The importance of dental hygiene has become much ore prevalent in both humans and in dogs as of late. For years it was thought that appropriate chew toys would do the job of cleaning a dog's teeth. Unfortunately, when it comes to the Chihuahua, their tiny mouths are often stuffed tight with teeth, allowing deposits to get stuck between them. Infection and decay from these deposits are very common and for your Chihuahua, such an infection is detrimental. Daily cleaning of your Chihuahua's teeth is the perfect solution.

Cleaning Their Teeth

Unless your Chihuahua has had their teeth brushed from a very young age, chances are the will not like the feeling of having their teeth touched. It is recommend that you begin training your Chihuahua for teeth brushing as a puppy but if this is not possible, training is needed for any age.

• While your Chihuahua is laying beside you (because that is their favorite place to be) gently moving your finger around on their teeth. This will get them used to the feeling.
• After they have become comfortable with your finger, switch to a dampened dog tooth brush. The finger cap kind are a perfect transition. Another type that is good for your Chihuahua's small mouth is the QuadBrush, which allows you to brush from many angles.
• The next step is to add a tiny amount of dog toothpaste. DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE! You must use pastes designed specifically for dog. Cain & Able KissAble Toothpaste is a nice product to use since it freshens breath and cleans.
• After a few weeks, you can then try the dog toothbrush.. It is recommended to use it for a few days with no paste. As your Chihuahua gets used to the feeling, you can slowly add more and more dog toothpaste. Before you know it, your dog will accept this as a normal part of his day.
• If all else fails and your Chihuahua is not willing to let you brush their teeth, you can use Dental Wipes. They are not as through as actually brushing so make it a last effort solution.

Teething Puppies

Watching your Chihuahua growth from a puppy gives you an opportunity to watch them growth into their erect ears, adult coat and also, their adult teeth. Around the age of 4 months, puppies will begin to looses their puppy teeth, allowing their permanent adult teeth to come in. Often times the last to come out are their canine teeth. Unfortunately, they are also to most susceptible for being retained. This is a common issue for many Chihuahuas and if not removed, can cause an over crowding issue in their tiny mouths. If you find a double set of teeth, and your Chihuahua is over 6 months of age, it is time to take action.

• If they will allow it, try to use your finger to gently wiggle the tooth loose. Just like our own kids do to get theirs out.
• Often times, over a few weeks of wiggling, the tooth will release and fall out.
• If not, you need to have a dental exam performed by your Veterinarian.

Also, while your Chihuahua puppy is teething, do not be surprised if you see their ears droop. Often times you will see the tip of one ear bend forward one day and then the other on the next day. This is perfectly normal. Like a human baby that drools while they are teething, Chihuahua's ears show the teething stage in puppies.