baking soda
by Felicia & Cubbie
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Cubbie's vet is having us use baking soda to clean Cubbie's teeth since Cubbie hates the toothbrush. I use a wet Q-tip, dipped in baking soda. I open Cubbie's mouth and rub some on all of his teeth. The back ones are hard to reach, but I try anyway. His breath is a little sweeter. In addition, I also spray his mouth with a doggie dental spray that the vet prescribed. I am going to be a good mommie and stick with this. Poor Cubbie, he has had several teeth pulled. I hope he doesn't become toothless!
DISCUSSION:
Felicia: I am guilty of not brushing my girls teeth regularly. I know I better start. They hate it and they fuss and fight me so much, I just give up. My mom has a yorkie and she is five and she has had six teeth pulled because of infections from lack of dental care. My mom spoils her like all of us spoil our maltese, but she just never could get her Mindy to sit for her and let her brush her teeth. Two of the teeth she had to have pulled were her two front teeth. We were over there for dinner one night, and I was looking at Mindy's teeth, and I said, "Mom, I feel so sorry for Mindy. She lost her two front teeth as well as four other ones." My Dad didn't even know yet and he looked and he was shocked and now he does her teeth everyday. She sits and lets him brush them too! Maybe I'll have Dad come over here and brush my girls teeth since they don't let me:) (LOL) Take care!
Angel
Hi! My little one didn't like having her teeth brushed at first. I was using a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste. I found a finger cot type toothbrush at PetsMart. It fits over the tip of one finger and now Muffin thinks it's pretty cool! It allows me to even get to the back teeth, too. I alternate between baking soda and the doggie toothpaste. Like everyone else, I really do try to do everything I can to prevent any long term problems, and hopefully, this will help.
Dee Vannett
Hi - how bad are his teeth? I have two boys - and the older one (3 years old) has really icky teeth. I monitor them and hope that the dry food will clean it for them - but this only seems to be working for the little one. As for the older one (Turbo) - his breath can melt rocks. I always knew his canines were a little dirty - but recently i looked at the back and they are ......disgusting. Why did your vet recommend baking soda? what does it do and has it been working for you? I don't want to have to put my dog under every 6 months to get his teeth cleaned.
If anyone has any good advice about getting rid of tartar and buildup I would really appreciate it. It's too late to take preventitive measures on him at this point until i clean him up completely.
Betty, Turbo and Diesel
Betty--Cubbie has the same problems like Turbo does. Breath than can melt rocks (I laughed so hard at that one!). The vet thought we would have an easier time of trying to clean Cub's teeth with the q-tip and baking soda. We do have doggie toothpaste but it is so gooey, I don't like it. I like Dee's idea of getting that little contraption to fit over your finger and finger brush. I am going to try that. The other nite in the chatroom, I mentioned that Cubbie had odorific breath and Jay thought he should be checked for gum disease. The vet says he's fine, just needs consistent care to keep the tartar off. I don't like Cubbie going under to have his teeth cleaned either. Makes me nervous. I always have the vet put a heart monitor on him. Costs me extra, but who gives a hoot! Cubbie has only dry food, so I always thought that tartar wouldn't be a problem, I was wrong. He doesn't like to chew bones very much. If only he would chew more, I doubt that I would have had such problems with his breath and teeth. I will monitor the progress with the baking soda and let everyone know if it really works....so far, I have noticed his breath is getting better.
Felicia & Cubbie
Felicia - hi - it's good to know i'm not the only one with a dog with really bad breath. Diesel gets occassional bad breathe episodes - but they usually go away by themselves and his teeth are nice and white. turbo is the same as yours - not interested in chew toys at all. He'll watch Diesel chew and chew and chew - and he'll get curious enough to give it a try - but it doesn't appeal to him - so he usually gives a less than half concerted effort and then walks away from it. I give them milk bones - but he doesn't like those much either - unless he's starving for some reason.
Sigh - i think i'll try the baking soda method you have. Did you say that you've seen any improvements??
good luck with yours and let me know how it goes. I do feel the same also about doggie toothpaste - it's so thick and goopy that i end up missing his teeth (since he's trying to dodge me) and end up getting it on his mustache and beard and then....boy what a mess trying to clean that up!
Betty & Turbo & diesel
Good news Betty...I have noticed a remarkable difference in Cubbie's breath since starting the baking soda. He is getting used to letting me probe open his mouth and get to the back. I do the front ones first, front and back. Then I go to the sides where I just lift his gums and then open his mouth side to get to the back. It gets easier and it is worth the effort. His breath no longer slays me! Give it a try Betty...stick with it, don't give up. I do Cubbie's teeth just before bedtime. We have a neat ritual going now. I put a kitchen towel on the counter and sit Cubbie up there. First I wipe his face and eyes. Then I do his teeth. Piece of cake so far!
Felicia & Cubbie
Hi, Felicia,I am curious to know what Cubbie thinks of the taste of baking soda? On Touquet I use a puppy toothbrush and chicken-flavoured toothpaste. It took a while to get into the swing of things, but Touquet is very used to being handled by now (he is 3), and he lets me scrub away at those teeth each night at bedtime. He gets a liver reward when I have finished. Touquet has been in twice to have his teeth properly cleaned (I don't like it either), but I am making a herculian effort to put off the next time indefinitely. Good news -- his breath is great, and a good thing since I wake up every morning to find his little head on the pillow next to mine 
!
Barbara & Touquet
Hi Barbara--I don't think Cubbie minds that taste of baking soda at all. It gets easier each day and I am very pleased to say that his bad breath is GONE! I feel like I am polishing his little toofers because in the front I rub the soda on each tooth front and back. When I was using the toothbrush, I sometimes brushed a little too hard and made his mouth bleed a little. The Q-tip is easier for me and gentler on Cubbie.
Felicia & Cubbie
HI EVERYONE, my tiffany now 13yrs old now has jsut 2 teeth left. rest got pulled. over her years. no bad breath. i suggest you contact the vet. as bad breath could be a sign of bad teeth. don't worry if they have to be pulled they do just fine without them and the dog is happy and no bad breath to cause an infection or disease the blood.
tery
Tery - how does your dog eat with only 2 teeth left? I'm assuming soft foods only??
Felicia - just started on the baking soda/q-tip routine with both my boys - sheesh do they hate it.
Amazingly it did take away some of Turbo's bad breath - I was wondering if it helps in terms of cleaning the teeth as well or is it just a mouthwash for the odor? Turbo's teeth are really dirty and i used the q-tip to rub them harder to try to get some of the gook off - but it looks pretty caked on. I might have to get them cleaned anyways before it gets worse to the point of no return. I was wondering also - do you think your boy and mine don't like chew toys because it hurts their teeth? just a thought
betty & turbo & diesel
Hi Betty!I don't know why Cubbie won't chew like a dog should. He will for a while and then quit. I never thought of the fact that it might hurt. He was really chowing down on a new edible bone I got for him the other day. I do know that the bone has to be just the right size or he won't even try it. About the baking soda, people brush their teeth with the stuff...it is an excellent deodorizer and the vet said it would clean the soft tartar off. The stuff you are talking about will need to come off the hard way, by the vet. Cubbie has some tartar built up before I started doing this and will need his teeth cleaned soon. We are working with the vet to get his sore to heal properly first. I am sold on the baking soda/Q-tip idea. I hope this will work out for you too.
Felicia & Cubbie
Hi again, Felicia! I think the baking soda idea is a great alternative for anyone who has difficulty with a toothbrush in their Maltese's tiny mouth. I intend to try it with Touquet in those hard-to-reach places that build up tartar no matter what I try. Thanks for the great advice.
Barbara & Touquet
| Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advise. |
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