The 5 best dog dental chews of 2024, with advice from vets

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Dogs request regular dental attraction to forestall bad breath, gum disease, and bony loss. Professional cleanings astatine a veterinarian's agency are nan astir important facet of oral healthcare for dogs, but at-home attraction is captious too. Along pinch brushing your dog's teeth daily, giving them nan champion canine dental chews tin thief support their teeth healthy.

We narrowed down nan apical canine dental chews based connected nan proposal of canine dental wellness experts and an in-depth reappraisal of dental treats accepted by nan Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), an statement that verifies nan effectiveness of dental products for animals. Our apical prime is Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent FR3SH Tartar Control Chews. These long-lasting chews person a unsocial style that helps region plaque and tartar from a dog's teeth.

It's important to retrieve that dental chews are astir effective erstwhile utilized successful summation to toothbrushing and should ne'er switch your regular brushing routine. You tin besides usage 1 of nan best canine toothpastes to make brushing much enjoyable for your dog.

Read much about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.

Our apical picks for nan champion canine dental chews

Best overall: Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent FR3SH Tartar Control Chews for Dogs - See astatine Chewy

Best budget: Purina DentaLife Daily Oral Care Dog Treats - See astatine Chewy

Best for ample dogs: Pedigree Dentastix Variety Pack for Large Dogs - See astatine Chewy

Best for mini dogs: Greenies Petite Dental Treats - See astatine Chewy

Best for allergies: Wellness Whimzees Brushzees Natural Dental Treats for Dogs - See astatine Chewy

Best overall

The champion canine dental treats return clip to chew and person a multidimensional style that efficaciously scrubs plaque disconnected a dog's teeth. Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent FR3SH Tartar Control Chews are our apical prime acknowledgment to nan treat's unsocial Z-shape design, which promotes prolonged chewing and gets to hard-to-reach areas of a dog's teeth. 

A dental dainty must beryllium long-lasting to beryllium effective, says Dr. Brenda Mulherin, a board-certified veterinary dentist and objective professor astatine Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Prolonged chewing mimics nan mechanical action of toothbrushing, which is nan only measurement to region plaque from a dog's rima effectively. "If nan animal is gonna bite, bite, swallow, that's going to beryllium a discarded of everybody's time," she says. 

You tin springiness your canine a Virbac C.E.T. dental chew erstwhile regular to thief region plaque, a movie caused by germs that accumulate connected a dog's teeth aft they eat. When plaque builds up connected nan teeth, it mineralizes into tartar, a difficult brownish constituent that tin only beryllium wholly removed pinch a master dental cleaning. The excessive and prolonged beingness of plaque and tartar leads to periodontal disease, which tin destruct a dog's gums and teeth if near untreated, says Mulherin.

Virbac's chews person a short constituent database free of animal proteins, making them a awesome action for dogs pinch nutrient sensitivities and allergies. Unfortunately, immoderate dogs whitethorn not find nan only spirit action enticing.

Best budget

Purina DentaLife Daily Oral Care Dog Treats are an fantabulous prime if you're looking for a much affordable dental chew. The cylindrical atom and wheat flour-based chews person 8 ridges astir their circumference to scope tight spots connected nan teeth. 

These treats are VOHC-accepted for tartar only, but Mulherin says this doesn't make them little effective for plaque removal. Because plaque is simply a precursor to tartar, she says immoderate brands whitethorn only petition nan VOHC measure a chew's effectiveness for preventing tartar buildup. A dental chew that's VOHC-accepted for tartar will still slow nan accumulation of plaque and mineralization of tartar. "In general, a dental dainty aliases dental fare will thief alteration plaque and calculus by astir 40% compared to doing thing astatine all," says Dr. Stephanie Goldschmidt, a board-certified veterinary dentist and adjunct professor of dentistry and oral room astatine nan UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

These chews incorporate chickenhearted byproduct meal, truthful if your canine is picky astir poultry spirit aliases delicate to chicken, they are not a bully choice.

Best for ample dogs

Our apical prime for nan champion dental chews for ample dogs is Pedigree Dentastix. The atom and wheat-based chews travel successful a assortment battalion that includes 3 tasty flavors, 2 meaty and 1 minty. While these dental treats are generous successful size, astatine conscionable nether 5 inches long, they are little successful calories than astir chews for ample dogs. 

The treat's longer magnitude and X-shaped creation promote prolonged chewing, and nan ridges scope much surfaces of nan teeth to region plaque. If you person an extra-large breed dog, you'll want to show them intimately to guarantee nan dainty is ample enough. It's important to debar dental treats that tin beryllium swallowed and airs a choking hazard, says Dr. Dwight Alleyne, a elder subordinate veterinarian astatine Petfolk and master astatine JustAnswer. Goldschmidt recommends pursuing nan sizing guidance connected nan treat's package.

This battalion is fantabulous for dogs who for illustration a assortment of flavors. However, if your canine has beardown preferences, you tin acquisition individual packages of nan Chicken, Beef, and Fresh flavors.

Best for mini dogs

Small dogs whitethorn person trouble chewing connected larger dental treats, but Greenies Petite Dental Dog Treats are made conscionable for them. These chewy toothbrush-shaped treats person various grooves to scrub plaque from a dog's teeth.

Tinier dogs thin to beryllium much susceptible to dental illness because their smaller, crowded mouths accumulate plaque and tartar faster, according to Goldschmidt. In summation to regular toothbrushing, nan champion canine dental chews tin thief support plaque astatine bay, but giving your pet nan correct size dainty is basal to guarantee it's effective. Goldschmidt says mini dogs whitethorn person trouble breaking isolated chews that are excessively large, and too-small treats whitethorn airs a choking hazard.

Greenies Petite Dental Treats travel successful 7 varieties, including consequence and rootlike flavors and an Aging Care type pinch added glucosamine and chondroitin. However, each of nan spirit varieties incorporate gelatin, which whitethorn not beryllium due for immoderate dogs pinch nutrient macromolecule allergies.

Best for allergies

Many of nan champion canine dental chews aren't suitable for pups pinch sensitivities aliases allergies to nutrient proteins and gluten. Wellness Whimzees Brushzees are free of these ingredients, making them an fantabulous action for dogs pinch typical dietary needs. 

Alleyne recommends chews pinch unsocial shapes and grooves because dimensional dental sticks whitethorn thief disturb plaque much than soft treats lacking ridges aliases curves. Whimzees Brushzees person heavy ridges and a wide apical that resembles a tooth.

These chews are higher successful calories, truthful make judge to springiness them successful moderation and pinch nan guidance of your veterinarian.

What to look for successful canine dental chews

Choosing nan champion canine dental chews for your pet whitethorn return immoderate proceedings and error. Our experts helped america constrictive down a database of qualities to consider, including dainty style and consistency, ingredients, VOHC acceptance, size, and nutritional transparency.

Shape: Look for dental sticks pinch unsocial shapes that promote extended chewing. "Dental chews only activity if dogs chew nan treat," says Alleyne. "Some dogs will conscionable swallow nan treat, truthful they're not arsenic effective." He says that different shapes and ridges tin support your canine engaged while they chew, which whitethorn thief nan dainty past longer and summation its effectiveness astatine removing plaque.

Consistency: When selecting a dental chew, it's important to make judge it's not excessively hard. "What we don't for illustration are immoderate benignant of chews that are truthful difficult that an animal mightiness break their teeth connected them," says Dr. Nadine Fiani, a board-certified veterinary dentist and an subordinate objective professor successful nan conception of dentistry and oral room astatine Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. A bully norm of thumb is to usage your fingernail to indent nan chew. If you tin do that, she says nan chew is astir apt safe for your dog. We urge avoiding rawhide, antlers, and bones, which whitethorn origin intestinal blockages if swallowed aliases beryllium excessively hard, starring to cracked and surgery teeth.

VOHC Seal of Acceptance: Our experts urge giving your canine dental chews pinch a VOHC Seal of Acceptance for plaque, tartar, aliases both. The VOHC is simply a master assembly of veterinary dentists and dental scientists overseen by nan American Veterinary Dental College. The assembly evaluates whether products for dogs and cats efficaciously region plaque and tartar erstwhile utilized arsenic directed. 

While nan golden modular for canine dental products is VOHC acceptance, a merchandise isn't needfully bad if it doesn't person this seal because nan merchandise mightiness not person undergone information yet, says Dr. Maria Soltero-Rivera, a board-certified veterinary dentist and an adjunct professor of dentistry and oral room astatine UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. However, Goldschmidt says that products pinch nan VOHC seal are proven to region astatine slightest 20%, and typically up to 40%, of existing plaque, tartar, aliases both.

Size: Goldschmidt says it's important to prime dental chews that are appropriately sized for your dog. Avoid treats that are excessively ample for mini dogs and excessively mini for ample dogs. While she says nan weight guidance connected a product's packaging is usually a bully parameter of whether a dainty is due for your dog, you should ever show your pet to guarantee they don't swallow a poorly sized chew. 

Ingredients: The database of ingredients should beryllium easy to find connected nan product's packaging. You should ever cheque this database for perchance harmful ingredients. The astir important point to retrieve erstwhile shopping for immoderate canine dental merchandise is that it must beryllium fluoride-free, says Soltero-Rivera. Fluoride is highly toxic to dogs, and vulnerability tin beryllium fatal. Other ingredients to debar see artificial sweeteners for illustration xylitol. If your canine has nutrient sensitivities aliases allergies, you'll besides want to cheque nan explanation for those ingredients. Dental chews pinch added vitamins and omega fatty acids whitethorn besides use your dog. 

Calories and feeding directions: Our experts urge looking astatine nan nutrition accusation and feeding recommendations connected nan package. Dental chews thin to beryllium higher successful calories, truthful instrumentality to giving your canine a dental dainty erstwhile regular to debar excessive calorie intake. Whenever successful doubt, inquire your veterinarian for guidance.

How we selected nan champion canine dental chews

We selected nan champion canine dental chews based connected their acceptance by nan VOHC, nan guidance we shared successful nan "what to look for" conception above, and nan proposal of our experts.

Our experts see diplomates of nan American Veterinary Dental College, nan certifying statement for veterinary dentists successful North America and a sponsor of nan VOHC. These diplomates see Dr. Nadine Fiani, an subordinate objective professor successful nan conception of dentistry and oral room astatine Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Stephanie Goldschmidt, an adjunct professor of dentistry and oral room astatine nan UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Brenda Mulherin, a objective professor astatine Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine; and Dr. Maria Soltero-Rivera, adjunct professor of dentistry and oral room astatine UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. We besides interviewed Dr. Dwight Alleyne, a elder subordinate veterinarian astatine Petfolk and master astatine JustAnswer.

Dog dental chews FAQs

What dental chews activity champion for dogs?

The champion canine dental chews thief scrub plaque disconnected a dog's teeth. To do this, they should return clip for your canine to chew them and beryllium difficult to gulp down. The chewing mobility simulates toothbrushing, which is nan astir effective measurement to region plaque from a dog's teeth earlier it hardens into tartar. However, dental chews are astir effective erstwhile utilized successful summation to toothbrushing and should ne'er switch your regular brushing routine. According to Soltero-Rivera, brushing your dog's teeth is nan astir important facet of at-home dental care. 

Do dental chews really activity for dogs?

Yes. VOHC-accepted dental chews are proven to region plaque and tartar buildup from a dog's teeth. But giving your canine dental chews is not astir arsenic effective arsenic brushing their teeth pinch a toothbrush. Our experts urge brushing your dog's teeth regular to forestall periodontal illness and utilizing dental chews to supplement at-home brushing and master dental cleanings. They besides counsel consulting pinch your veterinarian to find nan champion regular for master cleanings, which tin scope from each fewer months to erstwhile a year. 

What tin hap if you don't cleanable your dog's teeth?

Plaque and tartar tin accumulate connected your dog's teeth if you don't cleanable them regularly. Plaque and tartar buildup tin origin gum inflammation, a information known arsenic gingivitis. Periodontal illness results from plaque and tartar buildup successful nan mouth, which damages nan tissues that connect nan teeth to nan jaw. If nan illness progresses, Fiani says a dog's gums whitethorn recede from their teeth, yet causing bony nonaccomplishment and moreover bony damage. But pinch regular brushing, dental chews, and regular master cleanings, nan illness tin beryllium avoided. "Periodontal illness is preventable," says Goldschmidt. "It takes immoderate activity astatine location and mounting them up pinch a master plan." 

Are dental chews patient for dogs?

Yes. Dental chews tin beryllium a patient canine dainty that tin assistance successful plaque removal. However, these treats are often precocious successful calories, truthful make judge you're not exceeding your dog's regular calorie limit by introducing excessively galore chews into their diet. The best canine treats, including dental chews, should dress up nary much than 10% of your dog's diet. We urge purchasing dental chews pinch guidance from your veterinarian to guarantee you're selecting nan correct ones for your dog.