# Dental Cleanings



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Does he need a deep cleaning at that young of age? The only time we had deep cleaning done was when our dog was put under for another procedure.


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

No, I was told you should get them regularly like once a year as a preventive measure. 


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

The anesthesia for a dental cleaning on a healthy dog is much less risky than _not _getting the teeth professionally cleaned regularly. 

That said, IMO at 1 year of age it is not necessary.


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## ssacres (Sep 29, 2012)

I have always done it myself. It takes time to train them to allow it but I can clean them as often as they need it. I just bought some dental tools. Not for everybody but it works for me.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

A fresh strawberry every day, and bones to chew on will keep their teeth clean.

Brady at 6 years old just had his teeth checked, and the vet said there was no reason for him to have them cleaned.


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

toliva said:


> That said, IMO at 1 year of age it is not necessary.


At what age would it be necessary?

Part of the reason I've been wanting to get his teeth cleaned is for preventative reasons. I would feel bad waiting until there is a problem. 

I know with people, getting regular cleanings and maintaining good home care(brushing and flossing) is recommended and a lot of problems can be avoided; not all obviously but a lot. So I thought maybe it was the same with dogs? Maybe not though. I just don't see how just brushing is enough. But I don't know much about a dogs mouth. It could be totally different than people! 

Also I know a guy who just spent thousands of dollars on two crowns on his dogs teeth. I think that could have been avoided. Thoughts?


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## sdhgolden (Aug 13, 2012)

Also, if you couldn't tell, I work in a dental office so I'm always thinking about teeth! 


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

sdhgolden said:


> At what age would it be necessary?
> 
> Part of the reason I've been wanting to get his teeth cleaned is for preventative reasons. I would feel bad waiting until there is a problem.
> 
> ...


The vet should advise you on this. Have the vet check his teeth then go from there. The vet will tell you what to watch for.

We have yearly check ups for our dogs teeth in which the vet checks gums and teeth. My first golden only had 2 cleanings in almost 11 years. First one at age 6. I would be hard pressed if the vet would even do it at that age.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Just give them bones, how do you think their teeth keep clean naturally


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

sdhgolden said:


> At what age would it be necessary?
> 
> Part of the reason I've been wanting to get his teeth cleaned is for preventative reasons. I would feel bad waiting until there is a problem.
> 
> ...


Regular brushing of your dog's teeth will help keep them clean and keep the gums healthy. I think the statistics are that a majority of dogs have evidence of dental disease by age 4 and that disease can manifest in other organs such as the heart. 

I use CET toothpaste specially formulated for dogs. As far as brushes, your vet probably has some sample ones provided by Virbac, which makes CET and seems to stock every vet office in our area, or you can get a double brush toothbrush or finger brushes online. Some people use electric toothbrushes on their dogs but mine aren't too keen about that in THEIR mouths, although our puppy is very interested in my personal one! 

There are dental additives you can add to drinking water- just beware that the one Virbac markets contains a small amount xylitol (diluted by the water), which is toxic to dogs in small doses. I actually asked the Virbac rep why they didn't replace it since savvy dog owners know about the toxicity- talk about being overly sensitive about that issue! Apparently these guys get asked that more times than they like. He was very defensive about it! I just think from a marketing standpoint they might want to substitute another artificial sweetener for the xylitol.

You can also get enzymatic chews, which are a rawhide which is impregnated with an additive helpful to dogs. The theory is these chews are like brushing the teeth- just be careful and supervise because some dogs choke on them or swallow pieces that are too large. 

Once you get the teeth cleaned they may offer you a sealant they can apply to help with keeping tartar from forming. It's also by Virbac called Ora Vet. After getting it applied during the dental, you apply a waxy paste to your dog's teeth weekly to maintain the seal. 

I also don't think annual cleanings are always needed, depending on your dog and the extent of the tartar in the teeth; however, dental xrays and cleanings serve a good purpose because a vet may not be able to tell everything from a physical exam and the radiographs may show a problem. So it might not be a bad idea to get one every 2 to 3 years for that reason. In addition, while the dog is sedated your vet can do a thorough mouth exam and check for growths and other issues. I found out that there is a sarcoma that Goldens get that starts in the mouth near the tongue. 

Our vet gives us a take home sheet describing what she found, with photos of the mouth and teeth and she grades the extent of dental disease from 1 to 4 I believe. She also gives us a recommendation as to when she believes a follow up sedated exam is warranted.

Anesthesia is usually safe for younger and middle aged dogs, unless you dog has a sensitivity or other underlying health condition. Our Toby had a terrible reaction to one brand so they switched him to another for a follow up procedure.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

ssacres said:


> I have always done it myself. It takes time to train them to allow it but I can clean them as often as they need it. I just bought some dental tools. Not for everybody but it works for me.


This is what we do. I try to do their teeth once a week.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

We clean teeth here at home - maybe once every 2-3 weeks. And they always have bones to chew on. 

The collie is the one with the fewest teeth, and he's the one with the worst teeth (because of his stomach problems). 

Our Sammy's mom died at 9 years old during a routine teeth cleaning. And I've heard a lot of other stories about this happening - so, no. That's not something we would do at all, much less on an annual basis.


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## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

Yearly cleanings are not necessary

My Golden who will be 6 years old in July and hehas never had to have his teeth cleaned.
He just had his 6 month check up (yes, I make sure he has twice yearly physical exams) and the vet thinks his his teeth look great - they are white with no plaque or stains . I do brush them regularly and he gets to chew on marrow bones regularly. 
I still remember the vet telling me at his first puppy visit to brush his teeth regularly.

The best preventive dental care is to regularly brush your dog's teeth.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

If you're concerned about anesthesia, see if there are any certified anesthesia-free canine dental clinics in your area. I volunteer with Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies and we host several clinics a year. The results are very good and there's no anesthesia involved.


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## havana13 (Jul 15, 2012)

*Do not scale teeth!*

If your dog has a lot of buildup on his teeth, he may need a cleaning...it's different for every dog...that's a decision for the vet. I would recommend brushing your dog's teeth regularly however, never scale, or let a groomer scale your dog's teeth! When your vet scales teeth, they follow up with a polisher that smooths the enamel. If you scale and don't polish, you're just roughing up the surface of the teeth, making it easier for bacteria and plaque to stick to the surface. You can also make the gums bleed and possibly spread infection from the teeth directly to the blood stream. Sure, it's tempting to buy a scaler and pick away instead of spending hundreds on a dental cleaning, but not a good idea.

My old girl had her teeth cleaned at 13 and she was fine. It was lucky we had them cleaned too, because she had a shard of bone stuck deep in her gum that we didn't even know about.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Hank is almost 4 y.o. and has never had his teeth cleaned (they're pearly white), Maggie didn't have her's cleaned until she was about 10 y.o. Every year, IMO, is unnecessary unless there are some abnormal dental issues.


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## T&T (Feb 28, 2008)

Never cleaned Missy's teeth in 7 years
Amazing what one raw marrow bone a week can do


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Macin had really bad teeth when he was young, that's why we originally switched to raw. For the next 16 years no more bad teeth


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

We always had yearly cleanings done with both Jesse and Cheyenne. Never worried much about having them put under. With Tayla I'm no longer doing kibble as her diet, but a freeze dried raw and she gets knuckle bones on a regular basis. She just turned 1.5 years old and our vet said her teeth looked great. Have your vet check them every year and if you trust him not to tell you something just because they want the business, then don't do anything until the time comes. I know Tayla is young, but her teeth are sparkling white.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Color does not determine healthy teeth and gums. You can brush the narly stuff away. The most important thing to look for is gum disease. Your vet can tell you what to watch for. I don't take putting my dog under for anything lightly unless it was a necessary. And even then I worry.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Color does not determine healthy teeth and gums. You can brush the narly stuff away. The most important thing to look for is gum disease. Your vet can tell you what to watch for. I don't take putting my dog under for anything lightly unless it was a necessary. And even then I worry.


Although it can be a decent indicator


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tuco said:


> Although it can be a decent indicator
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


My first golden used to chew on bark. His teeth were brown until I brushed the gunk off. Pretty normal.


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## maxi (Aug 19, 2011)

i always brush once a week and give them a bone and freshener liquid on their water bowl and it works for their breath and the little bit tartar on 1 tooth has bit removed 
btw around how much for dental cleaning in your local vet area?


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

We recently had Max's teeth cleaned by a canine dental technician/hygienist. No anesthesia was used and his teeth look much better.


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