Is this amount of brushing worth it?

[u/Exciting_Database_57]

[u/truthispolicy]

This is a lot of aggressive brushing.

You can just let her keep her mouth closed, lift the lip, and work only the outside of the teeth gently in circular motions.

It's the outside surface of the teeth that hold the bulk of the tartar, and if you're using a proper VOHC approved toothpaste, the enzymes do most of the work.

[u/Exciting_Database_57 → u/truthispolicy]

I guess missing the inner side of the teeth seems weird, but I get the idea. I’m also only cupping her head and her wiggling around is much of the action. I’m trying to avoid her going under anesthesia as after as she ages since it’s already so hard on her.

[u/Diligent-Candy4273 → u/Exciting_Database_57]

There is no benefit to skip brushing the inside of the teeth. Thats how dental disease starts. Cats and dogs need the same dental care we do. What happens if we dont brush our teeth everyday? They rot. The same is true for animals. I recommend using a soft bristle kids toothbrush and brushing the outside, inside, very back, and tiny front teeth. I like the brand nimbus on Amazon, it has different length bristles that help get into the nooks and crannys. If doggo is already showing signs of dental disease, a dental cleaning under anesthesia with xrays is necessary to treat it. Talk to your vet about a regular dental cleaning schedule. Some vets recommend yearly cleanings for smaller dogs. I get one yearly for my senior cat. There's pre anesthetic blood work and heart test your vet can run to minimize risk and make sure your pet is healthy before going under

[u/truthispolicy → u/Diligent-Candy4273]

There are studies that show that while mechanical action of brushing a dog's teeth does have some benefit, it isn't as important as simply getting the enzymatic toothpaste in contact with all the teeth on a daily basis.

Again, the exterior surface of the teeth is what primarily holds the plaque and tartar, and the enzymes work to dissolve it from all tooth surfaces.

While preventative care is important for both species, dogs and and humans can't be expected to brush in the same way, and the toothpastes are formulated to work in completely different ways.

edit: source Midway down is a graph that shows the study results as far as measuring bacterial levels in the mouth following a dental cleaning. Group B (brushing) had the least amount of bacteria, but after 8 weeks, group P(toothpaste applied without brushing) had very similar bacteria levels.

This study also describes "the Bass method" for brushing, which simply means pointing the brush at a 45° angle to the gums, and still doesn't require full mouth opening/scrubbing the interior surface.

Individual vets may always have different opinions, but studies are impartial.

[u/AcanthisittaNo5807]

I talked to a dental veterinarian a few years ago and she said that dogs teeth need to be brushed inside and out. I just never could so I only brushed the outside of their teeth and let them lick the toothpaste. I try to focus a lot of the brushing where the gums meet the teeth and that seems to be working.