What is a finger toothbrush and how do I use one?

Because it fits directly over a finger, a finger brush lets you feel exactly how much pressure you are using and react instantly if your dog pulls away, which is harder to gauge with a longer handled brush. Small breed dogs and nervous dogs especially tend to accept this style more readily.

Dab a pea sized amount of dog toothpaste onto the bristled tip, lift the lip gently on one side, and work in small circles along the gumline and outer tooth surfaces, starting at the front and moving back. Focus most of your attention on the back teeth, since that is where tartar builds up fastest.

A finger brush works well long term for small dogs, but larger breeds with bigger mouths often benefit from switching to a standard dog toothbrush eventually, since it reaches the back teeth more effectively without your finger being quite so close to the back of the mouth.

Finger brushes come in different sizes, and using one sized for a small dog on a large breed's mouth, or vice versa, makes the motion feel awkward and less effective, so checking the packaging or trying a couple of sizes helps you find one that actually fits your fingertip and your dog's mouth comfortably.

Replacing a finger brush every few months, once the rubber bristles start to feel less firm or show visible wear, keeps it working as effectively as when it was new, since a worn out brush provides noticeably less mechanical cleaning action.