Regular dog tooth cleaning will prevent a lot of dental problems as your dog ages. And starting to brush your puppy's teeth when he is young will get him used to the idea, making it much easier for you to provide preventative dog dental care.

Unless dogs mouths are regularly touched when they are puppies, they will grow up to be difficult when you or the vet tries to examine them. It's easy to desensitize your dog to being examined like this. Just spend 5 minutes a day touching his lips, opening his mouth, touching the teeth and gums, when he is a puppy. Do it in a very calm and relaxed way, and do it regularly. This is also a great idea if your dog is around children, as he won't be alarmed should they touch his mouth.

Dog tooth cleaning should not be done with the same toothpaste that we use, as it can harm them. There are special dog toothpastes and dog toothbrushes available on both the internet and at local pet stores.

The best way to get your dog used to brushing is to put a small amount of the toothpaste on a cotton ball and rub it on his teeth. Dog toothpaste is made to taste good to dogs, so the flavor shouldn't be an issue. Once he's used to this, try using a finger brush. You can also get these from your vet or pet shop. For larger breeds, you will want to then move onto using a dog toothbrush.

Regular brushing of dog teeth will help remove the calculus and bits of food in your dog's mouth. Other ways of helping remove calculus include using special rawhide dog chews that are made for dental care. CET are one recommended company that make their dog chews with a special enzyme that helps prevent plaque forming, and prevents the buildup of bacteria. And the chews themselves have a natural, abrasive action.

Other dog tooth health products include special dental care food, that generally works by having a slightly abrasive action. These are available from your vet.

Often dogs will still need a dental treatment from the vet as they age. Dogs have to be sedated to do this, though only a light anaesthetic is used. An oral exam will be performed first to see if there are teeth that need to be removed, and x-rays can show any cracked or diseased teeth.

Veterinary dog tooth cleaning involves scaling the teeth to remove tartar both above and below the gum line. Teeth are then polished, which prevents plaque from adhering to the surface. Vets generally then give your dog a fluoride treatment to help strengthen the enamel and also prevent plaque forming. Any diseased and broken teeth are pulled out at this point. Vets who are specialized in canine dental care can give your dog any root canals or similar treatments, but this is not a routine procedure with regular vets and may need a referral.

If your vet recommends a professional dog tooth cleaning, it's important to follow through with it. Dental disease can lead to bacteria going into the bloodstream and causing potentially fatal kidney problems or infections with the heart valves.