Bad Teeth

Question
My 3 and 1/2 year old male Dachshund had really bad plaque build up on teeth. The vet says that I probably should get his teeth cleaned, but I just can't afford it right now. I brush his teeth at least once a week and I have given him rawhide bones to chew on. Is there anything else I can do for him? His breath stinks really bad....and I mean bad! Thank you!

Answer
His breath smells bad not only from the plaque buildup (which is dead bacteria with cellular debris and food mixed together) but from the infected gum tissue that he has which is called Periodontal disease. People get the same thing from not having any oral care.
Dogs have it by the age of two if they do not get proper care at home and a cleaning once a year at the vets.

Brushing his teeth right now is like trying to empty a bathtub with a thimble.
You will not get far because the plaque (Calculus) isn't just on the surface, but under the gumline also.
Calculus is very hard to remove without the proper instruments and proper sedation.
While dentals are expensive, if done correctly they will prevent some very serious diseases in your dog. By getting your dog's teeth cleaned you are preventing heart, liver and kidney diseases in your dog.

Rawhide chews are not helpful in this case nor are any kind of treats - they only make the teeth worse. I do not recommend them at all any more after someone wrote to me in here to tell me how her beautiful one year old Golden Retriever suffocated from eating one. Only one food that I know of, which I have seen results with, that works to help AFTER a dental is Hill's T/D. I have seen it work really well on dogs that had to have twice a year cleanings. Their teeth were so much better from this food they were able to do the cleanings once a year instead.

So save up the money and get your dog's teeth cleaned. It will be the best investment you have ever made in his life-long health.