Dog dental chews are a great way of helping keep your dog’s teeth clean. With so many products available the following are 6 quick points to consider when next in the dog treat aisle choosing a chew for your dog. Following these tips will ensure you choose a chew that is tasty and safe but one that is the most effective at removing plaque and tartar whilst keeping their breath fresh:

1. Look at the ingredients:

• Ensure that an edible dental chew contains high-quality natural ingredients to promote the health and wellbeing for your dog as well as keep their teeth clean. The back of a dental chews pack will often highlight if a brand contains non-GMO ingredients as well as show the ingredient list in order of most abundant to the smallest ingredient inclusions. 
• Look for ingredients you recognize like potatoes or chicken
• Avoid non-specific ingredients like ‘meat meal’ or generic ‘cereals.’ These open ingredient descriptors don’t give you visibility as to the source of that ingredient, meaning they are inferior ingredients.

2. Where is it made? 

Knowing where your dog’s dental treats are made gives assurance on the level quality and safety involved in making a chew that your dog will eat. At North American and European manufacturing sites, companies must meet very strict industry standards that ensure the highest quality chews are available to your pet. In other markets such as China, these industry controls may be missing and create a chew with lower quality standards.

3. Have Sensitivities? Avoid common allergens:

Less is more. Some dogs suffer with sensitivities to certain foods or they may occasionally get an upset tummy after eating certain products. For these dogs it’s helpful to choose a product with limited ingredients (LID) or a short ingredient list. LID chews don’t include potential allergen ingredients like beef, dairy, chicken wheat and soy. A grain-free, vegetarian dental chew is often a great solution for food-sensitive dogs. 

4. Scientifically proven:

The overall efficacy of dental chews varies. Look for a chew proven to promote dental health, such as one with the Veterinary Oral Heath Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance.The VOHC ensures products that make the list have met their high scientific standards for proving reduction of plaque and tartar. WHIMZEES Dental Chews have undertaken substantial scientific studies and have been accepted for both VOHC Plaque and VOHC Tartar reductions making it a leading dental chews for dogs.

5. Right size chew:

Why? Choosing the proper size dog dental chew ensures the chew has the correct amount of calories for your dog. Dog dental chews should also match your dog’s mouth size. This ensures optimal cleaning and minimizes the chance of your dog swallowing a large piece that could cause stomach upset. 

6. Daily use is key to success:

Plaque can accumulate in as little as 24 hours so just like us, it’s important to support your dog’s teeth with a dental chew every day to keep their teeth healthy. A chew that tastes great and comes in a larger value bag is a great way of ensuring your dog looks forward to his daily dental chew as well as be the most economical solution. 

Doggy breath is something no pet parent wants to face, especially when your dog tries to cover you in kisses. Many pet parents may consider stinky dog breath just a normal reality of having a dog, but that’s not the case. In fact, bad dog breath can be a key sign that your dog may be suffering from a more serious health concern such as dental disease, diabetes or kidney and liver disease.
Here are 5 quick tips on how to keep your dog’s teeth healthy and their breath fresh:

1. Take your dog to the veterinarian annually:

The most common cause of bad dog breath is poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease. Your veterinarian is also your dog’s dentist, so ensuring your dog has their annual checkup is key to keeping them healthy. Should there be signs of dental disease, your vet can perform a professional cleaning. During this procedure, your vet will remove plaque and tartar, evaluate and resolve mouth infection and extract any loose or compromised teeth. This will not only have your dog feeling a whole lot better, but it helps reduce the overall bacterial presence that were key contributors to your dog’s bad breath.

2. Keep their mouth clean – Brushing:

It takes as little as 24 hours after a professional cleaning for bacteria to start accumulating on teeth as plaque. To help keep this in check, the gold standard technique is to brush your dog’s teeth every day with special doggie toothpaste (never use human toothpaste). Brushing mechanically removes plaque from the teeth, leaving them clean and leaving the mouth smelling fresher. 

3. Keep their mouth clean – Dental Chews:

This Labrador dog loves WHIMZEES Brushzees!

For most pet parents, the thought of brushing their dog’s teeth creates feelings of anxiety and stress. Hence, it’s not surprising that only 2% of dog parents brush their dog’s teeth every day. An easier approach to cleaning your dog’s teeth is to use a scientifically proven dog dental chew like WHIMZEES Dental Treats. These dental treats work like a toothbrush because as a dog chews the treat, the WHIMZEES rubs against the teeth to remove plaque and bacteria. Best of all, designed with ridges, grooves and nubs, WHIMZEES Dental Treats ensure the treat reaches the whole mouth including the back teeth which are usually hardest to reach.

WHIMZEES dog dental treats help target hard-to-reach back teeth.

4. Keep an eye on what he eats and drinks:

We all know dogs tend to eat some inappropriate things if given a chance such as feces, garbage or other stinky substances. Should this be your dog, ensure their yard is always clean, they are kept on a lead during walks and that they no longer have access to garbage bins. Prevention is the cure on this one!

5. Keep them healthy:

Feeding your dog a high-quality natural, balanced diet and providing them with plenty of water, activity and exercise is key to keeping them in good health. Along with these daily habits, be sure to visit the vet at least once a year to ensure your dog is at an optimal weight and to check for other health problems that could present with bad breath such as diabetes. Should dental disease not be the cause of your dog’s bad breath, the annual checkup can help your veterinarian pick up on the underlying cause of your dog’s bad breath before it gets serious.