Keep Your Dog’s Mouth Fresh and Odorless With the Best Dental Chews
If you are a dog owner, then you know how high-maintenance your furry pals can be. Combing, brushing, and bathing are some of the measures we take to ensure the cleanliness of our furry best friends, but we often forget that oral health holds just as much importance as the outer and inner health of your dog. Not taking care of your dog’s oral health can lead to several health complications such as gum disease, teeth loss, and more. One great way to keep your dog’s mouth fresh and clean is to feed it dental chews. These help remove plaque, tartar, and other harmful germs from your dog’s mouth quickly. However, choosing dental treats for your dog is not an easy task. To make the choice easier for you, we have reviewed the 5 top dental chews for dogs for 2024. We have also added a buying guide to assist you through the process.
Pet Health Pros Dental Chews for Dogs
Best Overall
The Pet Health Pros Dental Chews for Dogs is an excellent choice for pet owners looking to provide their larger breed dogs with top-of-the-line dental care. All of the products in this bundle are made in the U.S., so pet owners can rest assured that their pets are getting the highest quality care. The dental chews provided in this bundle are an easy, effective way to keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy.
They can be used as a substitute for brushing your dog’s teeth, which some owners find difficult. Plus, they help to freshen your breath and remove plaque and tartar buildup. They are recommended for large-breed dogs only and should be given in moderation. The dental water additive included in this bundle is a great option for pet owners who don’t have time to brush their dog’s teeth every day. It is an antiseptic treatment with a minty scent that helps prevent bad breath and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Thanks to all of these features, these dental chews and dental additive are the best overall on this list.
Pedigree Dentastix Treats for Large Dogs
Best for Fighting Tartar
If you are looking for dental chews for dogs that are made for both cleaning teeth and freshening breath, then you may want to get your hands on the Pedigree Dentastix treats for dogs. The triple action formula works great at cleaning any bacterial build up or harmful germs that might be present in your dog’s mouth. Moreover, this dental chew is clinically proven to fight tartar and plaque buildup.
Greenies Original Natural Dental Dog Treats
Vet Recommended
Formulated for puppies aged 6 months or older, greenies original teenie treats are a great option if you want to prioritize your dog’s inner health from an early age. Made from all-natural ingredients including minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients, greenies are very safe and healthy for your dog. Moreover, these dental treats for dogs are VOHC accepted and veterinarian recommended.
Blue Buffalo Dental Bones Dental Chews
Most Natural Ingredients
Next up, the Blue Buffalo dental bones are a popular option among the pup parents. To start off, these have been made from safe-to-use ingredients that are very effective at keeping your dog’s teeth, breath, and gums clean and healthy. Moving on, these treats do not consist of any artificial ingredients or chicken by-product meals and are soy, corn, and wheat free, making them a super healthy choice for your pup.
Milk-Bone Dental Dog Treats
Best Size Options
The Milk Bone Original dental dog treats are another great option if you are looking for treats that come in three different sizes; these are available small, medium, and large. Moreover, these dental treats are VOHC approved for preventing tartar. These dog chews have a patented design to help support strong teeth and combine irresistible tastes that your little friend is bound to love.
Minties Dental Chews for Dogs
Best Value
If you are looking for dental bone treats for small dog breeds, then Minties VetIQ dog treats could be a safe bet. First off, these dental chews are vet-recommended since these are made from natural ingredients. Moreover, the gluten-free elements make these treats excellent for removing tartar and plaque buildup from your dog’s teeth.
Finding the Next Dental Treats for Your Dog: A Buyer’s Guide
How To Choose the Best Dental Chews for Your Dog?
To make sure that the dental chews you choose for your dog are healthy and safe to use, consider the following factors:
Edible or non-edible
There are two types of dental chews, edible and non-edible. Edible chews are the ones that can be eaten and digested by your dogs. Non-edible ones, on the other hand, can’t be eaten and are only meant to be chewed on for e.g chew toys. Though edible chews are the most effective option, these can increase your dog’s calorie intake if fed in large amounts. As long as you’re keeping a check on the amount it’s being fed, there’s nothing to worry about.
Non-edible treats need to be cleaned and stored regularly. Moreover, there is also the possibility that the dog might end up swallowing bits of the chew toy which can be toxic for your pet’s health. However, there are some high-quality non-edible chew treats in the market that are durable and won’t break off. These can be a good option especially since these would last you longer.
Size and durability
It is important to choose dental chews according to the age and breed of your dog. For instance, if you have a smaller breed of dog, you should feed it small treats rather than the ones intended for larger breeds because these can be harder to swallow for smaller dogs. Moreover, choosing the right dental chew size for your dog also minimizes the chances of choking hazard.
Other than this, you also need to consider the durability of the chew for your dog. Dogs with stronger teeth require more abrasion, hence you may want to opt for larger and stronger chews. But the same chews for smaller dog breeds can make it harder for them to chew on it. Therefore, smaller and younger dogs should be fed softer chews.
Ingredients
The ingredients of the dental chews are one of the most important factors that should be considered about. There are many cheap dental chew options available in the market that would save you some money but end up doing more harm to your dog than benefit. Some ingredients can also be potentially toxic for your dog, especially if your dog is allergic to them. Therefore, it is important that you check the ingredients list thoroughly before making the purchase. You should also check whether the product is VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved or not. It’d also be better if the ingredients didn’t include corn syrup, gluten, or rawhide.
VOHC approval
To ensure your dog’s health safety, you should choose dental treats that are VOHC approved. Most of these treats consist of high quality ingredients with low calories. Moreover, VOHC approved dog chew treats are approved by expert vets, hence you can rest assured that the ingredients have been well researched and are safe to consume for your dog.
For friction based options, VOHC approved dental chew treats are capable of reducing tartar and plaque by 15%. Whereas, for compound-based treats, tartar and plaque must be reduced by 20%. Therefore, to get the maximum benefit from the dental chews, you should choose chew treats that are VOHC approved.
Hard vs. Soft
Another important factor to consider for choosing the right dental chews for your dog is the hardness of it. Though you should look for dental chews that are stiff enough to scrape the plaque and tatar from your dog’s mouth, it still shouldn’t be hard enough to cause a toothache.
For smaller breeds, it is better to choose soft dental chews to ensure they don’t crack or break your dog’s teeth.
Price
The price of the dental dog treats is another factor that might concern you. Depending on the brand and the ingredients used, the price of dog dental treats varies. One thing you might keep in mind is that cheap dog treats usually consist of ingredients that might be harmful for your dogs. These may also contain a lot of calories leading to further health complications down the lane. It is always better to opt for high-quality dental treats that are made from safe materials to keep your dog’s health in check.
Frequency of use
Though dental chew treats are meant to be taken once a day, there are some treats that are recommended to be taken twice a day. Before making the purchase, you should check the packaging for information regarding this. It is always recommended to feed your dog treats after you have brushed their teeth.
Final Thoughts
Taking your pet to the vet can be quite time-consuming and expensive. To minimize visits to the vet you should feed your dog dental treats on a daily basis. As long as you buy VOHC approved dental treats, you should rest assured that your dog’s oral and inner health is safe. All of the products reviewed in this article are safe to consume and good for your little friend’s oral health.