Maltipoo dental care at 1 year old

A one-year-old Maltipoo hitting that puppy-to-adult transition is actually the perfect moment to lock in a proper dental routine — their adult teeth are fully in, and what you do now sets the tone for the next decade. Small breeds like Maltipoos are disproportionately prone to dental disease because their teeth are crowded into tiny jaws, which means tartar builds faster and gum disease can take hold surprisingly early. Dental disease is one of the most common sources of chronic pain in dogs that owners miss entirely, because dogs are very good at hiding it. Has your vet flagged anything about their teeth yet, and will your Maltipoo tolerate you handling their mouth?

That's a great foundation — a dog who's already comfortable with a finger brush at one year old is genuinely ahead of the curve. Now that her adult teeth are settled, you want to shift from the gentle puppy approach to something that actually works on tartar prevention long-term. What are you using at the moment — just water on the brush, or a proper enzymatic toothpaste?

That's the right instinct — most puppy toothpastes are more about building the habit than doing serious enzymatic work. Now that she's one, you want to move to an enzymatic toothpaste designed for adult dogs. My recommendation is Beaphar Toothpaste for Dogs — it's a proper enzymatic formula, comes with a finger brush, is well-tolerated by small dogs because the flavour isn't overwhelming, and it's widely trusted by UK vets. The enzymes actively break down plaque between brushing sessions, which matters a lot for a breed with crowded teeth like a Maltipoo. Because she already accepts the finger brush, you're not fighting any battles — you're just upgrading what you put on it.

Daily is the gold standard, and honestly with a cooperative dog it takes under a minute once you're both used to it. Even three or four times a week makes a meaningful difference compared to nothing. The key is consistency over intensity — a quick daily brush does far more than a thorough one every couple of weeks. Pick the same time each day, keep it short and positive, and she'll stay comfortable with it as she gets older.

Yes, they complement each other well — brushing handles the surfaces, and a good dental chew adds some mechanical scraping on the sides and backs of teeth that a brush can miss. For a Maltipoo, just size appropriately and avoid anything rock-hard that could crack a small dog's teeth. But brushing with the Beaphar enzymatic paste is the core of it — chews are a useful addition, not a substitute.