Dog’s Stained Teeth Won’t Get Clean!

Hi Yosef,

From the photos you submitted, I can see only the left upper and lower canines, one upper premolar and a couple of incisors. There is tartar buildup at the gum line, which I am surprised to see appear so quickly in a 3 year old after a teeth cleaning.

If his upper 4th Premolars are *clean*, that would suggest that he is chewing enough to keep those free of tartar. If these teeth also have an accumulation of tartar, then you do need to provide him with something for tartar control. And the quick buildup of tartar may be due to the food he is eating.

It appears that he does have a ‘normal’ scissor bite, (meaning his teeth are in alignment, without the lower jaw being too long or too short).

Therefore, if he is provided with something that is a tartar control chew, he should be able to keep his teeth clean. Keeping the rest of the teeth clean, is another matter. For some background info, in a carnivore, each tooth serves a different purpose.

The canine teeth are used for killing the prey. The incisors are used to scrape the meat off the bone. The Premolars, (the teeth that do not touch one another when the mouth is closed) are used to shear the skin and tear the flesh. And the Left and Right Upper 4th Premolar/Left and Right Lower 4th Premolar (also called the ‘Carnassial’ teeth) are the only teeth used for chewing. Meaning that out of 42 teeth in a dog’s mouth, he only has 4 with which to chew. If he loses just one of these teeth, he must chew on the opposite side of his mouth.

So, giving him something to chew for tartar control basically cleans only the carnassial teeth. Making sure he is in optimal health, eating a good diet, (such as a raw diet, see our page on 10 Best Dog Food Options, that he is not over vaccinated, (seek the help of a holistic veterinarian for a vaccination exemption), and not exposed to toxins for flea/tick prevention.

In the meantime, RAW chicken or turkey necks would NOT be too sharp for him to chew. If the chicken or turkey is COOKED then the bones will be brittle and splinter.

If Gimmel ran out and killed a chicken, and ate it, he would eat the bones too. That is what a wolf or coyote does in the wild. They do not spit out the bones. They eat them, which provide them with the abrasive action for cleaning the teeth, and calcium needed to balance their diet. Rawhide does not provide the abrasive action needed to clean teeth.

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO

Hi Yosef,

Here is the rest of my response.

You might consider putting him in a walk-in shower stall and let him eat his chicken neck there. This way it will be easier to clean up after him! Or you might want to hold on to one end of the bone, to prevent him from gulping it down too quickly.

As he gnaws on one end, you can slowly move it to the other side of his mouth, so he can gnaw with the teeth on the other side of his mouth and clean those too!

And there are many ‘man-made’ tartar control treats available for him to chew also. The main criteria are:

1. Make sure he gets something to chew after EACH meal.

2. He should like the treat.

3. The treat should not give him gas or loose stool.

4. It must work, so that after 3-4 weeks, his teeth are white!

If it is not working, or it gives him gas or he does not like it, then find a different brand.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Related Pages:
– Dog Dental Hygiene & Mouth/Gum/Teeth Problems
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Dog Mouth, Teeth & Gums Section

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

I have one dog out of my 8, that would rather bury her bones for later – later never comes as the other dogs find them…her teeth therefore are not as pristine as the others of my crew – what has help me clean teeth that have looked like teeth in submitted photo, is this activated charcoal and bentonite clay paste I get from my vet (customary use is for accidental ingestion of a poison that need adsorption) I put a pea sized amount on a thin dry old washcloth and massage each tooth that needs cleaning – for me this works wonderfully and it’s not harmful in anyway to the dog. Just my 2 cents…

October 8, 2014

Dear Anonymous,
You tip for using Bentonite clay and Activated Charcoal is really very good. The charcoal can be messy and is very black, so rinsing well after brushing would be needed!

But it is VERY safe for dogs and cats to ingest!

Thanks!

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.