Dental Care for Russian Toy Terriers: Tartar and Plaque Removal

As with humans, a dog's teeth are a unique indicator of health. However, for us humans, it's easier to take care of our teeth, as we can seek dental care at the slightest discomfort, inflammation, or pain.

A dog cannot visit the dentist on its own, nor can it tell you about its dental problems. Therefore, only your attention and care can help prevent the development of many diseases that arise from dental issues.

What Causes Tartar Buildup on Dogs' Teeth

Brushing your pet's teeth is not a whim but a necessary reality. The fact is that if you neglect the condition of your dog's canines and incisors, hard plaque will form and adhere to the teeth.

We won't dwell on what tartar looks like, as it is not particularly different from human tartar.

There are several reasons why tartar appears on dogs' teeth, all related to the processes of the digestive system:

• improper diet for the dog. Keeping dogs at home has gradually led to a departure from natural teeth cleaning. Wild carnivorous animals, including dogs, do not need dental care, as tearing and chewing their prey naturally cleans their canines and incisors.

Dog owners often include soft foods and canned goods in their pet's diet, which do not require prolonged chewing.

As a result, there is no natural friction of hard food against the canines and incisors, leading to tartar formation.

• disrupted water-salt balance in the body with increased acidity of saliva also promotes tartar buildup on teeth. Here, too, there is a clear connection with improper nutrition, which, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, leads to such problems.
• excessive sugar content in the dog's food.

Is It Necessary to Remove Tartar from Dogs' Teeth?

Tartar itself does not pose a direct threat to a dog's life. However, the secondary factor that manifests as complications in the form of chronic gum inflammation and tooth loss significantly undermines the animal's health.

An unpleasant odor from the mouth is not the worst thing that tartar on canines and incisors can provoke. Tartar is literally teeming with bacteria that multiply at an astonishing rate, capable of causing cavities, gingivitis, bleeding gums, loosening, and loss of teeth. This can lead to intoxication of the dog's body, gastrointestinal problems, and sepsis. We won't go further into that.

We believe this information is sufficient to convince you not only of the feasibility but also of the necessity of monitoring your dog's teeth, cleaning them, and removing tartar.

Removing Tartar from Dogs

There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to "how tartar is removed from dogs' teeth." Hardened plaque is removed in veterinary clinics. A dog doctor will perform this procedure without damaging the gums and enamel.

Veterinary clinics clean tartar using two methods, differing in how they actually remove the tartar.

• mechanically. This method of cleaning is essentially "scraping" hardened plaque from the visible parts of the canines and incisors. Mechanical cleaning is performed only under anesthesia, as the procedure is painful and unpleasant for the animal. Manual cleaning without anesthesia is not performed by veterinarians due to the risk of bites or injury from the dog.
• ultrasound. This method answers the question "how to deal with tartar between teeth and in the root zone?" That is, where mechanical cleaning does not suffice.

Ultrasonic tartar removal is gentler on the tooth enamel than mechanical methods. It should also be noted that this method does not require anesthesia.

As you understand, mechanical removal incurs minimal financial losses for the owner, but for the dog, it means damage to the tooth enamel and the accelerated appearance of new plaque. This is because mineral deposits cling to the rough surface of the canine or incisor like honey.

How to Remove Tartar and Plaque from Your Dog at Home

If during a visual inspection of the canines and incisors you do not find obvious signs of tartar, but only plaque, it means that this dental nuisance is forming. The best solution would be to visit a veterinary clinic.

However, you can clean your dog's teeth of tartar at home if it is small and just starting to form.

Can I Remove Tartar from My Dog at Home?

To reiterate, if there are no obvious "boulders" on the canines and incisors, you can clean the teeth of tartar at home. The main thing is to know how to remove tartar at home.

So, let's consider how and with what to remove tartar from your dog at home:

• an excellent remedy for combating plaque and small tartar on dogs' teeth is the Ksident elixir. This product is intended for human oral care but works wonderfully for animals as well. The elixir is harmless and poses no health risks.

The active ingredient, ksidoфон, in the elixir prevents the formation of calcium salt crystals, including phosphates and oxalates. This occurs because ksidoфон can keep calcium in a dissolved state in both humans and animals. Therefore, using Ksident helps dissolve existing tartar and prevent new formation.

If tartar has caused an inflammatory process in the oral cavity, the antiseptic additives in the elixir will alleviate this inflammation.

The elixir is applied using a cotton swab or pad directly onto the dog's tooth. Moreover, there is no need to rinse the product; it will exit the animal's body on its own within a day.

To remove plaque from your dog's teeth, it is sufficient to treat the canines and incisors once a week. If the case is advanced or if an inflammatory process has begun in the gums, the treatment should be increased to 2-3 times a week.

• you can use a folk remedy for tartar – tomato paste. Yes, don't be surprised; the active substances in tomato paste (not tomatoes) gently remove small plaque from the canines and incisors.

The procedure is completely painless for the pet, so it will not cause any discomfort to the dog. Even brief contact of tomato paste with the canines and incisors during the tooth wiping process allows for immediate removal of mineral deposits.

• you can perform tartar cleaning at home using a dental scaler or a wooden spatula. But in this case, be prepared for fierce resistance from the dog against such a method.

Mechanical cleaning can provoke bleeding gums due to careless handling of the tools or sudden movements from the pet. Therefore, keep hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine on hand to apply to the gums immediately after cleaning.

We remind you that if these methods do not help remove tartar, a visit to a canine dentist will be necessary.

How to Brush Your Dog's Teeth

We all know that preventing any disease is easier than treating it later. This also applies to tartar. To avoid worrying later about how to remove plaque from the teeth, preventive measures should be taken, including basic tooth brushing at home.

What is the Best Way to Brush a Dog's Teeth?

Cleaning the canines and incisors of plaque is done with a regular toothbrush, but with a special dog toothpaste.

Toothpastes designed for human use are categorically unsuitable for dogs. They contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which turns into foam upon application, causing dissatisfaction in animals.

Therefore, special non-foaming toothpastes have been developed for dogs, which the animal can swallow without any harm.

White Plaque on a Dog's Teeth Cannot Be Scraped Off

When dog toothpaste fails to remove white plaque, you can use a homemade mixture of regular tooth powder and a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.

Apply the mixture to whatever you are going to use to clean the plaque from the teeth (toothbrush, gauze, cotton pad) and go over the canines and incisors of your four-legged friend.

What to Clean Your Dog's Teeth With If You Don't Have Toothpaste

If you don't have toothpaste, you can remove plaque from the canines and incisors using products that clean the animal's oral cavity and freshen its breath. For example,

• dental chews/tablets for cleaning teeth;
• treats that support oral health;
• menthol tablets;
• spray for cleaning canines and incisors.

All these special products are sold in veterinary pharmacies.

In addition, pet stores offer a wide range of rubber/latex toys that not only delight the dog but also clean the teeth and massage the gums.

Externally, such toys are distinguished by being covered with small teeth.

Why Do My Dog's Gums Bleed?

Overgrown tartar always causes the gums to swell and bleed. This is the beginning of a disease called gingivitis.

In addition to swelling, bleeding, and obvious signs of gum inflammation, the dog may have a foul odor coming from its mouth, reminiscent of decay.

How to Treat Bleeding Gums in Dogs

Treating bleeding gums caused by increased tartar buildup should be coordinated with a veterinarian. Because the specialist knows how to treat the dog. Typically, the animal is prescribed a comprehensive treatment consisting of removing deposits from the teeth, introducing dry food or raw vegetables (carrots, apples) that need to be chewed, and using special products that care for the oral cavity. In cases of severe inflammatory processes, antibiotics may need to be administered to the dog.

Gums Bleed When Brushing a Dog's Teeth

If your dog's gums bleed when brushing its teeth, the cause may be the hard bristles of the brush damaging the gum tissue or damage caused by shifting tartar toward the gum. However, whatever the reason, bleeding is a bad sign.

What to do if every tooth brushing is accompanied by bleeding?

• replace the brush.
• after cleaning, wipe the dog's canines and incisors with hydrogen peroxide (3% solution).

And if such simple methods do not stop the bleeding, consult a veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Russian Toy Terrier Have Tartar?

Tartar in dogs forms due to an improper diet that does not promote natural teeth cleaning, as well as due to disrupted water-salt balance and excessive sugar content in food.

How Often Should I Brush My Toy Terrier's Teeth?

It is recommended to brush your Toy Terrier's teeth regularly, at least 2-3 times a week, to prevent tartar buildup and maintain oral health.

What Should I Do If My Dog Already Has Tartar?

If your dog has tartar, it is best to consult a veterinarian for professional teeth cleaning and advice on further oral care.

How Can I Tell If My Dog Has Dental Problems?

Signs of dental problems may include bad breath, bleeding gums, difficulty chewing, and changes in behavior during feeding.

Can Tartar Buildup in Dogs Be Prevented?

Yes, regular tooth brushing, a balanced diet, and special chewing toys will help prevent tartar buildup in your Toy Terrier.