Did you brush your teeth today? It’s a question often asked by dentists (and parents). During Dental Health Month in February, it’s especially important to ask—of animals, too!

Animals at the Minnesota Zoo are no strangers to preventative care and dental health. Through a collaboration between the Animal Health and Animal Care teams, sea otters have been learning how to have their teeth brushed.

Terah Grace, Marine Mammals Zoologist, says it took about a month for the otters to start learning to open their mouths.

“Once they realized that’s what we wanted them to do, it kind of waterfalled so now we can get a good look at their mouths and start introducing the toothbrush to their teeth for brushing,” she says.

“It’s so rewarding to work with the Animal Care team to achieve behaviors that allow for animals to voluntarily participate in their preventative health,” says Dr. Susie Garity, a Zoo Veterinarian. “This behavior lets veterinary staff get a good visual of an otter’s oral cavity during toothbrushing to monitor for any future oral health needs.”

Once the otters were used to the brushing, the team introduced toothpaste. Forget mint and bubblegum—otters got savory flavors!

Surprisingly, they turned down the seafood-flavored toothpaste. Malt-flavored was the right recipe for keeping their teeth bright and clean.

Watch this video to get a checkup on otters’ dental health training with Terah Grace and the Marine Mammals team.