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My dog has tartar at 1. What dental care, products, and cleaning options?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | 1 year and 4 months old

My dog is just over 1 years old Vet says he's starting to form tartar She said to keep an eye. Few questions 1. Honestly speaking would this require full anesthesia and all that stuff, see pics 2.do you recommend one to use a water additive with brushing, my vet gave me sample but I can't find name? 3. Any recommended toothpaste or products so I can begin brushing daily? I give him special treats every day do you recommend any treats? I slacked with brushing. Can I remove at home if it is minor?

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1 Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on October 14th, 2017

You have some great questions, and I will answer them in order :-) 1. Yes, a proper dental cleaning will require full anesthesia. It is never recommended to do a dental cleaning without it. It's dangerous and painful to the dog to do it this way, and a dental cleaning should only be done by a vet. 2. A water additive is a great addition to a dog's dental hygiene plan. I recommend Arm & Hammer dental water additive, you can get it at a pet store. Additionally, you can call your vet to ask for the name of the one they gave you for Giorgio. 3. I recommend the CET brand of toothbrushes and paste. You can probably get them at your vet's office or a pet store. 4. I recommend for treats Hill's t/d. It's a food, but you can give individual pieces as treats and it helps with his teeth. There are also dental chews. 5. No, I do not recommend trying to remove his tartar yourself. You can brush, but like with humans, he will still need a dental cleaning to get rid of all the tartar. Trying to remove the tartar yourself can hurt him, but do brush his teeth to keep them as clean as possible. I hope this helps!

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