Like humans, dogs have feelings, and the one thing that gets them really down is neglect. That feeling they get when we avoid them when all they want is to slobber us with kisses.
Can’t blame some owners, though – a dog’s breath isn’t exactly a whiff of fresh air.
Fortunately, it's easy to rectify that. All it takes is for us to take special care of the dental needs of our pets. Of course, we all know that brushing a dog’s teeth isn’t always the most fun thing in the world.
That’s why we’ve taken the time to look at the best dog teeth cleaning products on the market.
Pedigree Dentastix is a delicious dog-approved snack that also helps promote your canine's dental health.
Dentastix is a teeth-cleaning snack made by one of the most respected names in dog food and nutrition. To test it, we tried feeding our test dog, Fredric, one every night as per the package instructions.
Our own experience right off the bat is that our dog's breath was fresher and less funky. Their teeth were noticeably cleaner and whiter. Our regular trips to the vet also confirmed our observation. Granted, we only brush our dog's teeth once a week, and they still came out looking fine.
Our dogs also seem to like the flavor of the Dentastix. We were initially worried that they might not like the mint flavor (they hadn't tried anything remotely like this previously), but they took a liking to it. More than any other treats we tried.
There's a small risk that these will get stuck in your dog's teeth since they can become gummy/sticky with prolonged chewing.
Overall, Pedigree Dentastix are one of the best dog teeth cleaning treats for those on a tighter budget.
Merrick Fresh Kisses Dental Treats are teeth cleaning snacks that come in a unique brush shape.
The unique thing about Merrick Fresh Kisses Dental Treats is the cute brush shape. What we thought was a marketing gimmick turned out to be the reason why these treats work so well.
Like little brushes, these treats actually scrub through your dog’s teeth as he eats them. We found that to be quite useful – not as much plaque build-up as before. We can actually stand the smell of his breath.
It also helps that it's grain-free, so it's good for those dogs on limited ingredient diets or prone to allergies.
These treats are more expensive than the average dental treat. Also, we've heard stories of dogs hating the mint flavor of these treats.
Merrick Fresh Kisses Dental Treats are an excellent premium option that's, in our experience, very effective in cleaning your dog's teeth.
The Nylabone Durachew is a dental chew toy that can stand up to even the toughest of dogs.
For a more long-term dental solution, chew toys are your best bet, and the Nylabone Durachew is one of the best dental chews on the market.
The principle behind it is simple: dogs love to chew, and as they do, the Durachew's small nibs and ridges act as an abrasive surface that removes food and plaque. The chew toy also tends to reach the gumline, massaging it for optimal cleaning.
This works so well because our dog has absolutely no idea they're cleaning their teeth! Our little Golden loves to chew on this, and his teeth have never been cleaner.
This is priced higher than other dental chew toys in the market, but its quality more than makes up for it.
This is one of the best dog teeth cleaning toys, in our opinion, that's perfect for really aggressive dogs.
Arm and Hammer Dog Dental Spray allows you to promote the health of your dog's teeth via spray application.
For an easy and inexpensive way to help strengthen your dog's teeth, Arm and Hammer's dental spray is a good option. It takes the cleaning properties of the company's iconic baking soda and applies it to dog care.
We usually spray around 1-2 shots around our dog’s teeth, and it seems to work pretty well. The spray acts as a protective layer that works well after you’ve brushed your pet’s teeth.
If you’re having a hard time keeping your dog still, this can present a challenge. Also, we’ve heard of other dogs getting diarrhea from overuse of this spray.
Arm and Hammer Dental Spray wins us over in the price department and its ease of use.
Pets Are Kids Too Dog Dental Spray is a dental dog spray with an enzymatic formula that gets to the root cause of bad breath.
While other dental sprays or toothpaste just masks bad breath, Pets Are Kids Too's special enzymes actually tackle the root cause of bad breath. It didn't immediately freshen our dog's breath when we tried it, but after a few days, there's a noticeable difference.
The pleasant surprise was when it came time to brush their teeth. The usually hard plaque melted away with minimal effort. So, we knew the dental spray was doing its thing. And the great thing is that you can also put it in your dog's drinking water if you're having trouble spraying it on.
About the only thing we can comment negatively on is the higher price tag.
As far as dog dental sprays go, this is our favorite. It freshens our dog’s breath and loosens plaque.
When it comes to the best dog teeth cleaning procedure to do, brushing is still there at the very top. Like humans, there is no substitute for really getting in there and scraping off the bits and pieces that get stuck in their teeth.
However, dogs aren’t like humans in the sense that you can’t always tell them what to do. Getting them to sit still long enough for you to brush their teeth is no walk in the park. Fortunately, there are other alternatives if your pet is feeling a bit uncooperative.
Dogs have this instinctive urge that they always want to chew on something (hence, all the ruined carpets and sofas in our house). So, why not use this to your advantage and clean their teeth in the process?
How? By using dental chew toys. These are specially shaped and textured to scrape against your dog’s teeth as he chews on them. This slowly but effectively removes any food or plaque build-up, and the best part is that your dog won’t ever realize it, and so won’t resist.
In a pinch, you can also have them chew on raw bones. Just make sure it's not cooked since this has the risk of splintering off and causing internal damage to your dog.
A much smarter and more relaxed way of cleaning your dog's teeth is through some dental treats. These low-calorie tidbits are designed to scrub through your dog's teeth as he eats them. On top of that, they also usually contain natural ingredients to help promote dental health and give fresh breath, too!
If you can manage to gain access to your dog’s teeth, dental sprays are a quick option. They are formulated to help reduce plaque build-up and bacteria in your dog’s mouth. This leads to healthier teeth and fresher breath.
In this review, we've gone through the best dog teeth cleaning products in the market. It was admittedly hard to pick one out since they come in multiple forms and categories.
What made it edge all the other categories, however, is in its ease of use. This is something that takes minimal effort on your part, yet gets the job done. It’s not hard to see why we recommend it as one of the best dog teeth cleaning products ever!
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