Regular cleaning of your dog’s teeth not only prevents infections, but also ensures that your dog does not have a foul breath. DogAppy has some simple recipes for making dog toothpaste, which will help you to maintain the dental health of your ‘canine’ friend.
Did You Know?
According to the American Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, around 85% of dogs over five years of age have some sort of periodontal disease, which is caused due to plaque buildup in their mouth.
So your dog’s mouth reeks of bad breath? And the odor is so bad, that you can’t bear to give it a hug? Well, you can certainly solve this problem by getting your dog’s teeth cleaned either by a vet, which can be expensive, or you can invest in a dog toothpaste, which is not safe, because you actually don’t know the amount of chemicals and ingredients contained in it. So, commercial toothpaste is not a good option, and you certainly can’t use human toothpaste, because your pet may suffer from severe stomach ache and digestion problems.
Cleaning your dog’s teeth is really important, as it helps to get rid of the bad breath and prevents oral diseases. Plaque buildup in your dog’s mouth can result in plaque buildup in its arteries, and once a bacterial infection develops, it can spread through the blood to other parts of its body. It is recommended that you start your dog’s dental care routine from the puppy stage, as older dogs can be slightly difficult to handle. It’s easy to make your own dog toothpaste at home with simple and natural ingredients. So let’s get started.
Recipe No.1
Ingredients
♦ Baking Soda
♦ Salt
♦ Beef bouillon (or vegetable, if your dog is a vegan)
♦ Teaspoon dried or fresh Parsley
♦ Water
Directions
♦ Take a mixing bowl and dissolve 1 cube of bouillon in the water. Using bouillon for making a toothpaste, gives it a flavor that is adored by dogs.
♦ Next, add 6 tablespoons of baking soda to the mixture and stir thoroughly, baking soda is pretty strong and acts as an abrasive, which helps to remove the plaque buildup.
♦ Next, add ½ teaspoon salt to make the paste slightly tangy, put 1 teaspoon parsley in the mixing bowl, this will help to improve your dog’s funky breath and leave your pooch with a fresh breath.
♦ Mix all the ingredients together, and your own homemade toothpaste is ready. You can store this paste in an airtight container, and use it whenever required. No need to refrigerate the mixture, it can be stored at room temperature; however, out of your dog’s sight.
Recipe No. 2
Ingredients
♦ Oil (any cooking oil)
♦ Water
♦ Baking Soda
Directions
♦ Start off by adding ½ cup of baking soda to a mixing bowl, or you can directly put it in the container, as it reduces the task of washing utensils afterward.
♦ Pour 3 tablespoons of water, and, add 1 teaspoon of oil to the mixture, whisk it with a spoon and that’s it. It takes less than 5 minutes.
♦ Store it in an airtight container.
Recipe No. 3
Ingredients
♦ Baking Soda
♦ Salt
♦ Glycerin
♦ Beef broth or Peppermint extract
Directions
♦ In a mixing bowl, combine 6 teaspoons of baking soda, ⅓ teaspoon of salt and mix it until you get a paste-like consistency.
♦ Add 4 teaspoons of glycerin. If your dog is vegetarian, you can use glycerin that is extracted from plants. Glycerin helps to give the mixture a pasty feel.
♦ In addition, you can either add 2 teaspoons of low-sodium beef broth or 2 teaspoons of peppermint extract, to give the paste a delicious taste.
♦ Mix everything, and you should get a toothpaste-like texture, store it in a container, and this mixture is to be kept in the refrigerator.
Receipe No. 4
Ingredients
♦ Bouillon (Beef or Vegan)
♦ Baking Soda
♦ Cinnamon powder
♦ Coconut Oil
Directions
♦ Melt 1 cube of bouillon in hot water, this is used add taste. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the bouillon mixture and whisk it properly.
♦ Put 2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder in the bowl and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Cinnamon helps to fight bacteria and germs in the mouth, and gets rid of bad breath.
♦ Add ⅓ teaspoon coconut oil to the mixture and stir in all the components together, coconut oil will start to melt and will become soft as you stir. The benefit of using coconut oil in a toothpaste is that it acts as a binder and is safe for your pet, even if they swallow the paste.
♦ After the mixture is blended properly, you can store it in a container.
Recipe No. 5
Ingredients
♦ Salt
♦ Baking Soda
♦ Water
Directions
♦ In a container, mix 6 teaspoons of baking soda, with ⅓ teaspoon salt.
♦ Slowly, add water to the mixture till you achieve the desired thickness.
♦ If you are using coarse salt, then don’t forget to grind it first, or you can blend the mixture altogether.
♦ Voilà, it is the easiest of all the recipes, store the paste in a jar.
Additional Tips
♦ Make it a habit to brush your dog’s teeth everyday, because as he gets used to the activity, he will also start enjoying it. So even if you miss a tooth or two, you can cover it up the next day.
♦ Never use human toothpaste, as it contains fluoride, which may be very strong for your canine friend, giving them stomach-aches or other digestive issues.
♦ Invest in a dog toothbrush, pick one that is appropriate for the size of its mouth. Never use your old toothbrush, as the chances of a bacterial infection are high. Don’t even think about sharing your toothbrush with your fellow pet, we all know how much you love your pet, but show your affection in other ways!!
♦ Put a small amount of toothpaste and let your dog lick it first to understand its taste, then gently insert the toothbrush in its mouth and scrub away. If it’s your dog’s first time, be careful, because your dog might get defensive and may end up biting you, so use assistance.
♦ While brushing its teeth, talk to it in a small and gentle voice. You can always end the session by giving it a small treat so that the next session will be much easier.
♦ Make sure to put your dog in a comfortable position so that it doesn’t run away. Your pet may try to swallow the paste, but instruct him not to, because even if the paste is edible, the main purpose is to clean the teeth.
♦ Put some of your homemade doggy paste on a toothbrush, let him sniff and lick if it’s their first time. Now slowly spread the paste all over their mouth.
♦ Brush in small circles and in gentle manner, cover and scrub all the places where there is plaque buildup. Don’t forget to cover the back teeth and gums.
♦ When you are done brushing, wipe it’s teeth off with a wet and clean washcloth, offer your pup water so that it can wash down any remaining stuff.
Your dog will have better oral health with these inexpensive and easy homemade toothpaste recipes. Baking soda is used in almost all the mixtures because it acts like an abrasive and helps to get rid of the plaque. Cleaning a dog’s teeth can be a fun activity for both the owner and the dog.
