Best dog dental chews UK: the best treats to keep your canine’s teeth clean
GOOD dental health is crucial for dogs as well as people, and the simplest way to clean your pooch’s teeth is with dental chews, but how do you select the best dog dental chews?
First of all, look at the ingredients. If your pup has any allergies then make sure the product you’re considering doesn’t contain anything that could set these off – some dogs have allergies to grain, for instance.
The best dog dental chews will contain natural ingredients, perhaps have added minerals to strengthen teeth, such as calcium, and improve breath freshness (this one’s for you, really).
Avoid products containing lots of fillers that are high in calories as you don’t want to improve their dental health at the expense of their overall physical health. While the general rule is one dental stick per day you should include this within your dog’s daily treat limit, and this total should be no more than 10% of their energy requirements for each day.
Dogs do like the taste of dental chews so it’s like a treat and a plaque remover in one. Imagine if people could simply eat a chew to keep their teeth and gums healthy rather than going to the dentist. Wouldn’t that be gnashing!
Best dog dental chews at a glance:
- Best for excitable dogs: Pooch & Mutt Calming Dental Sticks
- Best for oldies: Soopa Banana, Pumpkin & Flaxseed Dental Sticks for Senior Dogs
- Best for vegans: Scrumbles Gnashers Dental Sticks
- Best value: Pedigree Dentastix
- Best for happy tummies: Lily’s Kitchen Woofbrush Gut Health Dental Chew
Forthglade Plant Based Dental Sticks
- (AD) Plant Based Dental Sticks, from £3 for a pack of 5 at Forthglade – buy here
Forthglade’s new dental sticks have been developed in conjunction with vet and TV wildlife presenter Steve Leonard. He advises giving your dog a dental chew after brushing his teeth.
“They allow the teeth to be used for their appropriate purpose, strengthening the bone in the jaw without the danger of fracturing the teeth,” says Steve.
Forthglade dental sticks are grain-free, so suitable for sensitive tummies, and are plant-based, with ingredients including dried liquorice root, dried fennel, dried parsley, peppermint and eucalyptus oils.
Suitable for dogs from one year old.
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Yu Move Dental Care Sticks
- Yu Move Dental Care Sticks For Medium Dogs, £18.96 for a pack of 14 from Amazon – buy here
These dental chews have a hard outer shell and a soft centre which, creates a barrier along the teeth and gums and reduces plaque and tartar, says YuMove,
The soft centre is released when your dog chews, and this works against bad bacteria in the mouth, while at the same time supporting the good bacteria. They also help reduce plaque and tartar and maintain healthy teeth and gums.
They’re available in three sizes for small, medium and large dogs.
Suitable for dogs from six months old.
Lily’s Kitchen Medium Woofbrush Gut Health Dental Chew
- Lily’s Kitchen Medium Woofbrush Gut Health Dental Chew, £8 for a pack of 7.40 from Ocado – buy here
What a great name for a doggie dental chew!
These come in a variety of sizes to suit the size of your dog, from mini to large. They contain coconut oil, fennel, algae, nutritional yeast, parsley and decaf green tea extract to help improve the smell of your dog’s breath as well as clean their teeth.
What’s more, they also support good gut health, as they include psyllium seed husk for its fibre and inulin, which is prebiotic.
Suitable for dogs from six months old.
Pooch & Mutt Calming Dental Sticks
- Pooch & Mutt Calming Dental Sticks, £3.79 for a pack of 7 from Amazon – buy here
If your pooch is a bit excitable, then these calming dental chews could bring you a few minutes of peace as well as cleaning their teeth.
Ingredients include hemp, which alleviates stress, and sage, which is anti-microbial and high in antioxidants, reducing bad breath, plaque and tartar. (Sage is also said to soothe anxiety in humans, so perhaps it works for dogs as well.)
The sticks are chicken flavoured and contain chicken liver. They’re available in one size only, but simply increase how many you feed to bigger dogs.
Suitable for dogs aged six months and older.
Greenies Dental Treats
- Greenies Dental Treats Medium, £9.50 for a pack of 12 from Pets at Home – buy here
These cute dental chews not only reduce plaque and tartar, and improve breath freshness, but they’re shaped like toothbrushes.
Ingredients include fruit juice, vitamins and minerals, as well as meat and cereals. They’re free from artificial colours and flavours and available in sizes teenie, petite, medium and large.
Suitable for dogs from one year old.
Pedigree Dentastix
- Pedigree Dentastix Medium, £6.50 for a pack of 28 from Amazon – buy here
These chews are said to reduce tartar build-up by up to 80%, support gum health and clean teeth.
Ingredients include cereals, meats and fats. There’s no added sugar and the chews are free of artificial flavours and colours.
They’re available in sizes small, medium and large.
Suitable for dogs over four months old.
Whimzees Variety Box Medium Dental Sticks
- Whimzees Variety Box Medium Dental Sticks, £17.82 for 28 from Amazon – buy here
With alligators and toothbrushes as well as sticks, these dental chews are fun to look at as well as good for your dog’s teeth, gums and breath.
They’re made from natural ingredients, are GMO-free and contain no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. Their hard texture means they last longer than some other treats and they’re also low in fat and high in fibre.
Grain, wheat and gluten-free, these dental chews are also vegetarian and available in sizes small, medium and large.
Suitable for dogs over nine months old.
Soopa Banana, Pumpkin & Flaxseed Dental Sticks for Senior Dogs
- Soopa Banana, Pumpkin & Flaxseed Dental Sticks for Senior Dogs, £34.12 for 10 packs from Amazon – buy here
He may be a little long in the tooth, but he’ll still love these dental sticks as they’re specially formulated for golden oldies.
Softer than regular dental chews, they contain flax seeds for energy and coconut oil to boost his brain power, as well as tasty banana and pumpkin.
Made with human-grade ingredients, these treats are low in fat and are gluten-free. They’re also vegan.
Designed for senior dogs
How often should I give my dog a dental stick?
You should check the individual brand for how often you should feed dental chews to your dog, but generally speaking it’s okay to feed one dental chew or stick each day.
Some brands are available in different sizes to suit different dog breeds, but if your favourite dental sticks come in just one size and your dog is little, then it’s a good idea to feed half a stick or less. Again, check the back of the packet or the brand’s website as it should be explained there.
Are dental chews enough for dogs?
Dental chews are a great way to help keep your dog’s teeth tartar and plaque-free, but the best solution for doggie breath and good dental hygiene is regular brushing – yes, just like for humans.
It’s best to do this from when they’re puppies, but it’s never too late to start brushing your dog’s teeth.
You can buy a brush that looks like a regular toothbrush or a thimble brush that fits over your finger – and use a toothpaste or gel specifically formulated for dogs. Do not use human toothpaste as some of the ingredients may not be suitable – for example, xylitol, which is often found in human toothpaste, is toxic for dogs.
The Dogs Trust recommends a slow introduction to toothbrushing. Start by getting your dog used to you touching their mouth outside, then inside, before gradually introducing the toothbrush. The idea is not to frighten your pup, but to get them to calmly and happily accept daily brushing as part of his routine.
Check your dog’s mouth regularly for signs of decay or gum disease, and have their teeth checked by your vet during regular appointments once or twice each year.