11 simple ways to soften tartar for dogs

Want to clean your dog’s teeth and remove tartar so your dog can have bright white teeth again? Reducing tartar will give your dog beautiful and healthy teeth by preventing diseases such as gingivitis. In this article, we will share many effective ways to prepare teeth cleaning, soften tartar, and prevent tartar in dogs. Read on to help your dog have shiny and tartar-free teeth.

Table of Contents

Products used to soften tartar for dogs

Enzyme toothpaste
Snacks that clean teeth all naturally
Wet wipes for oral hygiene]
Oral hygiene gel
Oral hygiene spray bottle
Raw chew bones for dogs
Dog treats
Coconut oil
Mouthwash for dogs
Oral care solution for dogs

Brush your dog’s teeth with a soft brush.

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Spread enzyme toothpaste on the brush and scrub each tooth. Wait for the dog to relax, such as lying down, and sit down at eye level. ^{[1] X Research Source} Squeeze some enzyme toothpaste onto the brush. Place the brush close to your dog’s teeth and brush each tooth one at a time. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Use an enzyme toothpaste specially formulated for dogs.
Some brands of enzyme toothpaste, like Virbac, come in flavors like vanilla that many dogs love. This toothpaste also helps dogs have fresh breath! ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Give your dog a tooth-cleaning snack to chew on to remove tartar.

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Give your dog a tooth-cleaning snack to chew on to remove plaque and tartar. You can choose products such as raw hides, chew sticks, bones, or dog teeth cleaners. Check the label to make sure the product is the right size for your dog. Give your dog a chew each day. Be sure to monitor your dog as he chews on these products. ^{[4] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Throw the product away when your dog has chewed it so it doesn’t get into your dog’s gums or teeth.
Snacks or toys will scrape away plaque and tartar as your dog chews.
All-natural dog teeth cleaning snacks have enzymes that promote oral health, and many snack products contain ingredients that help freshen breath.
Give your dog only one tooth-cleaning snack a day to help him maintain a healthy weight.
Give your dog a tooth-cleaning toy instead of a treat if your dog is on a diet recommended by your doctor. Your dog is still enjoying it even if it can’t eat!

Clean your dog’s teeth with a dental wet wipe.

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Dental wet wipes will remove calcium that can harden into plaque or tartar. Sit down next to your dog, talk to him in a happy voice, and put a finger on one of his teeth. If your dog is calm and relaxed, you can gently touch a wet washcloth to his teeth. Once your dog gets used to the towel, scrub each tooth with the towel in a circular motion. ^{[5] X Trusted Source American Kennel Club Go to Source}

After placing the towel close to the dog’s teeth to let him get used to the foreign object, remember to praise him a lot.
Oral hygiene wet wipes can dissolve calcium, so it also softens tartar, which also often forms from calcium buildup on dog teeth and leads to oral health problems like gingivitis.
Oral hygiene wet wipes like Petkin Fresh Mint contain baking soda, which helps remove yellow stains from your dog’s teeth and freshens breath. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Use oral care gel for dogs.

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This is a specially formulated gel that cleans plaque and tartar for dogs. Pet the dog and gently touch the inside of the dog’s mouth. Once your dog gets used to it, squeeze 2 drops of the gel onto your index finger and dip it into the right side of the dog’s mouth. Repeat this step for the left side. ^{[7] X Trusted Source American Kennel Club Go to Source}

Rub the dog oral care gel daily, you should see results within 30 days.
You don’t need to brush your dog’s teeth if you already use an oral care gel like TropiClean Fresh Breath. Dog saliva mixed with the gel will activate the ingredients in the product and dissolve plaque and tartar.
Oral care gel is also anti-bacterial and helps freshen breath. ^{[8] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Use an oral hygiene spray to dissolve plaque on your dog’s teeth.

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Oral hygiene spray helps remove plaque before it hardens into tartar. Pet your dog to calm down, then spray on his gums and teeth. Dog saliva mixed with spray will create a film that dissolves plaque and calcium in tartar. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Read the product label on the spray bottle and check the dosage based on your dog’s size.
Use an oral spray 30 minutes before or after feeding your dog.
You may need to use your dog’s oral spray more often if your dog has a lot of tartar.
Oral hygiene sprays like HealthyMouth contain no alcohol or toxins and use natural ingredients to dramatically reduce tartar and prevent gum disease. ^{[10] X Research Source}
For best results, you can combine oral hygiene spray with daily brushing.
If your dog is fidgeting a lot and you can’t get oral hygiene spray in his mouth, try spraying on his dog’s toys. When the dog chews on the toy, the spray will soak into the dog’s mouth.

Let your dog chew on bones to dissolve tartar.

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Tartar will be disintegrated when the dog chews the bone. Choose a bone the size of your dog – not too small for your dog to swallow or too large for your dog to chew on and watch over it while it gnaws on the bone, especially if it gets the whole bone in its mouth. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Raw bone is a great choice for fighting tartar because it won’t break and won’t hurt your dog’s teeth.
Use the “patella” test to check if the bone is soft enough for your dog to chew on – if you hit the bone in the kneecap (at the knee) and it hurts, it’s too hard for your dog.
If you find your dog gnawing too hard, you should remove the bone to prevent the dog from breaking a tooth.

Give your dog a treat after cleaning its teeth.

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This will make the dog eager to do oral hygiene. Once you’ve cleaned your dog’s teeth using your chosen method, reward him with food for his cooperation, then praise and pet him so he associates oral hygiene with a pleasant experience. ^{[12] X Trusted Source American Kennel Club Go to Source}

Use a happy and energetic tone to keep your dog motivated. Your dog will feel excited when you clean his teeth.
Praise the dog as you would each time you reward him for a good behavior. For example, you might say, “Nice!”
The amount of reward that should be given to the dog is about 10% of the daily calorie intake.

Use coconut oil to prevent tartar from sticking to your dog’s teeth.

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Fight plaque and tartar with the bactericidal component of coconut oil. Pour 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of coconut oil onto a soft dog toothbrush. Brush your dog’s teeth in a circular motion for about 2 minutes. Remember to praise your dog when brushing his teeth. ^{[13] X Research Source}

For optimal results, you should brush your dog’s teeth with coconut oil once a day.
To save effort, you should avoid giving your dog snacks, because that way you will have to work harder to clean his teeth.
Play a game, such as a pick-up game, to get your dog excited about brushing his teeth.
First, check with your veterinarian to make sure coconut oil can be included in your dog’s diet – if your dog needs to lose weight, then coconut oil may not be the way to go.
Mix coconut oil into dog food to increase the anti-tartar effect.

Spray mouthwash on your dog’s teeth to keep his teeth clean.

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Chlorhexidine, the main ingredient in mouthwash, kills bacteria and prevents tartar. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source} Pull your dog’s lips up and spray a drop of mouthwash onto the dog’s cheeks. Saliva will mix with mouthwash and coat both teeth and gums, helping to prevent plaque and tartar.

Most chlorhexidine mouthwashes for dogs come in a flavor, which your dog will probably enjoy when you give him a mouthwash.
With its anti-bacterial effect, mouthwash will also help freshen your dog’s breath.
Mouthwash is specially formulated to disinfect, prevent plaque and tartar, so this product will help protect teeth and prevent gum disease.
Play with the dog and pet it after giving the dog mouthwash!

Pour oral care solution into your dog’s drinking water to reduce tartar.

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Oral care solution helps keep your dog’s drinking water clean and kills tartar-causing bacteria. First, ask your veterinarian if he or she recommends a daily oral care solution for dogs. If your doctor recommends it, read the product label and pour it into your dog’s drinking water according to the recommended dosage. ^{[15] X Research Source}

When dogs drink water, this product acts as mouthwash to clean gums and teeth.
Many oral care solutions are odorless, so your dog won’t even notice the difference.
Rinse the dog’s drinking water bowl after each use to ensure hygiene.
This product kills bacteria, so it can also prevent tartar and mouth sores.
Your veterinarian will let you know if your dog has an illness or is taking medication that could interact with the oral care solution.

Take your dog to the vet every year to have his teeth cleaned.

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Most veterinarians recommend an annual cleaning of your dog’s teeth to combat tartar. If your dog is already showing signs of thickened tartar, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your dog examined. The doctor will clean the dog’s teeth after anesthesia to remove all tartar. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Dogs need regular dental visits to maintain oral health, just like humans!
If your dog’s tartar builds up too quickly, you may need to take it to the vet every 6 months.
If your dog has his teeth cleaned at the vet on a regular basis, you can easily use home remedies to reduce your dog’s tartar.