DIY Dog Toothpaste

Do you brush your dogs teeth?

I have the best intentions, but a few days missed, and well... eventually I forget.  Am I the only one who's done that?

Truth be told, the hardest part of brushing my dog's teeth is remembering to do it.  (Eye roll)

At the time their teeth were clean.  No big deal.  But over time, the tartar builds, the breath gets bad, gingivitis sets in, and the remedy is a full dental with the vet.

Now... regret has tied my stomach in knots.  

Jake was a candidate for a dental cleaning months ago. Then COVID halted all non ER procedures and it was put on hold. Honestly, I get nervous with any procedure that requires anesthesia but especially with extra reasons for concern.  

My compromise...I promised my holistic vet I would brush regularly using an enzymatic gel that claims to reduce plaque and tartar build up, control bacteria, and freshen breath.  

As I read the list of ingredients... Salmon oil, Peppermint Oil, Thyme Oil, to name a few... I thought to myself… 

My DIY dog toothpaste recipe is at least effective as that.

It's true. 

I admit, I haven’t regularly brushed my dogs teeth.  But when the breath got bad I’d whip up a batch and it’d worked like a charm.

Making toothpaste for your dog, or yourself, is super easy.

The base is simply equal parts baking soda and coconut oil. (Mr. Googly will find you many recipes, but why complicate things when simple works?)

Customizing the toothpaste with essential oils(EOs) is easy.  Just add the EOs needed to address your dog’s needs. 

For example...

Here’s a recipe I made for Jazz and Jake. At the time, Jazz was 15-years-old and 50 pounds, with some bad breath and red, swollen gums. 

Fresh Breath Dog Toothpaste (Makes 1 Ounce)

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Blend together in a 1 ounce jar.  Add essential oils and stir.

5 drops peppermint

1 drop Roman chamomile

Peppermint freshens breath. Spearmint is a gentle alternative.

Roman chamomile soothes nerve pain and reduces inflammation in the gums.

Recently, I made a similar batch for Jake, only changing out the Roman chamomile to 1 drop Clove

Wait. What!?  Clove??

Yes...I said clove. 

Clove oil fights bacteria and has been used in dental hygiene for centuries. I use clove oil in my DIY toothpaste. Never give it orally to cats).

Essential oils for dog toothpaste 

Start with 0.5%- 1% dilution, that 3-6 drops of essential oils per 1 ounce of toothpaste. 

• peppermint or spearmint (2-6 drops)  
• clove (1-2 drops)  
• sweet orange or lemon (2-4 drops)  
• Roman chamomile (1-2 drops)
• sweet marjoram (2- 4 drops)

Experimenting is key to learning what your dog will like...or at least tolerate.  

Keep it simple and only use 1-2 essential oils to start.  

Always start with less and add more if needed.

Remember, the problem didn’t happen overnight and neither will the solution.

If you give it a try, let me know how the teeth “brushing” goes for you.

If you have trouble just getting into their mouth, email me. I have a solution for that too.