Have you ever wondered how to clean your Pomeranian teeth? After all, just like humans, our cute Pomeranian pooches need regular dental care, or they might lose their sharp doggie teeth.
So, how can you clean your Pomeranian’s teeth? You can clean your Pomeranian teeth by brushing the teeth frequently, using dental chews to remove plaque, or scheduling a professional cleaning session with your vet.
But, why is it important to clean your Pomeranian teeth and how can you tell if your Pom is having teeth problems? Keep on reading to find the answers.
Why Do You Need to Clean Your Pomeranian Teeth?
Dogs have lived thousands of years without proper dental care, that’s true. What you don’t know is that bad teeth can shorten a dog’s life and cause a myriad of problems. That’s why keeping your Pomeranian’s teeth in pristine condition is necessary for their overall well-being.
Unfortunately, dental disease is so common that nearly 80% of all dogs show signs by the time they are three years old. To make matters worse, Pomeranians are a breed known for their “bad teeth.” Let me explain why.
These cute doggies have small mouths, which leads to teeth overcrowding. As a result, it’s easy for food to get trapped between the teeth. This food provides an excellent breeding ground for bacteria from which dental plaque is formed.
In addition to this, since Pomeranians tend to pant a lot, they have drier mouths than other breeds. So there is not enough saliva to cleanse their teeth and remove any plaque build-up or trapped food.
All this means that if you don’t clean your Pomeranian teeth, your pooch is certain to develop periodontal disease. This condition progresses quickly in dogs and has serious complications such as inflamed gums, loose teeth, and loss of jaw bone mass.
Left untreated, your Pomeranians will not only lose all of their teeth, but their jaws will get so fragile that the slightest pressure might break them. Not to mention that gum disease can damage other vital organs such as kidneys, liver, and heart.
But do you know what’s worse? Dental disease doesn’t start with any obvious signs. And your Pomeranian can’t tell you that their gums or teeth are hurting. So by the time that you notice something amiss, the disease has already damaged your Pom’s teeth and mouth.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of dental disease in Pomeranians:
- Loss of appetite
- Bleeding gums
- Bloody saliva
- Loose teeth
- Blood on chewing toys
- Bad breath
- Whining when eating/yawing
- Bumps/lumps in the mouth
To prevent periodontal disease, specialists recommend that you start cleaning your Pomeranian teeth as young as three months old. The regular brushing session will also help you notice any retained teeth so that you can have them removed.
What Do I Need to Brush My Pomeranian Teeth?
While it’s evident that you need a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean your Pomeranian’s teeth, you have to know a couple of things.
First, you mustn’t use human toothpaste. It contains fluoride, which is toxic to dogs. Since Pomeranians are so small, they don’t need to ingest much to get very ill very quickly. Go to the emergency vet if your pooch has swallowed even the tiniest amount of human toothpaste.
Visit your local pet shop and choose a toothpaste made for dogs. Canine toothpaste is safe, non-toxic, and available in different flavors to appeal to your Pom’s taste. Keep in mind that you might have to try several until you find the one that your Pomeranian actually likes.
As for toothbrushes, human ones won’t do the trick. They are too big and have coarse bristles that can damage your dog’s gums. Find a canine toothbrush suitable for small dog breeds.
You can also get a dental kit, which contains everything you’ll need to clean your Pomeranian’s teeth and mouth.
How Do You Brush Your Pomeranian Teeth?
I know what you’re thinking, “There is no way my Pom will let me brush their teeth.” But brushing is the best way to clean your Pomeranian teeth, and your Pom will quickly take to the toothbrush if you introduce it correctly.
1. Get your Pomeranian used to being handled around the mouth
Your first step is to get your Pomeranian comfortable with being handled around the mouth. In this way, your pooch won’t freak out when you attempt to brush their teeth.
Here’s how to do it:
- Get your Pom when the dog is happy and relaxed.
- Squeeze something tasty on your finger.
- Lift your Pomeranian’s lips gently and rub your finger on the teeth.
- Release your dog, praise, and reward.
- Keep practicing for a few days.
Your goal is to make your Pomeranians think about your hands around their mouth as something wonderful that leads to rewards. So, never force their mouth open.
2. Familiarize your pooch with the toothbrush
Once your Pom doesn’t mind it when you touch their mouth, it’s time to introduce the toothbrush. Just put some peanut butter or another tasty treat on the toothbrush. Then lift your dog’s lips and gently rub the teeth.
Let your Pomeranian get used to the feeling and then released and reward. Don’t attempt a full brush yet, but keep practicing.
3. Introduce the toothpaste
To introduce the toothpaste, squeeze some on your finger and let your pooch sniff and lick it so that it can get familiar with the taste and texture. In case your Pom doesn’t like the flavor, experiment until you find the one that your dog loves.
4. Time to brush!
By now, your Pomeranian should be ready to have their teeth brushed. So, put some toothpaste on the brush and lift your dog’s lips. Then brush the teeth from top to bottom on both sides using gentle, circular motions. Repeat twice or thrice a week, depending on their teeth’s condition.
How to Use Dental Chews to Clean Pomeranian Teeth?
Besides frequent brushing sessions, you can use dental chews to clean your Pomeranian’s teeth. These treats are designed in such a way to scrape the plaque build-up when your pooch chews on them. They also contain ingredients to improve your pooch’s oral health and freshen their breath.
What I like about dental chews is that they are effective, easy to use, and come in handy when you’re too busy to brush your dog’s teeth. Moreover, dogs love it when they have something to chew on during the day.
The bad thing is that some dental chews are rich in calories and contain ingredients that are not good for your dog. My advice would be to read the label carefully and choose dental chews with as many natural elements as possible.
Some people also recommend giving bones to your Pomeranian to clean their teeth. Although bones can be an effective chew toy for your dog, you have to know two essential things.
First, never give your Pomeranian cooked bones. They splinter easily and can lodge in the throat or pierce the intestines. Second, some raw bones might be too hard for your Pom to chew. As such, they can damage your pooch’s teeth, so be careful.
Instead of giving your Pomeranian bones or rawhide, consider giving them rawhide alternatives, including beef bully sticks, sweet potato chews, fish skin treats, Himalayan yak chews, and cow chew treats. Your Pom will love them and they’ll help keep your Pom’s teeth clean.
Does My Pomeranian Need Professional Teeth Cleaning?
If you have neglected your Pomeranian’s teeth, you must take your pooch to have their teeth cleaned professionally. Once plaque hardens into tartar, brushing can push bacteria into the bloodstream and make your dog ill. What’s more, no amount of scrubbing is going to remove tartar from your dog’s teeth.
Professional dental cleaning is done under anesthesia for obvious reasons. As such, it’s something that you have to do as rarely as possible since Pomeranians don’t do well with anesthesia.
That’s one more reason to make sure that you take good care of your Pom’s teeth.
Closing Thoughts
Pomeranians are one of the most adorable dogs, and it’s never boring with them in the house. However, these fluffy pooches often have teeth problems, so knowing how to clean your Pomeranian teeth is as important as taking care of their coats and nails.
