The best dog toothpaste, toothbrush, and dental treats in 2021 – Insider

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I’ve long understood the importance of brushing my dog’s teeth. Years ago, I worked as a veterinary assistant where I saw firsthand what happens when a pet’s teeth are not taken care of. Sadly, it’s all too common to see teeth extracted during routine dental cleanings due to years of neglect. 
“Proper dental care is a vital component of your pet’s overall health and well-being,” said veterinarian Dr. Ashlee Redmond. “Bad breath isn’t just an unpleasant smell — it could be a warning sign of more serious dental disease.”
There are many dog toothpastes and toothbrushes to choose from as well as no-brush gels, water additives, and dental chews. Redmond pointed out that home dental care products do not replace daily brushing or professional dental cleanings, but they can be supportive of overall dental health. 
Dog dental products can help prevent the formation of plaque and tartar in between cleanings. Veterinarians recommend professional dental cleanings at least once a year. These are performed just like human dental cleanings, but dogs must be anesthetized so the veterinarian can clean under the gum line where plaque and tartar hide. 
For this guide, I tested 23 dental products with my dog, giving strong consideration to those that have received the seal of acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). All non-VOHC products we tested also got the okay from Redmond to rule out anything that could be potentially unsafe. Read more about how we selected and tested products at the end of this guide. Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products.  
Best dog toothpaste: Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste, $27.99 on Chewy
Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is clinically proven to remove plaque and stains, eliminate bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup, and is the only dog toothpaste that’s VOHC accepted.
Best dog toothbrush: Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes, $7.99 on Amazon
Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes include six long-handled toothbrushes with dual brush heads to work for any size dog as well as six fingertip brushes, making this product a great value.
Best dog dental gel: Pet::Essential Healthy Mouth Dog Topical Gel, $68.22 on Healthy Mouth
Using natural ingredients, Pet::Essential Healthy Mouth Dog Topical Gel is proven to reduce bacteria in the mouth and break down plaque.
Best dog water additive: Tropiclean Dental Health Solution for Dogs, $19.99 on Chewy
Clear, odorless, and tasteless, Tropiclean Fresh Breath Dental Health Solution uses zinc gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, and green tea leaf extract to defend against plaque.
Best dog dental treat: Greenies Fresh Regular Dental Dog Treats, $14.98 on Chewy
Greenies Fresh Dental Dog Treats clean your dog’s teeth as they chew, temporarily freshen their breath, and offer complete and balanced nutrition.
Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is clinically proven to remove plaque and stains, eliminate bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup, and is the only dog toothpaste that’s VOHC accepted. 
Pros: Proven in clinical trials to remove plaque and stains, eliminate bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup; human-grade ingredients; brushing not required; VOHC accepted for plaque
Cons: Expensive 
Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste is designed to work whether you use it with a toothbrush or just apply it to the teeth and sides of mouth with a swab or your finger, so it’s kind of like a toothpaste/dental gel hybrid. However, we recommend brushing with it to get the benefits of toothbrushing. 
Petsmile’s proprietary formula called Calprox, an encapsulated form of calcium peroxide and minerals, is clinically proven to remove plaque, stains, and bad breath, and prevent tartar buildup. Unlike some other toothpastes we tested, Petsmile is one of very few VOHC-accepted toothpastes, which ultimately moved it into the winner’s circle. 
The toothpaste comes in two dog-centric flavors: London Broil and Rotisserie Chicken. I tested the London Broil flavor. Meat-flavored toothpaste is not my favorite scent in the world, but my dog loved this toothpaste, which is the most important thing.
Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes include six long-handled toothbrushes with dual brush heads to work for any size dog as well as six fingertip brushes, making this product a great value.
Pros: Comes with 12 toothbrushes in two styles, long handles to reach the back of the mouth, extra soft bristles, best value
Cons: No grip on the plastic handle 
When choosing a toothbrush for your dog, you have the option of two basic styles: long-handled, which has nylon bristles similar to your own toothbrush, or fingertip, which fits over your finger and has soft, plastic nubs on the end. You can also use an  ADA compliant soft bristle flat head toothbrushes. However, fingertip toothbrush is a good option for puppies or adult dogs that are new to teeth brushing, as it can be a little less scary for the dog. I personally prefer to use a long-handled toothbrush, which allows me to reach all the teeth in the back of the mouth.
Bodhi Dog Doggie Toothbrushes set offers both brush styles, and with six long-handled toothbrushes and six fingertip toothbrushes for under $10, it’s a fantastic value. Having extra toothbrushes is great if you have multiple pets, and it also means you can easily replace the brush when it gets yucky. As with human toothbrushes, pet toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months — and always rinse the brush after each use. 
The long-handled brushes feature very soft, gentle bristles, with a larger bristle head on one side and a smaller one on the other side, so they work for dogs of all sizes (and cats, too). The fingertip brushes are soft and flexible, for gentle cleaning. I found both types of brushes gentle, effective, and easy to use.
Using natural ingredients, Pet::Essential Healthy Mouth Dog Topical Gel is proven to reduce bacteria in the mouth and break down plaque.
Pros: Contains all natural ingredients like zinc gluconate and papain, clings to teeth to reduce bacteria in the mouth and break down plaque, VOHC accepted for plaque
Cons: Expensive
Pet::Essential Healthy Mouth Dog Topical Gel contains multiple natural ingredients to promote a healthy mouth, including zinc gluconate, papain — an enzyme extracted from papaya — pomegranate, yucca extract, blueberry, vitamin C, clove extract, cinnamon extract, and chlorophyll.
This gel is easy to apply. Simply dip the included cotton-tipped applicators into the resealable jar and apply a thin layer of gel to the outsides of the teeth and gums. Use one applicator for the top teeth and gums and a second for the bottom. A little goes a long way and a container should should last at least three months. It is not necessary to apply the gel to the tongue side of the teeth. Use once a day every day at bedtime after your dog’s last meal.  
The gel smells wonderful — like cinnamon and clove. My dog accepted the gel readily and seemed to enjoy the flavor. Though the gel is bright green, it will not stain light-colored fur. If the gel gets on your dog’s fur, just wipe it off with a damp paper towel. This gel beat out the others thanks to its VOHC approval and multiple bacteria- and plaque-fighting ingredients.
Clear, odorless, and tasteless, Tropiclean Fresh Breath Dental Health Solution uses zinc gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, and green tea leaf extract to defend against plaque.
Pros: Odorless and tasteless, dye-free, brushing not required, VOHC accepted for plaque

Cons: None
Tropiclean Fresh Breath Dental Health Solution for Dogs is VOHC accepted for plaque. It uses zinc gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride, and green tea leaf extract to decrease bacteria in the mouth and inhibit plaque formation. Simply add it to your dog’s water bowl daily (1 tablespoon per 16 ounces of water). Each 33.8-ounce bottle contains approximately 67 tablespoons.
The solution is clear, odorless, and mostly tasteless, so most pets won’t know it’s even in their water bowl. In addition to giving this water additive to my dog, I also sampled it myself and detected just the tiniest hint of flavor, which is likely from the green tea extract.
TropiClean gets the nod over the other VOHC-accepted water additive we tested, Pet::Essential Healthy Mouth Anti-Plaque Water Additive, because more pets may accept the neutral Tropiclean solution compared to the green hue and mild cinnamon-taste of the Pet::Essential additive.
Greenies Fresh Dental Dog Treats clean your dog’s teeth as they chew, temporarily freshen their breath, and offer complete and balanced nutrition.
Pros: VOHC accepted for plaque and tartar, contains natural spearmint to help freshen breath, nutritionally complete and balanced
Cons: May cause gastrointestinal upset, not appropriate for dogs with grain or gluten intolerance
I tested six different dental treats. Most were similar in that they have a firm, chewy texture and shape designed to clean teeth and gums as the dog chews. Although my dog loved all the dental treats he tried, Greenies Fresh Dental Dog Treats stood out as the best in the group. 
Greenies are dark green chews shaped like little toothbrushes. VOHC-accepted for tartar and plaque, Greenies also contain spearmint to help freshen breath. I detected a distinct minty odor as my dog was chewing, this effect wasn’t particularly long-lasting. Although Greenies are intended to be used just once daily as treats, they are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult dog maintenance. This is rare in treats, so it gives Greenies another edge over the competition. 
Although my dog has a strong stomach, Greenies may cause gastrointestinal upset in some pets or turn stools green. The first ingredient in Greenies is wheat flour, so it is not a good choice for dogs with grain or gluten intolerance. For dogs that cannot eat grains, Whimzees Brushzees Daily Dental Treats, which are VOHC accepted for plaque and tartar, are a good alternative.
For this guide to the best dog dental products, I tested 23 products with my dog five or more times during a three-month period. Products were provided as editorial review samples by their manufacturers, and any products not accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council got the okay from Redmond to rule out anything that could be potentially unsafe. 
Strong consideration was given to products that carry the VOHC seal of acceptance. The VOHC is an entity of the American Veterinary Dental College.
“When choosing an at-home dental product, you should look for the VOHC seal of acceptance on the product’s package or website,” Redmond said. “The VOHC provides third-party assessment for dental products. A seal of acceptance means the product meets preset criteria for effectiveness in controlling plaque and tartar deposition in dogs and cats.” 
If a product is not VOHC accepted, it either means its manufacturer has not conducted clinical trials that show efficacy, or the manufacturer simply has not sought acceptance through the VOHC. In this guide, VOHC-accepted products were rated higher because the seal of acceptance demonstrates that the product’s claims are backed up by science. 
Since I am not a veterinary dentist nor a research scientist, I cannot make any claims regarding the efficacy of the products. Instead, I evaluated each product and rated them based on whether the product is accepted by the VOHC, product ease of use compared to manufacturer claims, and whether my dog seemed to enjoy or accept the product. 
If you’re new to brushing your dog’s teeth, know that it is easier than you might think! Pet-safe toothpaste comes in dog-enticing flavors like chicken, duck, and beef, so most dogs get on board with brushing pretty quickly.
“The best time to brush your pet’s teeth is when you are both relaxed,” Redmond said. “If your pet resists the brushing, growls, bites, scratches, or shows any other signs of aggression during toothbrushing, stop immediately and consult your veterinarian for advice.” 
Start out slow, giving your dog several days or weeks to adjust. It’s okay if you only brush a few teeth at a time for the first few sessions. Focus on the outside surfaces of the teeth. Plaque and tartar generally do not accumulate much on the insides of the teeth since the dog’s tongue is constantly wiping them clean. Keep brushing sessions positive with treats or tummy rubs. 
Toothpaste: The best thing you can do at home for your dog’s oral health is brushing their teeth daily with a pet-safe toothpaste (never use human toothpaste for your dog—this can make them sick). “Pets that begin having their teeth brushed when they are young can learn to tolerate this activity sometimes better than older pets,” Redmond said. “However, pets of all ages can learn to accept having their teeth brushed.”
Toothbrush: When choosing a toothbrush for your dog, you have the option of two basic styles: long-handled, which has nylon bristles similar to your own toothbrush, or fingertip, which fits over your finger and has soft, plastic nubs on the end. You can also use an ADA compliant soft bristle flat head toothbrush. However, a fingertip toothbrush is a good option for puppies or adult dogs that are new to teeth brushing, as it can be a little less scary for the dog.
Dental gels: Dental gels are similar to pet toothpastes, but gels are designed to have prolonged contact with the teeth to deliver ingredients that help fight bacteria, plaque, and tartar. ” Zinc ascorbate, gluconate, oxide, and chloride are often incorporated in dental gels and water additives as antibacterial agents to help decrease plaque formation and bad breath,” Redmond said. “After delivery into the oral cavity, the zinc remains in the mouth and helps with decreasing bacteria amounts.”
Dental water additives: Water additives typically contain similar ingredients as dental gels, but instead of being applied to the teeth, they are added to your dog’s water. It truly doesn’t get easier to care for your dog’s teeth than to pour a capful of water additive into their bowl every day.
Dental treats: Dental treats are designed to mechanically clean the teeth as the dog chews. “Although less effective than regular brushing at home and certainly not as thorough as a professional cleaning by a veterinarian, dental chews can help keep your dog’s teeth clean — if your dog actually chews them,” Redmond said. Observe your dog to make sure they’re slowly chewing on a dental treat rather than gulping down large chunks or even swallowing the entire chew, which could potentially cause a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract.
Dental wipes: Dental wipes are made from soft material similar to baby wipes and contain ingredients that fight bacteria and plaque and freshen breath. Use your finger to wipe the teeth and gums at least once a day, being sure to get all of the outside surfaces of the teeth.
 
Dental diets: These special diets require a prescription from your veterinarian and are formulated to prevent plaque and tartar buildup when fed daily.
We spoke to veterinarian Caroline Washington, dental resident and associate veterinarian at Barrington Animal Hospital in Barrington, Illinois, about the most common questions about brushing a dog’s teeth. 
Brushing your dog’s teeth every day is the gold standard. Though you might think something is better than nothing, occasional brushing won’t do much for your dog’s oral hygiene. According to Washington, there isn’t much benefit to brushing your dog’s teeth less than every other day. Daily brushing is best.
Getting your dog used to having their teeth brushed is best started in puppyhood. Introduce the toothbrush slowly and gently, using positive reinforcement. Adults can become accustomed to brushing using similar methods. If your dog really doesn’t like their mouth touched, ask your veterinarian for advice on what to do. Washington said that some dogs find the toothbrush intrusive. Those dogs may accept a soft rubber finger brush or medicated oral wipe wrapped around your finger.
Annual professional cleanings are recommended for most dogs. Small breeds and dogs with dental issues might need cleanings more frequently, every six to nine months. Larger dogs and those with owners who are very diligent about home care might be able to go two years in between cleanings. Your veterinarian can recommend the proper frequency for your dog.
For a professional cleaning to be effective, the veterinarian must be able to scale under the gum line. Dogs won’t lie back, open wide, and sit utterly still while their teeth are being cleaned. It’s much safer and more effective for them to be asleep during cleanings. It also allows the vet to take dental X-rays so they can check the root structures under the gum line and look for anything abnormal.
Veterinarians tailor anesthetic protocols to each patient’s needs. Before recommending a dental cleaning, your veterinarian will make sure your dog is otherwise healthy and a good candidate for anesthesia. Most vets recommend bloodwork ahead of the procedure to make sure no health concerns are noted. “I see senior patients every day and they tolerate anesthesia very well,” Washington said. “I never tell an owner that their dog is too old.”
Washington does not recommend anesthesia-free dental cleanings because cleaning beneath the gum line while the pet is awake is difficult to do effectively, and is also potentially painful and stressful for the dog. The American Veterinary Dental College also has a statement against anesthesia-free dentistry, and instead recommended dentistry performed while the pet is anesthetized.
A dog’s rate of dental disease is more accelerated than a human’s, especially when they don’t get their teeth brushed daily. Infection or tooth decay can be severe enough that it’s necessary for the veterinarian to extract one or more teeth. The good news is, dogs usually do just fine after having one or more teeth pulled. In fact, they often feel much better once the diseased teeth are removed. After having teeth extracted, dogs can still chew and eat. Washington said that in severe cases when dogs need all of their teeth remove, they do extremely well. “Some dogs can even chew regular kibble without any teeth at all,” she said.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].

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