I have always had large dogs, who don't seem to have many problems with their teeth. I now have a small dog, Emily, who is about 6 years old. Apparently, small dogs have a lot of trouble with tartar build-up. Her breath became so horrible, that I realized she had dental problems. After doing some research, I realized that if I took her to the doggie dentist, they would PUT HER TO SLEEP to clean her teeth! Anesthesia is dangerous so I thought I would try cleaning her teeth myself before subjecting her to the vet. I really had to do something, her teeth were so bad!
