Puppy breath is great but dog breath is a whole different animal! Stinky dog breath can be helped or prevented by good oral habits, such as brushing your dog’s teeth and regular periodic dental cleanings at the Vet. Many dog’s HATE teeth brushing. An alternative for the dreaded brushing can be found in dog dental chews.
Benefits of Dog Dental Chews
Table of Contents
- Chewing Dog Dental Bones helps to clean your dog’s teeth. Works as a great supplement to teeth brushing or for some dogs it is the only way to achieve a teeth cleaning when your dog will not cooperate with the brushing.
- Dog Dental Bones helps to freshen your dog’s breath by removing plaque buildup and leftover food particles. Also, many dog dental chews come in breath freshening flavors.
- The act of chewing the dental bone provides a boredom fighting activity for your dog.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more) Click here for my full disclosure policy.
Best Dog Dental Chews
There are many chews on the market to help with dog dental health. Just as in dog food, quality varies from brand to brand. The following are the ones I have used or have good knowledge of and recommend. There may be other good ones as well but I do like that both of these brands are shaped to help with tartar and plaque removal on your dog’s teeth.
Merrick Brand Dental Chews
Merrick dog chews is the one we are currently using with our three dogs, a Lab mix, Pitbull mix and Boxer mix. They love them and look forward to getting one each day. One has mint flavored breath strips embedded in, for fresh doggy breath. The other is infused with coconut oil and botanicals. Both have a brush shape on the ends to help scrub the teeth as your dog chews.
Greenies Dog Chews
Greenies is another great dog chew. I have used this brand and love it as well. Made in the USA. Greenies has a variety of options, including: multiple sizes from petite to large size, blueberry flavor, hip and joint chews, weight management chews and grain-free. Highly digestible, natural ingredients and a shape that cleans the teeth down to the gumline. Greenies has the approval of the Veterinary Oral Health Council.
*Cautions When Giving Your Dog Dental Chews
- As with anything you give your dog to chew, never leave him alone while he is enjoying it. Although these brands are digestible, your dog could still break off a larger piece and have difficulty.
- Make sure your dog has plenty of water available as he chews his treat.
- Only buy dog products that are made in the USA. There have been too many tragedies associated with products made in China and other countries. There standards are not as controlled.
Neglecting your dog’s oral health can lead to more serious issues than bad breath. Teeth and gum issues can cause heart disease and infections in the body. Give your dog the gift of good oral health by brushing his teeth daily if he will allow it, regular Vet visits to check for cavities or other issues and give him a daily dental bone. He will think it is a treat but you will know it’s good for him.
Leave a Reply