Chihuahuas are known for having relatively few health problems compared to other dog breeds. Like most small dogs, though, Chihuahuas tend to have oral problems that can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss and even stroke. One of the reasons for this is simply due to their small mouths, which generally force teeth to become impacted as they grow in. While some Chihuahuas may live long and happy lives without experiencing dental problems, most will have at least some oral issues arise. Thankfully, however, there are certain things we can do as owners to help maintain good oral health for our Chihuahuas.
To put things into perspective on just how serious Chihuahua oral problems are, studies have shown that roughly 3/4 of Chihuahuas will develop at least one form of gum disease by the age of 4. It may only cause bad breath at first, but all types of gum disease are progressive; therefore, it’s only going to get worse unless you take action to stop it. Chihuahuas haven’t developed the ability to brush their own teeth yet, so it’s up to you to do it for them.
How To Brush Your Chihuahua’s Teeth
Brushing your Chihuahua’s teeth is arguably the single most important thing you can do for their oral health. When food particles and residue gets stuck on their teeth, it turns to tarter. Small amounts of tarter here and there isn’t going to cause any serious problems, but over time it can and will lead to tooth decay, gingivitis, tooth loss and other forms of gum disease. You can think of a toothbrush as your weapon in the fight against tartar and tooth decay.
Some owners may simply try to brush their Chihuahua’s teeth with an old toothbrush and regular toothpaste, but this isn’t recommended. Chihuahuas, like most dogs, will probably try to eat anything you put in their mouth. Regular toothpaste that we use in our mouths contains fluoride, which can be harmful if swallowed. Even small amounts of fluoride can make a Chihuahua sick to their stomach. So, how are you supposed to brush your Chihuahua’s teeth? There are actually toothbrushes and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs. The toothbrushes come in a wide range of sizes designed to fit all breeds of dogs. Some of them are even sleeve-like pieces that fit over your finger with stubbles on one side. Canine toothpaste is made with delicate ingredients that are completely safe for small dogs. In addition, they come in a variety of flavors so your Chihuahua will likely enjoy getting their teeth brushed. You can find canine toothpaste available in beef, chicken, salmon and malt flavors.
Once you’ve acquired a canine toothbrush and toothpaste, refer to the following steps to brush their teeth:
- Step One – Sit down comfortably in a chair and place with your Chihuahua comfortably in your lap. Some Chihuahuas may be nervous and anxious when you try to brush their teeth, especially the first few times. To make things easier, you should continue to talk, praise and pet your Chihuahua throughout the process. Ensure them that everything is okay and try to maintain a positive attitude, as this will likely spread to your Chihuahua.
- Step Two – The next step is to coerce your Chihuahua into opening up their mouth. If you purchased a flavored canine toothpaste, chances are they will be more than happy to open their mouths when it’s placed in front of them. Dab a little bit of the toothpaste on your finger and place it in front of their mouth. Hopefully they will open up and start licking it, at which point you can gently hold their mouth open with one of your hands.
- Step Three – With your Chihuahua’s mouth open, you should now have access to their teeth and gums. Take a minute to closely inspect their mouth to see if there are any serious signs of tooth decay or gum disease. As long as everything looks good, place a small amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and gently run it over their teeth. There’s really no one particular way to brush a Chihuahua’s teeth, as all Chihuahuas are different. If your Chihuahua is trying to close their mouth, just focus on the large canines and then work your way to the smaller teeth.
- Step Four – After you’ve brushed your Chihuahua’s teeth, let them know how good of a boy/girl they were by giving them lots of praise and petting. Positive reinforcement in the key to making your Chihuahua enjoy having their teeth brushed. If you continue to give them praise each time you brush their teeth, chances are they will grow to love it.
Other Ways To Improve Your Chihuahua’s Oral Health
In addition to brushing your Chihuahua’s teeth, there are a couple other things you can do to improve their oral health. For starters, you should only be feeding them a premium solid dog food. Soft canned dog food can be a real treat for a small Chihuahua, but it can also increase the chance of tooth decay. The soft moist food particles will stick to their teeth where they slowly eat away at the enamel. If you decide to give your Chihuahua wet food, only give it to them as an occasional treat and not an everyday meal. A good crunchy dog food will naturally help to scrape tartar off their teeth as they eat it.
Rawhides and tough chew toys are also helpful in removing built-up plaque and tartar. There’s no denying the fact that Chihuahuas love playing with their favorite toys, so why not give them a toy that’s going to help clean their teeth? A simple rawhide chew is all it takes to help remove some of the food particles and tartar on their teeth. Just remember to closely watch over your Chihuahua anytime they are given a treat.
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My Chihuahua is 12 years old, I’ve only had him for two(2) years and I’m his second or third owner! I didn’t know what I was missing, the best little thing that happened to me 🥰 I was the first one ever to take him to the vet, he’s happier than ever and if it’s not broke why fix it!?
I was recently told by the vet that he needs a stage three (3) dental cleaning which is about $1000 she did show me one loose tooth and she says he has several other ones and they recently advise taking out all his teeth out which I don’t agree on she said that he’s in pain right now when he eats, which I also disagree because he does not cry, runs around, and never misses a meal, treats or table scraps! They also mentioned that he may lose the teeth before I even get him in for cleaning, they were pretty booked out and I had to follow up with them on a price ! ( Seems more like a money maker than a priority to them) back a couple months ago I think he already did lose a tooth but again acting fine, happier than ever! I think I know my dog! I’m not saying the vet is wrong and I recently did my research on dental and Chihuahuas but I also think part of it is a scam and $1000 is a little ridiculous for a 12 year old Chihuahua, that weighs 5.3lbs. I recently purchased a toothbrush recommended for Chihuahuas and some dental treats that were recommended for helping remove tartar I’ve watched videos I’m going to start off slow, every little bit helps! I think there’s more pros than cons since my Chihuahua is older! God forbid if there’s a health issue down the road I will deal with it!
Help my chihuahua is all most 3 she getting 2 table spoons of venison Farmina dry food mixed with 2 teaspoon mixed duck wet food 3 times a day and all most 15 pounds how much should I cut her down to please help
I got my little best friend as a puppy when I was 16, back before I had any idea that people brushed their dog’s teeth or had doggy dental work. Now my boy is almost 7 and missing most of his teeth 🙁 If I could go back the one thing I would change with him is to start his dental care early!!
I have a chi that I adopted from SPCA. When first introduced I was told the only problem is he needs deep cleaning. I said I was sorry I needed to pass bcuz I’m on set income. They said they’d clean them for me for free. I was thrilled. After surgery I picked him up and wasn’t told anything about brushing teeth or possibly future cleaning. 6 mos later and now madly in love with him I noticed really fowl breath. Vet said needs deep cleaning again. $500-800. I was shocked. This is so unfair. SPCA sent me home without informing me of this possibility. I don’t have the money and now it will break both his heart and mine if I have to take back. So unfair. My poor Toby
My chees never have bad teeth or buildup. I do scale very lightly if ever l notice food trapped but that happens once in a blue moon. I believe my dogs have a great diet and this is the reason for their good teeth; good breath; good stools; good coat etc
All raw fresh mince of beef, lamb and chicken liver; steamed veg (especially pumpkin); herbs; raw eggs and shells; ginger; linseed oil; buckwheat groats; himalayan salt; mixed seeds; apple cidar vinegar. All mixed into serving size meatballs and frozen for a month’s worth of convenience.
Hi Tezzz,
Could you give me a list of roughly how much of each you put in this recipe for your chi? We feed our chi daily 2x 50g barf. Some days add yogurt, or some veggies. Also as a treat we’d like to give her a piece of raw carrot. And a chewy or a raw chicken neck. Yet since about 6 months ago, she started to develop bad breath. I got some “smelly mouth”, hampl drops and drops to prevent/get rid of any plaque/tartar.
Would like to see if your recipe will help for her bad breath.
Thank you kindly.
Dont take Toby back, use a little water and baking soda. Rinse and repeat.
Same thing here. But I’ve never had her teeth cleaned. Now they are falling out. She’s 5 yrs. I hope I can make payments.
Before you ever adopt any pet read about that particular breed. We’ve had our chihuahua for almost 9 years now and shes had 12 teeth pulled. It’s as necessary to brush their teeth as it is your own. . This is a common issue in chihuahua breeds.
Why dont you just start brushing them. You will get quite a bit off even now. Then just keep it up. I brush my chis teeth every other day.
I just started brushing 5 yr old peanut’s teeth, because it seems chihuahuas get dental problems real easy. I’m surprised on how he doesn’t fight me. I give him a dental stick to chew as a treat afterward
Hello,
I feel terrible and a bit panicky after reading these comments. I have a four year old chihuahua that I had absolutely no idea that I should of been brushing her teeth. I have never had a pet of any kind and she was given to me as a surprise , a total surprise. I had never even had a conversation with that person about dogs or had even pet his three chihuahuas. Not that I didn’t like , I just have never had a pet and wasn’t a pet person. However, she is by FAR the BEST surprise I have ever been blessed with and I can’t believe what a beautiful new realm of love that she has brought me. So I was doing a search on how many teeth she should have and I found this page. Daisey only has her front teeth and one bottom tooth on each side. She has always been like this and it makes it hard for her to chew up her food. I have always bought this addictive that you put in their water. It says it helps with tartar and bad breath. The claim about bad breath is 100% true as her breath has never smelled bad. Even if I run out of it and don’t have any for a week or so her breath is fine. So me being completely ignorant to dental hygiene is freaking me out a bit because I’m hoping no damage has been already done. Can someone give me a good brushing regime to start with my Daisey. I didn’t even know that they have dog tooth paste or tooth brushes. Is that at the local Petsmart or?
My little boy dog used to have the worst breath. Which is terrible for him because when he’d try to be a small stud for the bitches, they’d just laugh at him and sit down. Denied!
He has another little boy dog friend named Yuki who whenever daddy dog Niko would lick Yuki’s fawn-like face, Yuki would be like ‘grrrrr.’
So Niko is the lucky owner of two testicles courtesy of his pa’s (me) not wanting to mutilate my puppies manhood. Apparently with great privilege comes excellent sacrifice and in this case, it’s the ‘alpha’ dog like behavior he exhibits.
We walk every day, and EVERY time he sees any dog he’ll go nuts, “hey you! Across the STREET! That tree belongs to my pack and you’re not in my pack!”.
So the bright side of his feisty behavior is when I started brushing his teeth all I had to do was slowly move the tooth brush with the enzymatic tooth paste towards his mouth and he would bite the tooth brush which I mean, sure dummy, bite the toothbrush it’s what I want you to do anyway.
So now it’s become this routine of reluctant biting on the tooth brush which , between that and this stuff I put in his water from petco and green dog treats, his breath has improved SO much.
I’ve read somewhere that tooth decay is an effect of missing something that can only be found in the internal organs of animals which is disgusting, but I feel in the future I may add liver to his weekly diet and see what happens.
The problem most of you are having is that you are trying to brush your dogs teeth way too soon. the brush should be introduced slowly, with treats. you should not even try to brush your dogs teeth for a month or so. start with just showing the dog the brush and giving a treat. progress to touching the dog near the mouth with it, then rubbing the mouth area, then slightly opening the mouth and rubbing, then let it lick some toothpaste off the brush without brushing, etc… one tiny baby step at a time is the key. they taught pigeons to guide missiles this way (look it up project orcon) so you can certainly get a dog to let you brush its teeth 😀 hope this helps.
Great advice, thank you!
Thanks a lot that was the best advice so far. 😁
I started with my little Daisy Mae at 8 weeks. Now she knows when I get her pj’s and toothbrush it’s time for bed. She lays on her back and lets me clean every one. My previous chihuahua lived 18 years and I learned from him the you must stay up on their teeth.
Don’t give up, it’s worth it.
my Buddy is 5 yrs old & I’m ashamed to say his teeth are in very bad condition. Is it too late to start oral hygiene? He needs a few extracted asap & the smell of his breath is almost unbearable. I love him as much as my children & don’t know what I would do without him. He is the most loyal companion I have EVER had. I couldn’t bare it if he were to pass as a result of my neglect of his teeth & gums. He allows me to cut his nails but is very aggressive when it comes to touching his mouth. Any advice?
It’s never too late to start oral hygiene. Please make him as much a priority as your children getting medical care. You’d be surprised how much better he feels after getting some of his teeth extracted. I’m sure he protects his mouth because it hurts like hell!
Definitely take your dog to the vet for a dental cleaning. I put it off for too long and she just got 21 teeth extracted. Once she heals I am going to start introducing a toothbrush and try to take care of what she has left.
my Chihuahua has only one tooth she’s about 13 yrs.old.she has white soft stuff in one spot a dr.give her antibiotic and it hasn’t disappeared what could this be???she does a lot of licking and licks air a lot any suggestions???
Take her to the vets
If the dog was ever on antibiotics, the white in it’s mouth may be thrush. It is the Overgrowth of fungus in the mouth (Candida). A treatment plan may include antifungal, antibiotic and anti-yeast medication. One major treatment is to add a good quality Probiotic / Prebiotic (I got mine from Tractor supply) they have chewable ones. I get the one that has several different strains of probiotics in it.
I also like to add some apple cider vinegar to his water. Just a bit. But it’s antibacterial and all natural, so it’s good for them and helps bad breath
Plain apple cider vinegar or the one with the mother?
My dog likes to take crackers and hide them in random areas when no one is looking so every once and awhile I’ll catch him stashing one and he looks at me like ” aw hell no he seen me… ” and grabs his cracker and runs to the nearest stash spot out of view. Oh yeah and brushing teeth is good.
Thanks for the laugh “Titan”! I could totally picture my boy doing that if we lived somewhere big enough! Aren’t they funny, such big personalities?!
I’m going nuts with my little Chi. He is 4 years old and just pulls and tries to back away from the tooth brush every second I am trying to brush his teeth or even when I’m trying to hold his head. I a patient with him but because he fights me so much it’s taking way longer than he or I can stand. Sigh. He squeals when I try to get into his back teeth and I think it might be because his teeth are not even in the back and I am probably getting the gums more too…hard to see back there in his cheek. I have used gauze too and he still fights me but I don’t think gauze is rough enough to do a good job. He seems very sensitive to lots of things so I wonder if it’s more about his temperament or what can I do to make this daily routine more successful for us both. Pop
Thanks.
Have you taken him to the Vet? I wonder if he has some bad teeth that need pulled since he squealed.
I lost my beloved Chihuahua to heart failure this year. One of his heart valves was weak and his lungs filled up with fluid. My dog was a rescue and his previous owner severely neglected his teeth. When I got him, he needed extensive work and several teeth had to be pulled. The bottom line is that bad teeth can cause heart failure. If you love your Chihuahua, take care of his oral health.
Thanks Tom. Though I didn’t learn the impact bad teeth had on their health for a few years, when I did, I began letting all dog owners I knew what was up. Most people older than me,(I’m 42), had no idea. When I first mentioned getting his teeth cleaned to family, they said they never had to get their dogs teeth cleaned, I was wasting $$. When I came back to them & explained they were floored.
Just reinforcing the importance of dental health plants seeds. If people see it enough, hopefully they will believe it.
I can’t say being on a fixed income I’m happy about what my vet charges for a cleaning. All my dog’s cleanings have been on credit cards. Every other year. I can’t keep doing this & hope more frequent brushing will help.
Thanks again for planting the seed!
I took my chi to vet. He is five but stubborn. Will eat toothpaste but not let me do a good brushing. Small mouth makes it harder to clean in the back. I feel he is worth vet doing it and taking care of him like a person.
I’ve brushed n brushed… this dogs old n lost several teeth… his breath is nauseating to the point I cant show any affection like holding him or letting him sit w/ me and I feel terrible…. what else can I do?
Don’t waste any more money on toothbrushes and pastes.
My secret to the BEST oral health care for my 13yr old Chihuahua and any other breed is:
Complete Oral Care (Peppermint Gel or Spray) from PetzLife.com. This stuff is awesome! Use as directed. followed by a Dream Bone (one daily for small dogs) chicken or peanut butter flavor. Dogs love them and they remove the tooth tartar loosened by the gel. My vet recommended having my dogs teeth cleaned a year ago (too expensive). They wont believe his teeth on his next visit!
Hi Angela. After I got my baby’s teeth cleaned this last time I bought Greenies Breath Busters & Teenie Greenies. His breath was kickin’ before, it’s awesome now. Greenies are pretty pricey for a chick like me, but it’s worth it.
Good luck to you.
Have you taken him to the Vet? He probably has bad gums and/or teeth. Some teeth may need removed. He just may calm down since he will feel better.
Give him a probiotic
You gave good tips on brushing the dogs’ teeth. Also, I think it’s good that you used statistics to stress the importance of dental care. However, there’s a couple of things you got wrong.
Wet food has no negative effect on their teeth. That myth’s just spread ,so people will buy dry food. Speaking of dry food, I read somewhere that dry food’s not even that abrasive. (My mom ,who’s helped own two dogs, confirmed that.)
Back to wet food for a moment. Feeding wet food at every meal can be a good thing. A dog’s natural diet contain is supposed to contain a lot of water. The 10-12% in dry food won’t cut it. (Well, it’s 18% in Kibbles ‘n Bits. However, that should be avoided because, there’s nothing good in there.)
Our vet told us exactly the opposite of what you wrote – the vet said Not to feed dry dog food to our chi and instead feed her wet canned food – the vet said the dry food will get stuck in our chi’s teeth and wet food will not.
You can add a little bit of dry food. It will make their ca ca a little more firm than loose
I’m getting a lot of good information here, the last time she was a the vet, he said her teeth need cleaning and possibly a tooth removed. What really sucks is he quoted $600. Low income, disable can afford that.
I got my chi when I was turning 10 (as a birthday present that wasn’t planned) and we didn’t know very much about the breed since we’ve only really had poodles. She’s now 4 years old and I since I’m older now too I realize how important it is to brush your dogs teeth. So I have poultry flavored toothpaste I bought her which she really likes and I got a tiny toothbrush but she won’t let me brush her teeth! Because we never enforced it as a puppy she just won’t let me open her mouth to brush …any ideas to help ?
my Chi has two extra sharp teeth on each side on top and i was just at 9 months old has not lost any at all what do I do?
A woman who has a chihuahua claims to have had ALL her pups teeth removed due to an oral infection of some type. I’m not sure why she even has a dog 😔 She has a baby about 6 months old & in my heart I feel she’s so mean, she had ALL of his teeth removed because of some infection!! Is that what these poor lil guys are forced to live?
I can’t get my Chi, Chloe, to hold still long enough unless I let her chew on my finger with those needle sharp teeth in the back … owwwwww! BUT, I shall persevere.
You can buy little rubber finger tips to put over your finger, and chicken flavour toothpaste. Just let them taste it first time, then brush one tooth, then more each time. Sometimes just a clean soft rag with toothpaste on it to wipe their teeth…..
My little Pocito is 3 1/2 yrs old and although I’ve tried everything we just visited the vet for his first teeth cleaning as his teeth were very bad. Nothing I have been able to do from brush to water attitudes to a special spray has helped his back molar teeth from getting very dark tarter on them. While at the vets she noticed some loose teeth and although these were ones that were very clean of tarter she had to pull them. He now is missing a couple bottom teeth right in the front and it seems to me it will be very hard for him to deal with eating and chewing his toys. Has anyone encountered this sad issue? Will he manage ok? I was advised by the vet that he may need others pulled by next year. What can I do to help him, anyone with know of this that knows how I can prevent further pulling? My heart breaks for how’s he’s feeling after this procedure today😢
i just got a new chi at 8 weeks old.. i started at once while she was nipping my finger to run her teeth inside and outside. she did not like it at first but she is getting now to let me rub her teeth back and front with not to many issues. in a few days i will start to use toothpaste. the best brush i found for my other 2 chi’s that have pasted las month is a mascara brush. get one that has no sharp end on it and even if they chew it they are still getting some brushing done by themselves.
bella is learning fast
My chihuahua will not let me open his mouth and I can’t afford to go to a vet. What can i do at home.
Do your best to get in there if u don’t serious problems could occur also don’t feed human food. Good luck God bless
Wrap a tiny piece of soft old tshirt around your finger, just start with rubbing outside their jaw, then gently rub inside the front, put some chicken flavored toothpaste ( from vet, $5) on rag, let them lick it, then slowly rub their teeth, more each session. Then buy a little rubber finger toothbrush, this is much easier and gentle, try that. Not expensive. Good luck!
I brush my Gizmos teeth everyday but they still get tarter on the eye teeth some. Raw Carrots help alot to whiten teeth
My dog will bite the hell out of you if you try the above procedure. Add step 5 – Clean up the blood, get bandages and stitches.
I am happy for people who can accomplish this, though.
ugh i could never own a pet that bites you. Peeing all the over place, bouncing off the walls, even barking I can deal with. But biting… meh.
My Chihuahua, Pillow, gets her teeth cleaned twice a day.
Her teeth are absolutely squeaky clean but no-one really sees them cos she sleeps all the time and thats why she’s called Pillow
I love the name pillow. Such a cute name because she sleeps alot, how long did you have your dog until you came up with the name. Just wondering. Thanks and have a beautiful day.
Shari