There are a number of important aspects when brushing your dog's teeth and keeping his/her teeth and gums in tip top health. So what do you need to know about keeping your dog's teeth healthy?

Well, first of all you need to feed your dog raw, healthy food - raw meat and bones, with some raw vegetables and a little fruit from time to time. If you feed your dog convenience food, make sure you feed natural, premium dog food - not the commercial dogfood found in your supermarket or even dogfood recommended or sold by your vet.

If your dog eats healthy, premium, preferably raw food, then the need for brushing your dog's teeth will be reduced - and quite probably eliminated.

But many people do find that their dog's teeth do need brushing regularly (or from time to time).

So how do you brush your dog's teeth?

Step one is to pick an appropriate pet toothbrush. Save yourself time by not buying a child's toothbrush which is usually too hard for dogs. The ideal dog toothbrush will have a long handle, an angled head to better fit the mouth and extra soft bristles. Another option is the finger toothbrush that fits over the tip of your finger.

Step two is to select appropriate toothpaste. The best pet toothpastes contain enzymes that help control plaque. Try to avoid toothpastes with baking soda, detergents, or salt sometimes found in human pastes. Fluoride may be incorporated to help control bacteria. Rather than placing the paste on top of the brush try to place it between the bristles. This allows the paste to spend the most time next to the teeth.

Step three is to get the brush with paste into your dog's mouth and all the teeth brushed. Most dogs accept brushing if they are approached in a gentle manner. If you can start when they are young, it's quite easy, but even older pets will accept the process. Start slowly, you can use a washcloth or piece of gauze to wipe the teeth, front and back in the same manner you will eventually be using the toothbrush. Do this twice daily for about two weeks and your dog should be familiar with the approach. Then take the pet toothbrush, soak it in warm water and start brushing daily for several days. When your dog accepts this brushing, add the pet toothpaste.

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in holistic dog health.

Pick up your special FREE dog health report - there's lots of dog health information here, too!