In order for a dog to have healthy teeth throughout his life, he needs dog dental care. Establishing a routine of dog dental care when your dog is a puppy will make that dental care much easier for the whole of your dog’s life.

When a dog gets older, it’s common for a dog to have dental problems. White teeth turn brown. Gums get tender. Breath turns foul. Some dogs get broken teeth. Some get bleeding gums or gums oozing pus. Some dogs get growths in their mouths. None of this is pretty, nor is it comfortable for the dog.

You can find dog dental care products at nearly any pet store. The easiest way to keep your dog’s teeth healthy is with dental chews. Puppies love to chew and they’ll wrap their little puppy teeth around pretty much anything—including your fingers. Although it’s good for your puppy to chew, you want your puppy to chew on something appropriate, like dog dental chews.

There’s been some debate about the safety of the well-known chews, Greenies. I’ve never given my dog Greenies, but some dog parents say they’re great. If you decide to give your puppy greenies, be aware that according to a CNN investigation, since 2003, 40 dogs have had to have pieces of Greenies surgically removed, and 13 of those dogs died. Of course, that’s a small number given that over 750 million Greenies have been sold since 1998.

Better than chews, of course, are rinses or pastes that you put on your dog’s teeth and gums. Even better than that is brushing your dog’s teeth. You can find tooth brushes especially for dog dental care at any pet supply store.

Whether you choose rinses, pastes, or brushing, the best way to prevent dog dental problems is to establish a good dog dental care routine on puppy teeth. When you can get a puppy used to having her teeth brushed or having a paste or rinse applied, you’re well on your way to preventing many dog dental problems. You want to get your puppy used to having you touch her mouth and teeth (and not only when she’s trying to chew on you.)

If you take just a little time to get the right supplies and just a bit of time to begin using them on your puppy, you’ll be doing your puppy AND you a big favor. Your puppy will grow into a healthier dog (with fewer expensive problems) when you pay attention to the care of puppy teeth.