Walk into any pet store and you'll see shelves full of dental chews claiming to clean teeth, reduce plaque, and prevent gum disease. They're positioned as an easy alternative to regular tooth brushing—just give your dog a chew and call it dental care. But do dental chews actually work? The answer is more complicated than marketing suggests.
Some dental chews do provide genuine oral health benefits. Others are essentially just high-calorie treats with minimal dental impact. Understanding the difference helps you make informed choices about your dog's actual dental health.
How Dental Chews Actually Work
Dental chews that genuinely help work through a few mechanisms:
Mechanical abrasion: The chewing action and texture of the chew can scrub against tooth surfaces, removing some plaque and tartar. Similar to how brushing works for humans.
Enzymatic action: Some dental products contain enzymes that help break down plaque biofilm, reducing bacterial adhesion to tooth surfaces.
Oral pH adjustment: Products containing certain ingredients might alter mouth pH in ways that discourage bacterial growth.
VOHC approval: The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) tests dental products and grants approval to products demonstrated to reduce plaque or tartar. VOHC approval is a legitimate indicator that a product works.
The problem: most dental chews fall into the marketing category rather than the proven category. A product doesn't need VOHC approval or demonstrated efficacy to be marketed as a dental chew.
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What Actually Works for Dog Dental Health
Tooth brushing: This remains the gold standard. Brushing your dog's teeth 3-5 times weekly significantly reduces plaque and tartar accumulation. Many veterinarians recommend daily brushing for optimal results.
Dental diets: Some prescription diets (Royal Canin Dental, Hill's t/d) are formulated with texture and composition designed to help clean teeth through chewing. These aren't treats—they're full meals.
VOHC-approved dental products: These have demonstrated efficacy. Look for the VOHC seal on packaging.
Professional cleaning: Annual or semi-annual dental cleaning under anesthesia by a veterinarian remains necessary for many dogs, especially those with existing dental disease.
Adequate chewing: General chewing activity (of appropriate toys, not furniture) provides some mechanical cleaning benefit.
The Problem With Most Dental Chews
They're often just treats: Many products labeled as dental chews are primarily high-calorie treats with minimal dental benefit. They're marketed as dental products to justify their existence and price point.
They're high-calorie: Dental chews often exceed 80-100 calories each. If your 10-pound dog has only a 40-calorie daily treat budget, one dental chew exceeds the entire allowance. This contributes to weight gain without delivering significant dental benefit.
They're not backed by evidence: Unless VOHC-approved, a dental chew's claims are marketing, not science. Many "dental" claims on product packaging aren't substantiated by independent testing.
They don't replace brushing: Some owners mistakenly think a daily dental chew eliminates the need for tooth brushing. In reality, chewing alone doesn't provide the cleaning that brushing delivers.
Legitimate VOHC-Approved Dental Options
If you want dental chews with proven efficacy:
- Oravet Dental Chews: VOHC-approved for tartar reduction
- Greenies Original Dental Dog Treats: VOHC-approved for plaque and tartar reduction
- C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews: VOHC-approved for tartar reduction
- Various dental prescription diets: Formulated for dental benefits
VOHC-approved products have undergone independent testing demonstrating efficacy. If a product isn't VOHC-approved, it's essentially a regular treat with dental marketing.
Choosing Among Dental Products
If considering dental chews:
- Check for VOHC approval on the packaging
- Verify the calorie content and ensure it fits your dog's daily budget
- Use them as part of a comprehensive dental care plan, not as a replacement for brushing
- Choose products with minimal artificial additives if possible
If you want genuine dental benefit:
- Prioritize tooth brushing (even 3 times weekly helps significantly)
- Consider prescription dental diets for daily meals
- Add VOHC-approved products as supplemental support
- Schedule regular professional cleanings as recommended by your vet
The Honest Assessment
Dental chews are marketed as a convenient alternative to tooth brushing. They're convenient—they require no effort on your part. But in terms of dental benefit, they're not equivalent to brushing.
A VOHC-approved dental chew combined with regular brushing is genuinely beneficial. A dental chew alone (without brushing) provides minimal benefit and significant extra calories.
Special Considerations
Choking hazard: Large dental chews can pose choking hazards, especially for dogs that don't chew carefully. Supervise chew use.
Digestive upset: Some dogs have difficulty digesting certain chew materials. If your dog shows vomiting or diarrhea after eating dental chews, consider alternative options.
Existing dental disease: Dogs with advanced dental disease might need professional cleaning before relying on chewing for maintenance. Discuss with your vet.
Senior dogs: Aging dogs with worn teeth might not chew thoroughly enough to benefit from dental chews. Individual assessment is important.
The Bottom Line
Dental chews aren't magical solutions for canine dental disease. Some products (VOHC-approved ones) provide genuine benefit as part of a comprehensive dental care approach. Most are just treats marketed as dental products.
For genuine canine dental health: brush regularly, use VOHC-approved products if interested, schedule professional cleanings, and discuss dental health with your veterinarian. Dental chews might fit into this plan, but they shouldn't be your primary strategy.
The time you invest in regular tooth brushing yields far better dental outcomes than any amount of dental chew treats.
For information about dental health for dogs, consult the American Veterinary Medical Association or Veterinary Oral Health Council.
Sarah Mitchell is a pet health specialist based in Portland, Oregon, focused on preventive veterinary care and sustainable pet health practices.
