Norwich Terrier dental brushing switch

Switching from daily dental chews to brushing is actually a really smart move, especially if the calorie load was adding up — those chews can be surprisingly dense for a small dog. Small breeds like Norwich Terriers are genuinely more vulnerable to dental disease: their teeth are crowded into compact jaws, which means tartar builds faster and gum disease can quietly cause chronic pain owners often don't notice for months. It's one of the most common welfare issues we see overlooked in small dogs. To point you in the right direction — how old is your Norwich, has your vet flagged any existing dental concerns, and how has your dog responded when you've tried touching their mouth or teeth so far?

That's really useful — inflamed gums at 9 in a Norwich Terrier is very typical, and it's exactly the stage where consistent brushing can genuinely slow things down rather than just maintain. The food-motivation is your biggest asset here; it makes the desensitisation process much quicker. One thing worth knowing: at her age with existing gum sensitivity, the toothpaste you use matters quite a bit. You want something with an enzymatic formula that keeps working even with minimal brushing contact, because she may not tolerate a full two-minute session straight away. Has she ever had a dental clean under anaesthetic, or are you working entirely from scratch on her mouth?

Three years post-clean with daily chews — you've done better than most, honestly, but brushing will take you significantly further. Here's my clear recommendation: Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste. It's the one most veterinary dentists actually reach for, and there's a good reason for that. The enzymatic system — glucose oxidase and lactoperoxidase — produces antibacterial activity even with light brushing contact, which matters enormously while you're building tolerance in an older dog. It comes in a poultry flavour that food-motivated dogs tend to accept well, and because it's designed to be swallowed safely, there's no stress about her ingesting it. Pair it with a finger brush to start rather than a handled toothbrush — you'll have far more control and she'll find it less alarming. Let her lick the paste off your finger for a few days before you even attempt her teeth. That's the bridge from food-motivated to tooth-tolerant.

You don't have to drop them entirely — but I'd treat them as a supplement rather than a dental strategy going forward. If you want to keep one, choose something with the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) seal, which means it's been independently tested to actually reduce tartar. Occasional use is fine and won't undo the brushing work. But at 9, with gum inflammation already present, brushing three to four times a week will do far more than any chew can. The chews were never really the right primary tool; they're more of a top-up. The Virbac paste and a finger brush are where your effort should go now.

Perfect — that's exactly the right starting point. Go slowly with the introduction, especially around any sore gum areas, and don't worry if the first week feels like you're getting nowhere. Older dogs do come around once they associate the paste with something tasty. Given her gum inflammation, it's worth mentioning to your vet at the next visit that you've started brushing — they may want to check whether a professional clean would help reset the baseline before you build the home routine on top of it. Good luck with her.