Tooth stuff?

So when Rage was spayed on Tuesday I did her teeth quick - for 7 years old, they're in great shape, and I'd like to avoid another anesthetic dental in the future. Liz's teeth I did yesterday at work.. she is 11, weird under anesthesia, and unfortunately it looks like ALL of her teeth are no good. Also unfortunate is the fact that they are all solidly in her mouth. So I cleaned & polished them, and she's on antibiotics... now comes the challenge of keeping them as clean as I can. I already brush Daisy's once or twice a day so let me know what you guys' best kept secrets for healthy ( or at least clean) teeth are!!!

I feed frozen raw and raw meaty bones.

I'll be stalking the thread as well. Meg had several extractions last year, despite the vet commenting that there was basically no hardened tarter on her teeth (I brush them religiously). She said that she just had crap teeth genetically. I'd also really, really prefer to avoid putting her under again.

I read somewhere that someone used Crest Pro Health mouth wash on cotton balls or something to clean the mouth as well. I haven't had a vet appointment since then to ask if that is 1) safe and 2) helpful.

Unfortunately I have four dogs & my dog freezer broke... I can do bones for Rage but until I get another freezer it probably won't be a daily thing... as for Liz, I'm afraid raw bones will break her teeth. She has had some seriously nasty fractures and breaks (she only has two partial canines left... she fractures one straight across and then up into her jaw...) so giving her bones makes me nervous.. her teeth are just brittle & awful :/

The veterinary dentist I've used says 1) CET toothpaste or rinse and 2) a product by Hope Science Vet called EFAC. My cats really, really, really didn't like the EFAC, so we compromise with me smearing CET on their teeth regularly.

The dogs don't seem to mind the EFAC as much.

Fabulous - I'm already brushing with CET and I can get the EFAC at work!

I was not as diligent as I should have been about using the CET with my cats, but one of them just had a dental. His first one with the specialist required many extractions. His second (a year and a half later) only the teeth we knew needed to come out that I waited on due to money last time (he had full mouth xrays both times, so she could compare). So my inconsistent CET use must have done something since he is NOT known for having a good mouth overall.

I've been using Pro Dent PlaqueOff for years. Don't let the price scare you- the scoop is tiny, about the size of the top of a pinky nail. Caleb gets two scoops a day, and the small bottle lasts me about 4 months.


http://www.plaqueoff.com/for-animals/product/

Juno has fantastic teeth, if I say so myself lol. But for 5 years old, I can't find a speck of tartar on them, her gums look great and she doesn't have any weird gum overgrowth like boxers always do. I am mediocre when it comes to taking care of them. I go through periods where I am super awesome about brushing every night, and then I go through periods where I might brush them once every couple weeks. She gets a bone/bully stick maybe once or twice a week, and she's fed raw, but it's ground raw.

I brush with whatever enzymatic toothpaste is available (right now it's Dr Foster & Smith brand, next is Petrodex because a client at work donated an open tube lol) and I always follow up with a chlorhexidine dental spray like Nolvadent.

I've got Cajun started on the same routine so we'll see how that pans out for her. I am even worse about remembering to do Lucy's teeth, she had a dental a year ago and I can see her needing another in the future. And Happy's teeth were just already garbage when I got her, but I'm not putting her under anesthesia and I don't do home care for them.