After paying a small fortune for my dog’s Invisalign aligners, can you believe it? The little guy needs a root canal! Just kidding. I told him he needed to pay for the Invisalign himself with his allowance money. OK, seriously now. All joking aside… Proper dental hygiene for your doggie is no laughing matter.

Regular brushing is one of the best ways to help reduce plaque and tartar buildup. Ideally, you’ll brush your dog’s teeth daily, but if your household is currently operating somewhere between “responsible pet parent” and “we remembered to buy dog food”, start where you can. Use toothpaste made specifically for dogs – never human toothpaste – and introduce brushing gradually. A soft dog toothbrush or finger brush can work well. Think of it less as a dental procedure and more as a tiny negotiation between two creatures, one of whom has absolutely no idea why this is happening.

Dental chews and appropriate chew toys can also be helpful, but they aren’t substitutes for professional advice. Keep an eye out for bad breath, red or swollen gums, difficulty eating, excessive drooling, or loose teeth. Dogs are remarkably talented at pretending everything is fine, so sometimes their mouth is telling you something before they do.

And here is the good news: You don’t have to become the person who owns seventeen different toothbrushes and maintains a color-coded dental chart. Just make dental care a regular part of caring for your dog. Because underneath all that fur, enthusiasm, questionable sidewalk decisions, and unconditional love is a mouth that deserves some attention, too.

And who knows – Maybe someday, when your dog leans over and gives you a big kiss, you’ll be able to say with confidence, “Wow! That smells nothing like a dead squirrel.”