How to brush your dog’s teeth
A gradual, positive introduction to effective home dental care.
Lifetime health & preventative care
Dental & Oral Health
Dental care protects comfort and health throughout life. A dog can continue eating despite a painful mouth. Combine achievable home care with veterinary assessment and treatment when needed.
Choose a topic
Dental disease: teeth, gums & warning signs
Recognise problems that can remain painful even when a dog keeps eating.
Veterinary dental treatment & recovery
Understand assessment, anaesthesia, treatment and aftercare.
Puppy teeth, teething & retained baby teeth
Support safe chewing and know when developing teeth need assessment.
Broken, damaged or missing teeth
A small chip or discoloured tooth can need veterinary assessment.
Dental chews, diets, additives & other products
Assess dental claims without confusing marketing with evidence.
A useful observation record
Usual for your dog
Note their normal appetite, activity, comfort and toilet habits.
What has changed?
Record when it started, frequency and accompanying signs; take a clear photograph if useful.
Choose the next step
Use the specific guidance below. Seek urgent help for its emergency signs; a visual record cannot diagnose illness.
An achievable everyday routine
Introduce brushing gently, look for changes without forcing the mouth open, supervise suitably sized chews and follow your vet’s check-up advice. Small mouths can have crowding; dogs of every size need dental care. Do not scrape deposits or pull teeth at home.
Evidence and review
General information, not diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Sources include veterinary professional guidance, veterinary charities and relevant regional parasite organisations. Clinical recommendations need individual veterinary interpretation.
About this guidanceReview details and sources
Evidence and review
Reviewed 2 October 2026 · Review sooner if advice, distribution or requirements change.