# Question about teeth



## rory (Oct 4, 2011)

What can I do about a little buildup on the top canines, near the gums? RMBs don't seem to be doing the trick (although it's only been two months) and a month of petzlife gel also hasn't helped. I guess she just doesn't use those teeth much? The rest of her mouth is perfectly pearly white


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Rebel too. I know it's because he will find a corner and gnaw on it with his back teeth rather than use his front teeth.

Last week i gave him by accident one of the little rib bones that I give Snorkels - and it was so small he had to pick at it with his front teeth. That seems to be working. i guess that wouldn't work with a gulper, though.


----------



## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I use a tooth scaler to scrape the buildup on canines. Sometimes the softer kind is harder to remove. This week I was petsitting a dog with calcified tartar on canines, so I just scaled a little bit and it flaked off in one piece. The only word of caution is not to dig into the tooth with a pointy end because it can damage the enamel. 

heres a a pic of unos canines before and after scaling:


















i have this one
http://www.amazon.com/Double-Dental-Scaler-Sleeve-Storage/dp/B001RMB6QW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320031587&sr=8-1


----------



## rory (Oct 4, 2011)

Thanks, I'll have to get one of those scalers. I hope a local pet store will carry them!


----------



## Jimm (Oct 22, 2011)

Once you get them clean they should stay clean once you continue with the raw.


----------



## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Mol's been on raw for, well, I think its a couple of years now and she also has canine tartar. She just doesn't use those teeth at all. I tried giving her big hunks of boneless meat hoping she'd dig in and tear it apart with them, but nope, she just uses her molars to chew along the side.
Thanks for that info on the scaler Unosmom, I think I might get one and try it.


----------



## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

Cabo has this same issue...


----------



## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

Do be careful if you are scraping the teeth as it leaves ridges in the teeth which make tartar buildup that much quicker. Zoey my chihuahua gets tartar buildup even while eating raw. I brush her teeth every day, that is the ONLY thing that has kept it down (after she had her teethcleaned at the vet).


----------



## lucky (Jan 8, 2011)

I'm going to get one of those de-scalers for lucky, she also chews with her back teeth and has a bit of tartar on her canines


----------



## taem (Oct 29, 2011)

cprcheetah said:


> Zoey my chihuahua gets tartar buildup even while eating raw.


Does this happen with a lot of small dogs on rmb diets? They have so many teeth crammed into those little mouths I was wondering about this, whether they get the same flossing benefits as larger dogs do.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

taem said:


> Does this happen with a lot of small dogs on rmb diets? They have so many teeth crammed into those little mouths I was wondering about this, whether they get the same flossing benefits as larger dogs do.


My dachshund was on a monthly antibiotic regimin before we started raw. Even though she only has four teeth there were pockets or something that just got infected all the time. Since we started raw, she takes no antibiotics. I give her alot of ground up stuff because she only has four teeth, but every few days I give her a beef rib. She can't crack the bone but she gnaws, pulls, etc. both front and back of her mouth and the teeth she has left are in great shape.

On the rare occasions I give her a chicken back, she can eat the bones and it takes all of her teeth and gums to do it.

She is a MUCH better flosser than my Doberman.


----------



## rory (Oct 4, 2011)

Well, I'm not getting a scaler. My fingernail did the trick


----------

