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My dogs’ dental health is really important to me – but brushing their teeth every day does not really work with my schedule (also they hate it).

After exploring dental dog toys, I wanted to look into dental treats for dogs. I’ve been feeding Ranger and Grizzly Greenies regularly, but wanted to test out other options to see what the best dog dental chew is for my dogs. I had Ranger and Grizzly test out 5 dog dental treat brands and compared them by considering ingredient value, price, smell, shape, and how my dogs consumed them.

Dog Dental Chews Perform Poorly in Study

While I was researching dog dental chews I came across a study done by a student at Rutgers University exploring the effect of dental chews on dog oral bacteria. You can read the full article here but this graph sums up her results:

She tested C.E.T. enzymatic toothpaste applied with a plastic finger brush, regular sized C.E.T. VeggieDent canine chews, bully sticks, and raw marrow bones. I was really surprised to see that the raw marrow bones turned out to be the most successful at reducing bacteria.

The dental chew came in last – although I should note that while this brand is often recommended it also has the least useful ingredients of the dental treats I’ve looked at – none of the ingredients are good for oral health and many of them are just sweeteners (Corn Starch, Glycerin, Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Brewers Dried Yeast, Sorbitol, Ground Corn Cob, Erythritol, Potassium Sorbate, Water, Inulin, Pomegranate). The shape of this particular dog treat is also pretty flat and basic and doesn’t really include textures that do much for removing plaque from teeth. I would be interested in seeing this study repeated with different dog chews.

5 Dental Treats for Dogs

 

Greenies

Claims to Fame: Toothbrush shape and texture cleans down to gumline to fight plaque and tartar, freshens breath, easy to digest and nutritionally complete ingredients, Approved by Veterinary Oral Health Council.
Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Glycerin, Wheat Gluten, Gelatin, Water, Powdered Cellulose, Lecithin, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium, Potassium Iodide), Natural Poultry Flavor, Choline Chloride, Fruit Juice Color, Vitamins ( Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate [Vitamin B5], Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Folic Acid), Turmeric Color.
Cost: $33.99/1 pack of 36 oz. bag (36 chews, $.94 per chew)
Calorie Count (each): 91 kcals
Recommended by Brand: 1 per day
Star Rating on Amazon (as of 3/9/2020): 5/5 (5,231 ratings)

Ranger & Grizzly’s Review
We’ve both been enjoying Greenies since we were puppies. Our pawrents always laugh when they give them to us because it looks like we have toothbrushes sticking out of our mouths. These treats are stuffed full of good stuff for us – loads of vitamins and minerals that help us stay healthy.

 

Ark Naturals Brushless Toothpaste Dental Chews

Claims to Fame: Outside ridges act as an abrasive to clean dog teeth, natural ingredients freshen breath, “special dental ingredients” that fight plaque and tartar, fortified with vitamins and minerals for complete and balanced nutrition.
Ingredients: Rice Flour, Honey, Water (For Processing), Glycerin, Canola Oil, Gelatin, Dried Cultured Whey, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Lecithin, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flax Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocoperols), Cinnamon, Natural Flavor, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, Clove, Alfalfa, Vanilla, Glucose Oxidase, Sodium Pyrophosphate.
Cost: $19.99/1 pack of 18 oz. bag (~20 chews, $.99 per chew)
Calorie Count (each): 50.2 calories
Recommended by Brand: 2 per day
Star Rating on Amazon (as of 3/9/2020): 4.5/5 (379 ratings)

Ranger & Grizzly’s Review
We don’t get super excited about these treats – don’t get us wrong, we quickly eat them with no complaint, but we always hesitate and consider the treat before taking it from our mom. Our pawrents do not like how they smell – they always hold their breath when opening the bag to give them to us. These treats do include ingredients that are beneficial to our general health and ones specifically good for oral health.

 

Zesty Paws Omega NutraStix Dental Chews

Claims to Fame: Contains a fish and algae blend to nourish skin and coat, hemp protein helps with dry and itchy skin.
Ingredients: Chickpea, Tapioca Flour, Coconut Glycerin, Qrill Pet Meat, Hemp Protein, Brewer’s Yeast, Bone Broth Powder, Apple Pomace, Lactic Acid, Kelp Meat, Algae, Sorbic Acid, Taurine, Rosemary, Citric Acid, & Peppermint Oil.
Cost: $12.97/1 pack of 12 oz. bag (12 chews, $1.08 per chew)
Calorie Count (each): 86.4 kcals
Recommended by Brand: 1 per day (for my dogs at 26 – 50 pounds)
Star Rating on Amazon (as of 3/9/2020): 4.5/5 (524 ratings)

Ranger & Grizzly’s Review
We really like these (and our pawrents love how they smell like fresh peppermint!). The long shape gives us a little more to work on, extending the time we’re “brushing our teeth.” This treat has many ingredients that are beneficial to our general health, but none of them are specifically for oral health.

Zukes Z-Bone Dental Chew Treats

Claims to Fame: Freshens breath, texture gently removes plaque and tartar, essential vitamins and minerals included.
Ingredients: Ground Potatoes, Ground Peas, Vegetable Glycerin, Pea Protein, Pea Fiber, Apples, Spinach, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Citric Acid (Preservative), Zinc Propionate, Parsley, Alfalfa, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Fennel.
Cost: $14.76/1 pack of 12 oz. bag (8 chews, $1.84 per chew)
Calorie Count (each): 120 kcals
Recommended by Brand: Doesn’t say, but I’d guess one per day.
Star Rating on Amazon (as of 3/9/2020): 4.5/5 (761 reviews)

Ranger & Grizzly’s Review
We got really excited when these came out of the treat cupboard. We’d never had them before but something about the smell must have been really appetizing to us. These are the biggest dental treats we’ve been given so far, and took us the longest to eat. The bag only comes with eight of them, though, and since there are two of us that means they aren’t going to last long at all.

 

Redbarn Natural Dental Dog Treats

Every time we visit our local pet store my dogs b-line for this treat stand. The Redbarn stand includes dental treats in a variety of fun shapes and sizes including toothbrush, hydrant, and my dogs’ personal favorite (likely because they are placed exactly at their eye-level) the toad.

The toad-shaped dog dental treats are pretty cute. Below you can see the dental chew is hollow, but has a lot of grooves for teeth cleaning.

Claims to Fame: Unique shape helps fight plaque, easily digestible, made in the USA.
Ingredients: Potato Flour, Powdered Cellulose, Vegetable Glycerin, Brown Rice, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Parsley, Cumin, Cultured Skim Milk
Cost: $53.55/1 pack of 12 oz. bag (45 chews – $1.19 per chew)
Calorie Count (each): 82 kcals
Recommended by Brand: Doesn’t say, but I’d guess one per day.
Star Rating on Amazon (as of 3/9/2020): NA

Ranger & Grizzly’s Review
We love these – we always pick them out as our special treat when we visit the pet store. The fun shape helps clean our teeth but the ingredients aren’t really helpful for our oral or general health.

TLDR – Just Tell Me What to Buy

If you’re selecting from my list, I think Greenies are your best bet. They are the least expensive (of the ones reviewed in this post), has the most beneficial ingredients, and is a good shape for removing plaque.

If you want to choose a dental dog treat on your own, here is what you should look for:

Shape – Choose a treat with lots of texture – you want it to be shaped well for rubbing crud off your dog’s teeth while he or she chews.

Ingredients – Many dental treats are just treats – choose one with ingredients that are beneficial to your dog’s health, even if it’s not directly for oral health.

Price – You’re going to give your dog one of these every day. Try to find a treat that is reasonably priced and sold in large (discounted) quantities.