My dog has tartar on the teeth

Tartar does not appear overnight. It starts as plaque, a soft, almost invisible film that forms on the enamel within hours of eating. If nobody removes it, minerals in the saliva harden it within two or three days. That yellow or brown deposit stuck to your dog's molars has been there for weeks, probably months.

The colour is not the problem. Tartar has a rough surface that attracts more plaque, and it grows towards the gum line and beneath it. The gum responds by becoming inflamed: it turns red, bleeds when the dog bites something hard, and slowly recedes from the tooth. Over time the bone holding the root weakens and the tooth begins to move.

Dogs hide mouth pain well. They keep eating, perhaps more slowly or on one side, and you notice it more through the breath than through behaviour. That is why it pays to look inside the mouth regularly instead of waiting for the dog to stop eating.

Removing tartar that has already formed is the vet's work, under anaesthesia and with the right instruments. What you can do is stop it from forming again so quickly. There, a simple routine makes all the difference.

The usual road and the PerroAmante road. What people usually try: trusting an expensive kibble to clean on its own, scraping tartar at home with a metal tool, or sugary dental treats that vanish in ten seconds. They fail because the tartar that matters sits under the gum, where neither kibble nor scraper reaches. The Protocolo PerroAmante works in a different order: Understand how it forms, Care with a one-minute daily brush and chews of the right texture, and Maintain the result with a monthly photo and timely refills. It is like a child's teeth: no sweet replaces brushing every night.