Homemade Toothpaste

[Guest johnandheidi]

Any thoughts on homemade toothpaste? Any good recipes out there? Have seen a few with minimal ingredients. Was wondering about using almond oil as an ingredient... Anyway, any advice on the toothpaste front is most appreciated.

 

Have used Pet Dental peanut flavor and another brand's mint flavor (am forgetting the brand.) They seem to tolerate both, but only because they always get a crunchy treat at the end.

 

Thanks,

heidi + john

jeff + walter

[PrairieProf]

I would think the toleration concerns the action of brushing, not the toothpaste (my girl loves Petrodex Poultry flavor). You could try something that doesn't involve brushing, like Petzlife spray, that a lot of people here have had good luck with. There's also Wysong Dentatreat, that is sort of a powdered cheese substance they love ... hard to tell how well it works; now I mostly use it for my cat.

[Guest FreddyGirl]

Vet told me to make this and use on my dogs who have some areas of plaque/bacteria but don't need a dental yet.

 

1 T bakng soda and enough hydrogen peroxide to make a paste

 

It's working really well. After 3 consecutive days of teeth brushing, the odor from their mouths has Significantly been reduced!!

[Guest johnandheidi]

It's not that they mind brushing. They actually tolerate it really well, though I think they'd prefer to go straight to the treat. It's more that I was looking for an alternative that I could make myself rather than paying $5 for a tiny tube of paste.

 

I like the baking soda & hydrogen peroxide suggestion, since those are things I usually have around the house. I also have one of those finger brushes. I could probably do a little baking soda paste with that, too.

 

Thanks for the advice! Keep the recipes coming, too!

 

heidi+john

[Guest Greytluv]

I thought they weren't supposed to eat for about 1/2 hour after brushing give it time to work

 

 

I just use the store bought, but I like the baking soda and peroxide.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Baking soda and peroxide will work, and if you want to add a little flavor, I suppose one could mix in a little chicken baby food? Or maybe a drop of peppermint oil and a drop or two of pure vanilla? I will give ++++ for the Petzlife spray. My new girl, who just came home yesterday, has a lot of tartar build up over what look like otherwise quite pretty teeth; I don't want to freak her out too much right off the bat with toothbrushing on top of everything else, so we've sprayed her teeth a few times with the Petzlife; and the tartar is just coming off on its own. By the time she's settled in enough for me to start her regular dental care routine, it should be very easy to get under control!

Edited August 17, 2010 by FullMetalFrank

[cleptogrey]

years ago i used baking soda and peroxide, that was when i was going thru periodontal disease(yulk and ouch). later studies prooved that it wasn't such a good idea, the baking soda was too abrasive for teeth. i have used diluted peroxide for brushing the pups(not me)and then i wipe their teeth w/ a paper towel after. right now i am giving petzlife a try, reviews on gt have been excellent, so why not? the dogs love the taste.

 

the last time i had my teeth cleaned i asked about the tooth polish they use. i was given a couple of portions(i pay enough for cleaning and goe 2xs a year) but was told to use it maxium 2xs a year and use very little. it really brightens the pups teeth up, but it must be used sparingly and rinsed(wet paper towel) after applied. an electric toothbrush seems to work the best and i use a teeny tiny amount.

[greyhoundlady]

This may be a dumb question, but if you use baking soda and peroxide to brush, don't they end up swallowing it, and maybe causing minor irritation in throat and stomach. I know I wouldn't enjoy the taste of that in my mouth or throat - but I may be missing something.

 

I use a gauze pad dipped in equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water to rub their teeth and gums, then use the dog toothpaste to brush - because they like the flavor - and follow by a shot of Petzlife (either the gel or spray). It has worked so far for us. I am not super-vigilant, as in daily, but I try as often as I can.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Funny timing. Our local greyhound group's meeting on Wednesday had a vet discussing dental issues in greys.

 

1. 
    
   
2. He doesn't recommend hydrogen peroxide. Says it doesn't really do good, and he'd be hesitant to use peroxide on sensitive gum tissue the same way he only cleans a wound with peroxide one time--because the repeated use of peroxide damages tissue.
    
   
3. Most of the commercial toothpastes are enzymatic. That means that you just have to get the paste on the teeth for the enzyme to begin breaking down the day's plaque, preventing it from turning to tartar. Peroxide or baking soda or similar products rely on actual brushing on the tooth's surface, which may be harder to accomplish well if you don't have a dog that cooperates with a command to "open wide."
    
   
4. If you don't brush daily, you aren't doing any real good. You have to get the plaque off in the first 24 hours; after that, the bacteria is already turning the plaque to tartar. Brushing once a week isn't sufficient.
    
   
5. You can faithfully brush every day, but you still need to anticipate the need for dental cleanings. The vet will need to check for damaged or cracked teeth or abscesses and may still need to clean under the gumline. A daily brushing will eliminate a lot of dental damage, receding gums, etc., but a cleaning may still be needed. As the vet said, "You brush every day--but you still need to see the dentist and get your teeth cleaned." But brushing daily will stretch the time between dentals and should reduce the number of extractions.
    
   
6. Some breeds have worse teeth than other breeds. Bad greyhound teeth can't be attributed to a "track diet"; lots of dogs with dental issues were never anywhere near a track. Essentially, he said that if a track diet causes bad teeth, how would you explain the chronically bad teeth you see on Yorkies?
    
   
7. One person at the meeting asked if each of her dogs should have its own toothbrush. The vet more or less said, "Dogs eat [poop]. I wouldn't worry about germs on the toothbrush." (He also said that it's fine to brush your dog's teeth with your finger, with a gauze pad, with a finger brush, etc.)