Brushing your dog’s teeth is the best way to keep their oral hygiene in good shape. Ideally, you want to brush them daily, but you may need to build up to that — even once a week will make a difference. To supplement tooth brushing, invest in some good quality dog teeth cleaning treats. When looking for the best dog teeth cleaning treats, you want to consider the design or shape as well as any active and natural ingredients.
Benefits of Dog Teeth Cleaning Treats
The most noticeable difference will likely be the change in your dog’s breath. Bad breath can be an indication of underlying issues, but it is often down to poor dental hygiene.
Teeth cleaning treats can help by reducing the build-up of plaque and tartar. Dental treats can also help with swollen or irritated gums and will eliminate any pain your pet is experiencing as a result of those issues. Dog teeth cleaning treats will increase general teeth and gum health, which is important for preventing wider health issues in your dog.
Oral health issues in dogs can lead to a loss of appetite or trouble eating, which puts your dog at risk of more serious health problems. They may suffer from damage to their teeth and, in some cases, damage other organs. Bacteria can build up in your dog’s mouth and can also get into the bloodstream through diseased gums, both of which are preventable by staying on top of good dental hygiene with dog teeth cleaning treats.
Types of Dog Teeth Cleaning Treats
Edible treats are ideal for dog teeth cleaning because you can rest assured knowing that your dog won’t swallow anything it shouldn’t. These Fish Dog Treats are a great alternative to dental dog chews as, unlike some dog chews, they contain no added extras. They’re air-dried to preserve their natural goodness, and the crunchy texture of fish skin acts as a natural toothbrush that exfoliates your dog’s teeth. Edible teeth cleaning treats are most appealing to dogs as they have an appetising smell and taste
Bones are another popular choice when it comes to dog teeth cleaning and they do provide some minerals and other nutrients. For safety, you should ensure any bones you do give your dog are not small enough to become a choking hazard and won’t splinter into small fragments that can cause damage to their mouth or accidentally be swallowed. Stick to raw meat bones like chicken, lamb or beef.
We never recommend rawhide to dog owners. Rawhide is made from leftovers from the leather-making process, meaning it can be really toxic to dogs. Rawhide has been proven to harbour bacteria and can pose a choking hazard to dogs, so more responsible pet owners are now leaning towards edible dog treats.
Dog chews can also be a problem, as certain manufacturers fill dog chews with unhealthy ingredients. Some compressed chews pose a choking risk to your dog and can cause stomach and blockage problems when swallowed whole.
Dog chew toys can also be used to promote healthy teeth and gums in your pet. Though they have no nutritional value, they will encourage chewing. This will stimulate saliva enzyme production, so they can still reduce bacteria. The best options are hard-wearing rubber chew toys.
