My 2-year-old dog has plaque. Is it normal? What home dental care?

Question

Is this normal for a 2 year old puppy? We brush her teeth pretty regularly and try to use a scraper. What more can we do at home to help this? Or is there something else we can do? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 7 months old | 60 lbs

Penelope Graben, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello! She has a very small amount of tartar accumulation right on her gum lines, which is perfectly amount of plaque to develop by her age. I think with some increase in dental home care, you can probably get all that plaque dissolved and back to pearly whites! Excellent job with the teeth brushing! I would recommend trying to increase that to daily brushing and make sure that you are using a toothpaste with an enzymatic cleaner. The enzymatic part means that it still works after you stop brushing to break down the plaque and tartar. A small amount of this tooth paste put on chew toys can be a way for her to brush her own teeth as well. :) There are also diets formulated for dogs that accumulate dental plaque quickly. Hills T/D is one that I know of off the top of my head, but there are likely other brands as well. The kibbles are made in larger pieces that crunch in a way that cleans that teeth while they eat. Dental chews, like greenies, can be given daily as well for their dental benefits. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My 2-year-old dog has plaque. Is it normal? What home dental care?

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