Dog Dental Care: Brushing, Chews and Cleaning

How common is dental disease in dogs?

Most dogs have some by the age of three. The RSPCA Knowledgebase calls dental disease the most common health condition affecting pets, with 80% of dogs and 70% of cats showing some level of it by three years of age. The Australian Veterinary Association puts it as four out of five dogs and cats over three, and says the disease often gets more severe with age.

The best large study gives a different-looking number for a good reason. O'Neill and colleagues (Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021) studied a random sample of 22,333 dogs under primary vet care in the UK in 2016 and found that 12.52% were diagnosed with periodontal disease during that one year. That counts only dogs whose vet recorded the diagnosis in a single year, so it is lower than the “any sign by age three” figure, but it still made periodontal disease one of the most common diagnoses in dogs. The Royal Veterinary College adds that the risk rises rapidly as dogs age, and the University of Sydney's veterinary hospital lists periodontal disease and oral pain among the common conditions of senior dogs.

Why does dental disease matter?

The RSPCA explains the process. Plaque is a soft, sticky film of bacteria that coats the teeth and collects where teeth meet the gums. When minerals from saliva are deposited into plaque, it hardens into tartar (calculus), which bonds to the enamel and is hard to remove except during a professional clean. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that inflames the gums and eventually destroys the bone that supports the teeth, leading to tooth loss or extractions.

Two points from the RSPCA are worth holding onto. Periodontal disease is associated with serious health problems such as infections in the kidneys, heart and liver. And it is easily preventable, and reversible if treated in its early stages. The AVA adds why it is missed so often: pets with sore gums, infected mouths or broken teeth usually keep eating, and only part of the mouth is visible when a dog opens it.

What are the signs of dental disease in dogs?

The Australian Veterinary Association lists these signs in its owner guides Caring for your pet's teeth and Dental care for your pet. If you notice any of them, book a vet check.

• Smelly breath
• A build-up of discoloured material (tartar) on the teeth
• Swollen, red or bleeding gums
• Drooling or dropping food from the mouth
• Reluctance to eat harder foods, loss of appetite or weight loss
• Broken teeth
• Pus near the gums

On breath specifically, the RSPCA says dogs should have neutral-smelling breath and that dental disease is the most common cause of bad breath. It also notes that illness such as kidney disease and diabetes, and diet or food allergies, can cause it. So persistent bad breath needs a vet, not a breath spray.

Which dogs are most at risk?

Small dogs, and some particular breeds. In the O'Neill 2021 study, the odds of periodontal disease fell steadily as adult bodyweight rose, and the RVC summarises that dogs under 10 kg had about three times the risk of dogs weighing 30 to 40 kg. Eighteen breeds had higher odds than crossbreds.

The Greyhound result matters in Australia, where many retired racing greyhounds are adopted. GAP Queensland, for example, includes a dental scale and polish in its adoption fee. If you adopt a greyhound or a small breed such as a Chihuahua, Maltese, Pomeranian or Dachshund, build the brushing habit from the first week.

How do I brush my dog's teeth?

The Australian Veterinary Association calls brushing the gold standard of home care, and the RSPCA calls daily brushing the most effective way to promote good oral health in both cats and dogs. The AVA's Vet Voice site adds that brushing is safer and more effective than chewing. Here is what both bodies advise.

1. Use pet products only. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste made for pets. The AVA says human toothpaste is toxic to pets.
2. Ask for a demonstration. The AVA suggests asking your vet to show you how best to brush your dog's teeth, and the RSPCA suggests asking your vet when and how to start.
3. Introduce it gradually. The RSPCA says brushing should be introduced gradually with the correct tools and technique, and that most animals get used to it. Keep early sessions short and pleasant, and build up over days and weeks.
4. Start young if you can. The RSPCA says the younger your pet is when you start, the easier it is. A newly adopted adult dog can still learn; it just takes patience.
5. Expect it to take time. The AVA says it can take a few months for a pet to get used to the idea.
6. Aim for daily. The AVA recommends daily brushing and says a couple of times a week is better than no brushing at all.

Never force it. If your dog shows pain when you touch its mouth, stop and book a vet visit.

Do dental chews, dental diets and bones work?

They can help, but none of them does what brushing does, and the advice on bones differs between Australian bodies.

Sources: RSPCA teeth care, RSPCA feeding guide, AVA Caring for your pet's teeth. Where the two bodies differ, your own vet, who has looked in your dog's mouth, is the right person to decide. A dog that gulps chews or bones instead of chewing them gets little dental benefit and more risk.

What happens at a professional dental clean?

Home care slows plaque. It cannot remove hardened tartar or treat disease below the gum line, and that is where the vet comes in. The RSPCA says all vets are trained in dentistry and can assess the teeth, probe the gum line for disease, scale and polish the teeth, take X-rays to check the tooth roots, and extract teeth if needed, and that board-certified specialist veterinary dentists perform advanced procedures. All of this is done under general anaesthetic.

The AVA says dogs with dental disease need a general anaesthetic so the vet can assess the teeth and clean thoroughly under the gum line, and that severely diseased, potentially painful teeth are generally removed. The RSPCA's teeth care page shows why X-rays matter, with images from the President of the Australian Veterinary Dental Society: a cat's tooth that looked relatively normal had extensive destruction of the root and crown that showed only on the X-ray.

On the anaesthetic itself, the RSPCA says modern anaesthetic agents used by vets are safe, anaesthetised animals are closely monitored and complications are rare, and that with adequate precautions and planning older pets and those with chronic diseases can undergo anaesthesia safely. If you are worried, ask your vet what pre-anaesthetic checks and monitoring they use for your dog.

Is anaesthesia-free dental cleaning a good idea?

No, according to every Australian vet body that has published on it. The Australian Veterinary Association's policy (ratified December 2016) says anaesthesia-free dentistry on dogs and cats is not appropriate, because comprehensive examination, diagnosis and treatment cannot properly proceed while an animal is conscious. Its reasoning:

• Periodontal disease, the most common disease in dogs and cats, needs cleaning below the gum line, which is uncomfortable or painful and cannot be done properly on an awake animal.
• Removing only the visible tartar leaves the root surfaces dirty, and the policy notes that bacteria left below the gum line may contribute to disease elsewhere in the body, such as heart or kidney disease.
• Dental X-rays need the animal to stay still, and probing needs it to be unable to feel pain.
• The practice compromises welfare and puts the operator at risk of injury.
• At best it is a purely cosmetic activity; at worst it can hide dental disease and delay treatment.

The RSPCA says anaesthesia-free dentistry involves physically restraining a conscious animal, is generally done by people not trained in dentistry, does not prevent or treat dental disease, and should be avoided. Internationally, the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines describe it as ineffective at best and damaging at worst. If cost or fear of anaesthesia is the reason you are considering it, talk to your vet about both before choosing a cosmetic scrape.

How much does a dog dental clean cost in Australia?

Vets set their own fees, and most do not publish a price for dental work because the bill depends on what the vet finds under anaesthetic, including X-rays and any extractions. The most useful published reference we found is a charity hospital's consult fee, not a procedure price.

Reference figures read on the clinic's own fee page, not a quote. Your vet's fees will differ; ask for a written estimate before booking.

Two things keep the bill down. Brushing and yearly checks catch disease while it is still reversible, before extractions are needed. And our guide to cheap vet care in Australia lists charity hospitals, concession discounts and payment plans. If you are buying pet insurance, read how the policy treats dental illness and routine dental care, and note that Moneysmart says most insurers exclude pre-existing conditions.

What about cats?

Briefly: the same rules apply. The RSPCA says 70% of cats show some dental disease by age three, recommends daily brushing introduced gradually for cats as well as dogs, and shows an X-ray of a feline resorptive lesion, a very painful condition that can hide under a normal-looking tooth. The AVA's anaesthesia-free dentistry policy covers cats too. If you are adopting a cat, see adopting a cat in Australia.

Adopting a dog: start the dental habit on day one

A newly adopted dog is the easiest time to start. Many rescues check teeth before adoption: the Animal Welfare League NSW says its adoption fee includes a health and dental check, and GAP Queensland includes a dental scale and polish for its greyhounds. Ask the rescue what was found and whether any dental work was done or recommended, then book your own vet visit in the first weeks and ask for a brushing demonstration while you are there.

Small and senior dogs are the groups the studies above flag for dental disease, so plan for it if you adopt one. Browse small dogs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, or senior dogs in Sydney and Melbourne. Our guides to adopting a dog and adopting a senior dog cover the rest, and the dog cost calculator helps you budget for vet care.

More Australian dog health guides

• Puppy and kitten vaccinations: core vaccines and the schedule.
• Paralysis ticks, snake bite and cane toads: the Australian emergencies.
• Dog bloat (GDV): the emergency for large, deep-chested breeds.
• Dachshund IVDD: back care for long-backed dogs.
• Crate training a puppy and dog separation anxiety: settling a new dog in.