Can I Brush My Dog’s Teeth with Baking Soda? You can brush your dog’s teeth with baking soda, but it’s not recommended since there are safer and more effective ways of removing plaque from a dog’s teeth.
Can I Brush My Dog’s Teeth with Baking Soda
Baking soda (Buy Online) is a useful cleaning agent that most people already use around their house. However, most people don’t know if it’s safe to use baking soda to brush a dog’s teeth.
In the following article, we’ll go over the pros & cons of using baking soda to brush a dog’s teeth. And if you keep reading you’ll also find some more effective and safer ways to brush your dog’s teeth.
Downsides of Using Baking Soda to Brush a Dogs Teeth
While baking soda isn’t poisonous it can cause problems when you use it to brush your dog’s teeth. First, baking soda is very alkaline (pH 9), and if your dog swallows too much baking soda it can upset the acid balance in their stomach.
Baking Soda also doesn’t taste good, and it can make a dog resistant to having their teeth brushed just to avoid the taste. It also tends to foam up and bubble, which can be a sensation that some dogs won’t tolerate.
Upsides of Using Baking Soda to Brush a Dogs Teeth
Baking soda is very abrasive and it’s pretty effective at scrubbing plaque off a dog’s teeth. Baking soda also has natural anti-bacterial properties that can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
Making baking soda toothpaste is simple, and it’s also inexpensive, and baking soda is readily available at most stores.
In most cases, you might have a box of baking soda lying around your house, so it can be tempting to use it to brush your dog’s teeth.
However, it’s best to avoid using baking soda to brush your dog’s teeth since there are better alternatives that are just as cost-effective, and they are also far superior at removing plaque from a dog’s teeth.
How To Clean a Dogs Teeth
Luckily there are more effective alternatives to baking soda if you want to safely brush a dog’s teeth. These include specially formulated enzymatic dog toothpaste, chew toys, water additives, and dental treats.
Dog Toothpaste
C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste
C.E.T Enzymatic Toothpaste (Buy Online) is the best dog toothpaste if you’re having trouble removing plaque from your dog’s teeth. This specially formulated toothpaste contains a special blend of enzymes that loosen plaque, and they will also help prevent tartar from forming on a dog’s teeth.
C.E.T Enzymatic Toothpaste is completely safe for a dog to swallow. And it has an appealing poultry flavor that makes it taste more like a treat and less like a toothpaste.
Overall, C.E.T Enzymatic Toothpaste is the most effective way to maintain a dog’s dental health, but if you’re interested in some easier methods to brush your dogs teeth without toothpaste then you’ll want to keep reading.
How To Brush Dogs Teeth Without Toothpaste
Pet MD Dog Breath Freshener Dental Wipes for Dogs
Pet MD Dog Breath Freshener Wipes (Buy Online) are a quick and easy way to care for your dog’s teeth. These wipes are great if you want to quickly freshen your dog’s breath after they eat. They are also textured, so they will scrub off stuck-on food, and they can also help remove plaque from your dog’s teeth.
Virbac C.E.T Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Large Dog Chews
Vibrac C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews (Buy Online) are a great way to keep your dog’s teeth clean every time you give them a treat. These dog chews contain the enzymes Lactoperoxidase and Glucose oxidase which help breakdown plaque on a dog’s teeth.
Vibrac C.E.T Oral Hygiene Chews are also high in fiber, so they will scrub the plaque off your dog’s teeth as they bite into the treat. In addition, they are a healthy dog treat since they contain 75% protein and 1% fat, so they won’t cause excessive weight gain.
Fresh Breath by TropiClean No Brushing Water Additive
Fresh Breath No Brushing Water Additive (Buy Online) will keep your dog’s teeth clean and keep their breath smelling fresh all day. This water additive contains natural anti-bacterial ingredients like green tea extract that helps kill bacteria. It also contains a natural tooth whitener that will gently remove unsightly brown stains from a dog’s teeth.
Arm and Hammer Advanced Care Dental Water Additive with Baking Soda for Dog’s
Arm & Hammer Advanced Water Additive for Dogs (Buy Online) helps fight tartar and bad breath. This colorless and flavorless liquid also helps ward off tooth decay since it contains Glucose Oxidase that helps remove plaque from a dog’s teeth.
Arm & Hammer Advanced Water Additive also contains a small amount of baking soda that has been pH balanced with the other ingredients to make it completely safe for your dog to swallow.
Is It Too Late To Brush Dogs Teeth
I’ve never brushed my dog’s teeth, is it too late to brush my dog’s teeth? It’s never too late to start brushing your dog’s teeth as long as their teeth and gums are still healthy.
If your dog’s teeth and gums still look like they are in good shape then you can start brushing their teeth with enzymatic dog toothpaste.
Just take it slow and be gentle when you brush your dog’s teeth since it can be a stressful experience especially if it’s the first time you’ve ever brushed their teeth.
Professional Dental Cleaning for Dogs
If your dog’s gums look infected then you should not brush their teeth since it could release toxic bacteria into their bloodstream.
If you’re dog’s teeth or gums look unhealthy you should take them to a veterinarian and have their teeth examined.
A veterinarian will have more tools at their disposal to perform a proper cleaning, and they can also prescribe medications to help control the risks associated with bacteria spreading into a dog’s bloodstream.
Live Veterinarian Chat
How To Clean Dog Teeth with Baking Soda
Here are some helpful tips if you’re still dead set on using baking soda to brush your dog’s teeth. Just make sure you try to keep your dog from swallowing too much baking soda so they don’t get an upset stomach.
Step 1
Scoop out 1 tablespoon of baking soda and place it in a bowl
Step 2
Then measure out 1 teaspoon of lukewarm water and add it to the bowl. Make sure to mix the water and baking soda thoroughly until it forms a thick paste.
Step 3
Grab a dog toothbrush and dip the bristles into the bowl with your homemade dog toothpaste.
Try to get an even layer of the baking soda paste on the toothbrush
Step 4
Have your dog sit down before you start brushing their teeth, and make sure they are relaxed so they don’t run away while you’re brushing their teeth.
Step 5
Pull your dog’s lip up and expose their teeth, and then place the toothbrush on their teeth at a 45-degree angle.
Step 6
Move the toothbrush in a circular motion and focus more effort on the gum line and upper part of the teeth.
Keep doing this until you finish one row of teeth then move onto the next row of teeth.
If you encounter any tough stuck-on plaque you might need to spend a little more time brushing that area.
Step 7
Keep adding more baking soda paste to the toothbrush as you go along, and try to keep your dog from swallowing too much of the paste.
If there is a lot of baking soda in their mouth you can rinse the toothbrush with water and remove some of the baking soda from their teeth
Step 8
Once you’re done you can give your dog some praise, or better yet you can give them a dental treat.
Step 9
If your dog still has some residual baking soda in their mouth you can give them some water to drink. You might also try adding a cap full of dental water additive to help freshen their breath and whiten their teeth.
