When should I start brushing my puppy's teeth and what products work?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 5 months and 9 days old
Should I be brushing my dogs teeth while he's a puppy or after he has all his adult teeth? I was giving him denta sticks but they seem to upset his tummy so I'm thinking about brushing them but am unsure about when and what to use. Any recommended products and tips?
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on July 31st, 2017
Hello, actually, putting your finger in their mouth or brushing is better when started as a puppy to get them conditioned to the kind of sensation. It will make your life and his a lot easier for when he has a full set of adult teeth that need to be brushed daily to keep clean and prevent infections. Therefore, the more you can brush his teeth now the better. Obviously, start slowly with very quick procedures, an increase the procedure time as the weeks go on until you're able to brush all if his teeth, including the very back ones. Best of luck
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on June 9th, 2017
Good for you for being so proactive with Hazal's dental care! You can start getting her accustomed to tooth brushing at any point. Young puppies have fairly sensitive gums while they are teething, so at this point, I recommend using either a finger toothbrush or a slightly coarse wash clot with water, as these are more gentle than an actual toothbrush. Try to brush or rub the outer surfaces of her teeth daily to get her used to this action. Once her adult teeth have all erupted (usually around 8-9 months of age), you can switch to a soft, small toothbrush (kid-sized are best for small dogs), but continue just using water to brush her teeth. After brushing with water, you can smear a small amount of pet toothpaste on the outer surfaces of her teeth with your finger.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on February 19th, 2017
You can start teaching Jax to have his teeth brushed now - the earlier, the better! :) Make sure to use a soft baby toothbrush, and a toothpaste designed for dogs since human toothpaste is toxic for them. Dentastix are also fine to give him now, as long as he's able to chew them. If they're too hard, you may need to wait until he has all of his adult at 6 months old before he can eat them easily.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
How to clean Charlie teeth daily?
From what age we should start brushing dog teeth ? Also we should brush their teeth with toothpaste or just with water ? What if little amount of toothpaste he swallow ? Also how he will rinse mouth like we do ? And after how many days and when shoul
how do you brush a dog teeth
My puppy dislikes all of those dental cleaning organic treats. Is there a homemade toothpaste recipe? Should I worry about his teeth since he is still a puppy?
Hi, i have heard that shit zus are susceptible to dental problems,when can i start brushing my dog's teeth?!she is almost two and a half months old.
How much should I be brushing my pups teeth? Hes 7 weeks and enjoys the toothpaste, so it's not a problem at all.
Any recommended brands for toothpaste and tooth brush?
What is the best toothbrush and toothpaste combination for my dog? This is my first time shopping for this. Should he also get a cleaning soon?
My 7 week old pup would rather eat the toothpaste/toothbrush rather than actually let me brush his teeth, any advice?
For dental care, are these products valuable or a waste of money and I should just focus on brushing my puppy’s teeth daily? Any recommended toothpaste brands?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
