How to Brush a Dog's Back Teeth

It's often easy to forget your dog's back teeth when brushing. They are difficult to get to, and by the time you get through your dog's front teeth, you both may be ready for a break. 

Even though brushing your dog's back teeth is challenging, with the right tools, motivation, and toothpaste, you should be able to get back there pretty quickly for general maintenance. Remember, maintaining your dog’s oral health is important for his overall health. Brushing your dog's teeth helps prevent periodontal disease, which can cause all kinds of health problems not only in your dog's mouth and with his gums, teeth, and bones but also throughout his body, in his heart, liver, and kidneys as well. So make sure when you're brushing your dog's teeth that you open his mouth and get those back teeth nice and clean.

By the time you're done brushing your dog's front teeth, your pup may be ready for a break or just done with teeth brushing for the day. If this is often the case, do front teeth and back teeth in separate brushing sessions. Also, though it might seem counterproductive, don't forget to get your dog motivated to let you brush those back teeth by using a treat.

• Never use human toothpaste on your dog's teeth. Human toothpaste is harmful to dogs, and dog’s toothpaste has a great flavor your dog will love.
• Mixing baking soda with a little bit of warm water also creates a great toothpaste for your dog's teeth. Baking soda helps kill bacteria and brightens his teeth.
•  Make sure while you're brushing your dog's teeth to also include all of his front teeth.
•  When you are brushing your dog's teeth, angle the toothbrush to 45 degrees to get along the gumline. This will remove plaque and bacteria, which could eventually cause periodontal disease.
• Don't forget to get the back sides of all of your dog's teeth as well.
• You may need to brush your dog's teeth in separate sessions. Doing the front teeth and the back teeth at different times might be best for your dog.
• Be sure to have your veterinarian check your dog's teeth at every well visit. Your vet tech can also assist you with any difficult to clean teeth.
• Though it may seem counterproductive, always offer your dog a treat for a job well done after brushing his teeth.

Your dog's back teeth are often not seen so be sure you are keeping them nice and clean. Train your dog to sit through a teeth brushing session and reward him for tolerance and patience while you clean his pearly whites to keep him clean and healthy.