more). I will do a cleaning under anesthesia whenever the vet thinks it’s needed. But my dog is only 1 and not needing it yet.
 
I would be anxious too. I’ve had to put my puppy under anesthesia twice in the past 4 months, once to extract retained baby teeth and once for her spay (2 days ago!). That’s always nerve wracking. It’s scary to not know how many teeth need to come out. She’s gonna be bouncy and happy after it’s done though.

It’s very hard to see and get to what you need to brush, especially the sides and back teeth.
The thing I do that helps me is I have Lacey lay on my lap facing left or right. I take my index finger of my left hand (I’m right handed) and stick it in between her cheek and teeth along the side. I gently stretch cheek and lips outward away from the teeth and pull the corner of the mouth backward to expose the teeth further back. I maneuver the left finger however I need hold the cheek and lip out of the way to see and get to the teeth on the top and bottom on that side.
Then I flip her so she’s lying on my lap facing the other way and do the same thing on the other side.
I only focus on brushing the outside facing surfaces of the teeth since the tongue is constantly rubbing against the inside surface. Maybe that’s not the correct thing to do, but it’s what I do.
She constantly tries to lick the toothbrush the whole time and close her mouth, so it’s not the easiest process. A few times during the process I let her close her mouth to quickly rest her jaw and swallow. If your dog won’t let you put your finger in her mouth, hopefully you can use treats to train her to get used to that over time!

I tried to take a pic but it’s kind of hard to take myself and at such close range. Lacey is lying on a pillow on my lap facing to my left, and that is my left hand sticking my finger into her cheek. I normally have the finger more parellel to her cheek and a bit deeper into her mouth.

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Edit to add: it’s easier position the toothbrush holding hand over the top of the left hand that’s holding the lip and cheek.
When puppy is facing left it’s harder to brush that side. I hold the toothbrush like this:

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