The best dental care products for dogs

• Taking care of your dog's teeth and gums is important for their health and can also keep their breath fresh.
• A wide variety of dog dental products are available, including pet toothbrushes and toothpaste, no-brush dental gels, water additives, and dental chews. 
• The best dental products contain effective ingredients and are easy to use and affordable. 
• This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Karie Johnson, veterinarian and co-founder of VIP Vet Visit, a mobile vet service in the south suburbs of Chicago. 
  

I've long understood the importance of brushing my dog's teeth. Years ago, I worked as a veterinary assistant, where I saw firsthand what happens when a pet's teeth are not taken care of. Sadly, it's all too common to see teeth extracted during routine dental cleanings due to years of neglect. 

"Proper dental care is a vital component of your pet's overall health and well-being," said Dr. Ashlee Redmond, DVM, of Banfield Pet Hospital. "Bad breath isn't just an unpleasant smell — it could be a warning sign of more serious dental disease."

Veterinarians recommend professional dental cleanings at least once a year. These are performed just like human dental cleanings, but dogs must be anesthetized so the veterinarian can clean under the gum line where plaque and tartar hide. Dog dental products can help prevent the formation of plaque and tartar in between dental cleanings. 

"When choosing an at-home dental product, you should look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal of acceptance on the product's package or website," Redmond said. "The VOHC provides third-party assessment for dental products. A seal of acceptance means the product meets preset criteria for effectiveness in controlling plaque and tartar deposition in dogs and cats." The VOHC is an entity of the American Veterinary Dental College. 

If a product is not VOHC accepted, it either means its manufacturer has not conducted clinical trials that show efficacy, or the manufacturer simply has not sought acceptance through the VOHC. In this guide, VOHC-accepted products were rated higher because the seal of acceptance demonstrates that the product's claims are backed up by science. 

Redmond also pointed out that home dental care products do not replace daily brushing or professional dental cleanings, but they can be supportive of overall dental health. 

For this guide to the best dog dental products, I tested 17 different dental products with my dog. Products were provided as editorial review samples by their manufacturers, and I tested each one with my dog five or more times during a three-month period.  All the products we tested got the okay from Redmond to rule out anything that could be potentially unsafe.

Here are the best dog dental products you can buy:

• Best toothpaste: Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste
• Best toothbrush: Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes
• Best dental gel: Tropiclean Brushing Gel
• Best dental chew: Greenies Fresh Regular Dental Dog Treats
• Best dental water additive: Oxyfresh Water Additive

Prices and links are current as of 8/18/20. We selected new picks based on research and testing. We also added a slide with tips for brushing your dog's teeth.

The best toothpaste

Business Insider/Jackie Brown

Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is clinically proven to remove plaque and stains, eliminate bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup, and is the only dog toothpaste that's VOHC accepted. 

The best thing you can do at home for your dog's oral health is brushing their teeth daily with a pet-safe toothpaste (never use human toothpaste for your dog—this can make them sick). 

"Pets that begin having their teeth brushed when they are young can learn to tolerate this activity sometimes better than older pets," Redmond said. "However, pets of all ages can learn to accept having their teeth brushed."

Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is designed to work whether you use it with a toothbrush or just apply it to the teeth and sides of mouth with a swab or your finger, so it's kind of like a toothpaste/dental gel hybrid. However, we recommend brushing with it to get the benefits of toothbrushing. 

Petsmile's proprietary formula called Calprox, an encapsulated form of calcium peroxide and minerals, is clinically proven to remove plaque, stains, and bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup. Petsmile is currently the only VOHC-accepted pet toothpaste, which ultimately boosted this toothpaste to the winner's circle. 

The toothpaste comes in three dog-centric flavors: London Broil, Savory Duck, and Rotisserie Chicken. I tested the London Broil flavor. Meat-flavored toothpaste is not my favorite scent in the world, but my dog loved this toothpaste, which is the most important thing.

Pros: Shown in clinical trials to remove plaque and stains, eliminate bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup; human-grade ingredients, brushing not required

Cons: Expensive 

The best toothbrush

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Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes include six long-handled toothbrushes with dual brush heads to work for any size dog as well as six fingertip brushes, making this product a great value.

When choosing a toothbrush for your dog, you have the option of two basic styles: long-handled, which has nylon bristles similar to your own toothbrush, or fingertip, which fits over your finger and has soft, plastic nubs on the end. You can also use an  ADA compliant soft bristle flat head toothbrushes. However, fingertip toothbrush is a good option for puppies or adult dogs that are new to teeth brushing, as it can be a little less scary for the dog. I personally prefer to use a long-handled toothbrush, which allows me to reach all the teeth in the back of the mouth.

Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes set offers both brush styles, and with six long-handled toothbrushes and six fingertip toothbrushes for under $10, it's a fantastic value. Having extra toothbrushes is great if you have multiple pets, and it also means you can easily replace the brush when it gets yucky. As with human toothbrushes, pet toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months — and always rinse the brush after each use. 

The long-handled brushes feature very soft, gentle bristles, with a larger bristle head on one side and a smaller one on the other side, so they work for dogs of all sizes (and cats, too). The fingertip brushes are soft and flexible, for gentle cleaning. I found both types of brushes gentle, effective, and easy to use.

Pros: Comes with 12 toothbrushes in 2 styles, long handles to reach the back of the mouth, extra soft bristles, best value

Cons: No grip on the plastic handle 

The best dental gel

Business Insider/Jackie Brown

Using all natural ingredients, Tropiclean Clean Brushing Gel clings to the teeth to break down plaque and tartar and fight bad breath.

Dental gels are similar to pet toothpastes, but gels are designed to have prolonged contact with the teeth to deliver ingredients that help fight bacteria, plaque, and tartar. It's important to note that none of the dental gels tested for this guide are VOHC accepted. (Two dental gels are currently VOHC accepted, and we look forward to testing them in the future.) 

"Zinc ascorbate, gluconate, oxide, and chloride are often incorporated in dental gels and water additives as antibacterial agents to help decrease plaque formation and bad breath," Redmond said. "After delivery into the oral cavity, the zinc remains in the mouth and helps with decreasing bacteria amounts."

Tropiclean Brushing Gel is designed to be used with a toothbrush, so it can be used instead of toothpaste. The gel formula clings to the teeth and gums, delivering plaque and tartar fighting zinc chloride (.01g/10ml) and green tea leaf extract, and breath-freshening spearmint. 

The gel smells very minty and my dog seemed to enjoy the flavor. The directions instruct you to withhold food and water 30 minutes before and after using it to allow for maximum effect, which requires some good planning on your part. This gel beat out the others thanks to its multiple antiplaque ingredients and the addition of spearmint, which left my dog's breath minty fresh.

Pros: All natural ingredients like zinc chloride and green tea leaf extract, clings to the teeth to break down plaque and tartar, spearmint added for fresh breath

Cons: For best results, must withhold food and water for 30 minutes before and after using gel; not VOHC accepted

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