Improved Oral Health and Adaptation to Treatment in Dogs Using Manual or Ultrasonic Toothbrush or Textile of Nylon or Microfiber for Active Dental Home Care

Abstract

Poor oral health is a common problem in dogs causing pain and impaired welfare. The gold standard to maintain good oral health and prevent periodontitis is daily tooth brushing. However, many dog owners find it difficult, and dogs often show aversive behavior. There are several different tools available, and in this intra-subject study, four different active dental home care treatment options were examined: manual and ultrasonic toothbrush, a nylon glove, and a microfiber finger cloth. The treatments were evaluated for efficacy against gingivitis, plaque, and calculus in beagle dogs. Each dog received two treatments on the buccal sides of the teeth once daily, either two types of toothbrushes (N = 10) or two types of textiles (N = 11), on separate sides of the mouth. The dogs’ teeth were assessed before and after the five-week treatment period, with the assessor blinded by additional, similar dogs (N = 7). The study also assessed the dogs’ stress levels during treatment using a fear, anxiety, stress (FAS) protocol. All four treatments improved dog oral health, reducing gingivitis and plaque. Furthermore, the amount of calculus also decreased in some individuals. Adaptation to dental care occurred in the dogs over time. This information can be used to encourage dog owners to brush their dogs’ teeth.

Long-term effects of motivational interviewing vs. traditional counseling on dog owners’ adherence to veterinary dental home care: a three-year follow-up study

“…However, no significant differences in dental health were found between the MI and traditional advice groups. Several findings from both questionnaire surveys and the dental examination were consistent with earlier studies ( 15 , 29 , 30 ). This consistency occurred despite dog owners in the study receiving repeated messages emphasizing the importance of daily oral care to maintain good oral health, highlighting the complexity of communication interventions and behavioral changes.…”

Dog Owners' Ideas and Strategies Regarding Dental Health in Their Dogs-Thematic Analysis of Free Text Survey Responses

“…Among the free-text answers, reported tooth brushing difficulties included that the dog had been adopted as an adult, or that it had not been trained as pup. While it may in fact be difficult to train a scared or unaccustomed dog, it is by no means impossible, which may be worth informing dog owners about ( 58 ). We hypothesize that tooth brushing of dogs may become a more natural part of daily care in the future, similar to regular grooming, bathing and nail clipping.…”

Evaluation of a Thiol-Detection Test to Assess Tooth Brushing Efficacy in Dogs

“…Although calculus is generally considered too dense to brush away completely, this observation indicates that a reduction of calculus may be possible with daily tooth brushing, in accordance with a previous study from this research group. 21 Normally, the teeth of the dogs in this study are not brushed at all. They always have access to rawhide chews yet still develop calculus.…”

“…Reward-based training with positive reinforcement has been shown to be effective for habituation of tooth brushing in a previous study by the authors' research group. 21 The aim of this study was to investigate whether a thioldetection test can be an aid to evaluate the effect of tooth brushing in dogs. A secondary aim was to investigate habituation to tooth brushing in dogs.…”

“…Reward-based training with positive reinforcement has been shown to be effective for habituation of tooth brushing in a previous study by the authors’ research group. 21 …”