The 1 Piece of Advice This Vet Wants You to Know About Brushing Pets' Teeth

February is National Pet Dental Health Month, and if there's one important thing Banfield veterinarian Dr. Andrea Sanchez wants pet owners to know, it's this: it's never too late to start.

"You can really teach old dogs new tricks!" she said when I asked what to do about my senior dog that has never had regular brushing. "It's never too late to start, even if they're older."

If you're like me and you have an older dog or cat that hasn't had their teeth brushed regularly, Dr. Sanchez recommends having a vet do a thorough inspection of their teeth first to possibly extract any damaged or decayed teeth. Once that is out of the way, she said you can absolutely get them into the routine of brushing each day. It's all a matter of getting started.