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My older dog's teeth look bad after cleaning. What at-home care works?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Toy Poodle | Female | spayed | 5 years and 7 months old | 6 lbs

Lilly is 5 & a half year old,used to eats grain free greenies daily for over a year maybe.Stopped couple of weeks ago.Now getting petsmile sometimes,no brushing though,give it to her as a treat.She always had beautiful teeth until after her second annual cleaning,her teeth don't look great since them.Nothing new,same vet,same routine.Next cleaning in February.Should I use silicone finger toothbrush,cloth,bristled silicone finger toothbrush,long handled toothbrush? Without brushing is enough? Tk

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1 Answer

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Answered By Jyothi Alagappan

Veterinarian

Published on January 4th, 2019

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The gold standard for at home dental care is brushing teeth. However, we all know this is not easy for you or your pet!! If Lilly will let you do so, then yes, I recommend getting a silicone tooth brush (finger or long handle- whichever is easier) and brushing her teeth all the way from her back molars to her front incisors. I also recommend the dental chews called OraVet. They tend to work a little bit better reducing plaque and maintaining better smelling breath. You can likely find these dental chews at your local veterinary's office. With age and time, dog's teeth tend to build tartar more quickly. Therefore, I recommend brushing, dental chews and even particular dental food. Thanks for being so on top of Lilly's care! You are doing a great job!

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