Is Your Toothpaste Safe For Your Dog

Maintaining the oral hygiene of your pet is paramount and you must not neglect it any cost.

Plaque and tartar not only discolor the teeth and produce bad breath but in the long run, can damage the jaws of your pet too.

In your desire to use nothing but the best for your canine friend do not resort to using your own toothpaste for cleaning your dog’s teeth; it is extremely unsafe for dogs. Only use specially formulated canine toothpastes.

Reasons Why Human Toothpastes Are Unsafe

Presence of additives
The additives and surfactant agents added for foam in human toothpaste are not good for anyone’s digestive system, leave alone the fragile gut of your pet. While humans can spit it out and rinse their mouths dogs tend to swallow it and then all hell breaks lose. These additives cause liver damage in canines.

Use of Xylitol
Several brands of human toothpaste use xylitol as a sweetening agent. When dogs absorb this ingredient, they have surges of insulin followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar which can lead to seizures, liver damage and in some cases death.

Fluoride
Human toothpaste contains fluoride to prevent decay of teeth; fluoride is detrimental to your pet’s health. Overdoes of fluoride will lead to excessive drooling, loss of appetite, vomiting, restlessness and if left untreated can lead sever problems like depression, seizures, and even cardiac failure.

It is important to brush your pet's teeth regularly to maintain optimum dental hygiene. There are several brands of dog toothpaste available in all pet stores which are specially formulated with ingredients that are safe even when swallowed by your pet.

You can also make toothpaste at home for your pet that is perfectly safe and will keep its breath fresh.

Do not use human toothpaste at any cost. If despite your best efforts your pet's breath doesn't freshen up its time to visit the vet, there may be a serious underlying problem that needs immediate attention.

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Pete Decker

Pete Decker is the Lead Editor at The Goody Pet. He is a passionate wildlife educator and loves to share his experiences on pets. During his free time, you can find him cozying around his 2 adorable Labradors (Tobi & Kobi).

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