 The Short Answer is: |
Green teeth on your dog aren’t normal, and any discoloration of the teeth should be addressed immediately. The discoloration of a dog’s teeth is a sign of poor oral hygiene. Green, yellow, or brown stains are caused by tartar build-up, which if ignored, will result in tooth infection or other dental diseases, especially gingivitis. |
In this article you will know the answer to the query “Help! My dog’s teeth are green“.
One day you noticed something in your dogs mouth; it was his teeth! Because you do not remember what they should look like you can not tell if its something to be worried about.
Green is the color of your dogs teeth. What color should they be now? Should they be green yellow or white? Is it okay if they look green? What should they look like?
Starting with the fact that a dogs teeth should not be green we can rule that out right away. It could be stained from what your dog ate medication or something more serious.
The discoloration of your dogs teeth should not be ignored especially if the color is greenish or yellowish-brown on one or two teeth. This can be a sign of tartar build-up or infection.
1. Are dogs’ teeth supposed to be white?
White is the actual color of dog teeth and you will notice most healthy pups and those with enamel hypoplasia have pearly white teeth.
Maintaining your dogs natural teeth color is possible with proper oral hygiene. Any discoloration is a sign of poor oral hygiene and needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Discoloration of dog teeth can result from any of the following; food stains plaque and tartar stains bleeding gums stains medication stains or metal stains. It is important to address any discoloration or stain on your dogs teeth as soon as possible.
2. What does it mean when your dog’s teeth are green?
It could either be from food stains or plaque and tartar buildup if you find your dogs teeth turning green or greenish-brown or yellow. These are the most likely causes. There may be a thin film of plaque on your dogs teeth that are waiting to harden into tartar if the discoloration is even on the surfaces of the teeth.
Tartar is a hard greenish-brown or yellowish-brown substance that forms on the teeth most often along the gum line where the tooth meets the gum. It accumulates from there.
Tartar on your dogs teeth is a bad thing because it encourages the growth of bacteria in the mouth resulting in tooth decay and a host of other dental problems. The bacteria in the mouth can also get washed into the esophagus and stomach where they can pose health risks to your dog as well as cause other diseases.
3. How do you get rid of dog teeth build-up?
You have to take deliberate steps every day to remove tartar from your pets’ teeth. This should be a daily routine because plaque and tartar accumulate every day and getting rid of them while they’re still soft are much easier than scraping off hard large tartar deposits. You will not only be able to remove tartar buildup but your dogs teeth will also remain clean and free of tartar.
Combine healthy foods with a natural diet
A combination of synthetic and natural dog food will keep your dog healthy as well as keep his teeth clean and healthy.
Since dogs are carnivores they benefit greatly from a diet rich in meat meals including raw bones. This allows them to keep healthy strong and shiny teeth. Plaque and tartar cannot build upon raw bones since they are abrasive. Raw meat is used by dogs in the wild to maintain strong and shiny teeth so it is great for your dogs as well.
Give your dog something to chew
While dogs chew dental chew toys the plaque and tartar on their teeth are gradually scraped away. Toys that satiate your dogs innate instinct to chew come in different shapes and sizes.
After he has eaten you can throw one at him to keep him busy while cleaning his teeth. You can prevent your dog from chewing up your shoes and furniture by having him chew a toy every day. Not only will he remove plaque and tartar from his teeth but he will also stop wearing down your furniture.
Brush your dog’s teeth daily
You may need to brush your dogs teeth every day in addition to making sure your dog chews for a few minutes each day. You should do this not only for oral hygiene but also for your dogs overall health and well-being.
You may have a hard time brushing your dogs teeth if he does not like to have a “stick” poked into his mouth. This should not deter you if approached correctly your dog will learn to accept routine daily tooth brushing.
Using the steps below you can introduce teeth brushing to your pet in a gradual and successful manner.
Simple Steps for Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth
- Start by getting a toothbrush and toothpaste for your pet. Dogs should not use human toothpaste since they swallow it whereas pet toothpaste can be swallowed by them.
- When brushing your pets teeth it is best to do so when the animal is calm and relaxed which is likely to happen after an exercise session.
- Kneel in front of your dog with the toothpaste and brush to brush his teeth. Using one hand gently encourage him to open his mouth while saying some soothing words.
- Brush his teeth for a few seconds by moving the brush up and down and in a circular motion.
- Start by brushing just the front teeth until your dog becomes accustomed to it. Afterward you can encourage him to open his mouth and brush the inner part or back of his teeth.
- You can reward your dog with a healthy treat after each brushing session. This will act as positive reinforcement and encourage your dog to accept the brushing.
Use dental spray
A solution for oral hygiene can be added to your pets water if brushing your pets teeth does not work. The easiest way to ensure your dogs oral hygiene is to mix dental spray with water.
If your dog already has large tartar deposits on his teeth you might want to book a dental cleaning session with a vet to professionally remove all those deposits.
4. How to clean your dog’s teeth naturally
In the same way as humans a dogs oral health contributes significantly to its overall well-being. You can ensure that your dogs teeth are in great shape by incorporating ways to keep his teeth healthy into his daily routine.
Tartar deposits form every day and just within a few days of neglect your dogs teeth will already be covered in tartar so a daily routine is absolutely necessary. The only way to keep your dogs teeth healthy is to watch what you feed him.
The most important thing is what you feed your pet and whatever he eats should keep his teeth in good shape as well as nourish his body.
The most popular pet food is now kibble and dry food. While they are great for balancing your pets diet they do very little for keeping your pets teeth in good condition. When dry foods get stuck on your pets teeth they cause bacteria to grow rapidly and form plaque and tartar.
Soft food also causes tartar to build up since it tends to get stuck between your dogs teeth. Raw meaty meals with bones are the best food for reducing tartar build-up and promoting healthy teeth. Because they are carnivores these are the perfect diet for dogs (and cats). Even though it may not be practical to feed your pets only raw meat a healthy dose of raw meat bones and dry food is ideal.
Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs and it helps keep their teeth in great condition so you should take advantage of this tendency. Raw bones are perfect for tartar control because they are abrasive and dogs love chewing on them. They will chew on one for hours.
In addition to being great for dog teeth raw meaty bone diets contain enzymes that help clean and strengthen teeth. You can also use antlers bully sticks and dog chew toys to prevent tartar from forming on your dogs teeth.
Whenever you give your dog treats as positive reinforcement for good behavior make sure you choose healthy treats and not unhealthy treats laced with sugar. You can give your pet healthy treats like freeze-dried meat dried pig beef and snouts.
Providing your pet with fruits and vegetables is also a great treat and snack option. Green beans carrots apples squash pumpkin and carrot slices are good for your pet. In order to maintain your pets health it is important that whatever gets into his mouth is healthy.
5. How do you know if your dog has a tooth infection?
It is common for both humans and pets to develop tooth infections and dental diseases due to poor oral hygiene. Dogs can suffer from severe tooth decay and infection. Pets with periodontal disease which affects the gums around the teeth are more likely to suffer from dental problems.
If detected early a vet can prevent tooth loss and the spread of infection to other teeth by removing the decayed areas of the tooth. There can be a great deal of pain associated with dental diseases and decay so you must be very observant to notice when your dog is in pain.
In addition to pain you can tell if your dog has a dental infection by the color of his teeth. Once a cavity starts rotting a tooth you will notice brown or black spots on the tooth or teeth.
The following are the most common signs of a tooth infection in a dog:
In some cases your dog may be experiencing pain which you would not necessarily notice right away so you’ll have to take note of his behavior. Does he/she drool more than normal? A sign of pain could be drooling.
A bad and stinky breath is also a sign of tooth decay. You should not ignore or assume that your dogs breath will go away if it is suddenly unbearably stinky. By knowing why and what is behind it you may be able to prevent your dogs tooth from completely decaying and falling out.
If your dog has a painful tooth he will have trouble eating and enjoying his meals which will be evident by a decreased appetite. An animals lack of appetite is always a sign of something wrong and should never be ignored. If you see him struggling to eat its time to take him to the vet.
Sometimes tooth infections are accompanied by facial swelling. In the event that your dogs face swells take him to the veterinarian as soon as possible to salvage the situation and prevent tooth loss.
Conclusion
Green teeth on your dog are not normal and any discoloration of the teeth should be addressed immediately. The discoloration of a dogs teeth is a sign of poor oral hygiene. Green yellow or brown stains are caused by tartar build-up which if ignored will result in tooth infection or other dental disease especially gingivitis.
Tartar buildup on dog teeth can also pose health risks as they serve as breeding grounds for bacteria that can move into the gut and cause a number of problems in the system. Maintaining your dogs teeth is the only way to keep their teeth healthy strong and shiny.
Amanda (Author)
With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.
Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)
Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.
