How to prevent & treat tartar on teeth?

You can try scraping them yourself, but you should learn how and your dog needs to be controllable. It sounds like your dog is no controllable at this point.

I would consider brushing after each meal (like a kid would), and also after any soft or chewy type of treats. This is especially important if the dog eats canned or soft food, or even canned mixed with dry food. Also, you might want to try a water additive that helps eliminate bacteria in the dog's mouth. Virbac has recently come out with a new product that you add to the water. However, it does contain xylitol, which in large doses can be lethal to your pet.

Also, hard treats, rawhide, and CET HExtra chews work okay, but not as good as brushing. You need to use a toothpaste with enzymes in it, like CET brand. They also have a tartar control formula that works great. Other brands like the one that comes with the triple toothbrush do not have enzymes and only work by the abrasive action of the brushing. I have found that EntirelyPets.com has the CET brand dental items for a reasonable price. I really recommend the CET Hextra chews, as they make your dog's teeth really white. It works great for dogs that have thicker more slimy saliva. It smells rather strong though.

As for the brushing, you need to really get your dog to accept it. I would stick my fingers in the dog's mouth a lot, while playing, relaxing, etc. until he gets used to it and doesn't care what you do to him. Also, you need to make sure you aren't brushing too hard or holding the snout too firmly. And lastly, make sure your other hand isn't poking their eyes while you are brushing.

i use greenies for my dogs. they are these hard green dog bones that whiten teeth and get rid of plaque and tartar. you can get them at any local pet store

I also found the "Denta-Bones" to be very helpful in keeping the tartar buildup at bay. I have an Italian Greyhound and my Vet was impressed with how many teeth she had. She is 7 years old and had her first dental cleaning just last week. I brush her teeth about once per week, use a dental spray every other day and I give her the Denta-Bones a few tmes a month. He dog food is the Blu-Buffalo hard nuggets; no soft food.

veterinary dentists recommend daily brushing to prevent plaque build up in between cleanings (just like human dentists do with us)- But, I know what you mean about having a hard time doing this. You could try using dental rawhide or edible bones that have plaque fighting coatings on them. There are also some mouth rinse products you can add to your dog's water bowl. AND, you could consider giving him dental diets (like Hill's TD) or chew toys using doggie toothpaste.