Why am I even concerned with the best dog dental care products?

Because I’m a full-time groomer.

And I see MANY dogs every day. And that includes seeing a lot of dogs that have major bad breath and extremely neglected teeth.  

Yet I still see dogs with bleeding, swollen gums.  Teeth that are extremely loose and covered in clay-like plaque.  Some teeth are extremely discolored and have a greenish-gray hue. And sadly I see older dogs with absolutely no teeth due to extractions because of periodontal disease. We offer teeth brushing at my salon, but only having your dog’s teeth brushed every 4-6 weeks is not healthy.

What amazes me more than the horrible state these dog’s teeth are in—is to find out how many pet parents have no clue about their dog’s oral condition, and those who had no clue that you’re supposed to brush your dog’s teeth–or what dog dental care products to use.

Brushing your dog’s teeth is extremely important. Yes cleaning their teeth is important too….. But that shouldn’t be the only oral care your dog is receiving.  

If you consider your pet to be a family member, then you must understand that their ability to live a better life is important and that includes the health of their teeth! Bad breath and teeth can cause more harm in the long run to your pet than you think.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation………

“Periodontal disease doesn’t just affect your pet’s mouth. Other health problems found in association with periodontal disease include kidney, liver, and heart muscle changes.

It starts with plaque that hardens into tartar. Tartar above the gumline can often easily be seen and removed, but plaque and tartar below the gumline is damaging and sets the stage for infection and damage to the jawbone and the tissues that connect the tooth to the jaw bone”. They can also be found on Facebook 

It is important to ensure that your dog is getting regular brushing at home and at the groomers,…CLICK TO TWEET

How often should you brush your dog’s teeth?

Usually, when there is a look of confusion on a pet parent’s face about brushing their dog’s teeth, they always ask, “ how often should I brush my dog’s teeth?”

And I always say, “once a week”. Brushing your dog’s teeth is not complicated at all. It’s pretty simple and with all of the new dog dental care products hitting the market to make oral hygiene for dogs easy. There’s really no excuse.

Honestly, you can stop reading here. This is all you need to know. But…..if you’d like to be an amazing pet parent….keep reading, you’ll be happy you did. Because in this post, I list all of the BEST dog dental care products on the market right now.

Keeping dog dental care easy

Let’s start with the basics.  You really just need a basic dog-friendly toothpaste and doggie toothbrush. Literally that simple.

But……………………there are many more products out there that are really easy to use and can enhance your dog’s million-dollar smile and keep your vet bills extremely low. (Win-Win?)

What are the Best dog dental care products?

This is where things surrounding your dog’s teeth get pretty fun and interesting. You may have never known these products even exist. But they do, and they’re worth trying out to see what works for your dog and how you can improve upon his pearly whites.

Petzlife Oral Care Spray 

This product-Petzlife Oral Care Spray- I most recommend because I use it on my personal dogs at home as well as clients at work.  

If you use this product as directed, it literally begins to melt the tartar off of your dog’s teeth. All you have to do is spray this on your dog’s teeth, at least every other day, refrain from giving your dog’s water for 30 minutes to allow the oral care spray to do its magic. In about a month or so, you’ll see a significant drop in tartar build-up.

Keep in mind, the amount of tartar build-up cannot be extreme, otherwise, your dog needs to simply get teeth cleaning. Additionally, I wouldn’t completely use this oral care spray to replace good ol’ teeth brushing.

Honestly, there is nothing easier than simply spraying a solution onto your dog’s teeth while not only freshening their breath but even removing plaque build-up.

Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Toothbrush and Tooth Paste

Nylabone toothpaste is my dog’s toothpaste of choice when it comes to my dog’s dental care.  They love the taste and smell and usually start salivating as soon as I grab the toothpaste tube. This particular toothpaste doesn’t have a super “poultry” that smells bad, it smells similar to a donut with no icing.

It’s my favorite because it reduces the amount of tartar build-up and I don’t always have to follow up with a breath spray for their breath to smell fresh. I’ve used other toothpaste’s but they are either just sugar-based and don’t really clean or I don’t notice a difference in my dog’s breath after brushing.  

Nylabone toothpaste definitely excels and performs well, which is why it’s my dental care toothpaste of choice. 

Tropiclean Products

My all-time favorite dog teeth cleaning system is the Tropiclean line. It has worked so well in not only cleaning my dog’s teeth, but it keeps their breath fresh for a long time.

My dogs are older, the older your pup, the smellier their breath. Sometimes it’s embarrassing to have friends over, conversing with them, and they can’t breathe because your dogs hot, smelly breath is blowing in their face. That’s why it’s important for me to know that I have a product that is dependable every single time, while also being a safe dental care option for my pet. 

Plus, I don’t have time for DIY projects. I need something fast, efficient, and that works.

Tropiclean Tooth Gel and ToothBrush Oral Care Kit 

Tropiclean offers a gel and toothbrush combo.  It has more of a mintier smell and taste for dogs.  Unlike other kinds of toothpaste that are more enticing with a chicken or peanut butter smell.  If your pet is less picky, using this gel will provide great results as long as it’s used consistently and properly.

They also have a teeth whitening kit as well. If you already keep up with brushing your pet’s teeth this is a great addition to stepping up your dog’s pearly whites. Additionally, as dogs get older their teeth begin to stain yellow, some of this boils down to simple genetics.  Using a whitening toothpaste can help with the yellowing, and in a sense reverse the aged look of your pet’s teeth. 

Tropiclean Breath Spray/Oral Care Foam

So far, nothing in my list of doggie products can outperform Tropiclean’s oral care foam. I don’t use this product to replace brushing, but I do use it for a quick breath freshener, similar to how humans use mints.

This product dispenses as a foam, not only instantly freshening your pet’s breath, but it’s long-lasting as well.   Some dog’s like to eat certain “treats” that they shouldn’t (like poop). Sometimes those treats can be found in the grass in the backyard or in the kitty litter box. Because of this behavior, breath spray is a necessity!!

As long as your dogs are comfortable with mint-flavored breath spray, I definitely recommend trying this oral care foam spray, it’s hands-down amazing! 

Bluestem Chicken Flavored Water Additive 

My experience with adding mint-flavored water to my dog’s water bowl has not ever gone over so well. 

My oldest dog Diamond is a Beagle mix, and she has a very sensitive nose.  If she smells even a drop of the mint in the water she refuses to drink it.  I think she may believe it’s tainted or dangerous to drink in some way, not exactly sure why. 

Because of that, I use Bluestem. It not only smells and taste like chicken to my dog’s but they also think they are getting a treat. So it’s a win-win. 

And…….Hands down–Bluestem single-handedly gets rid of my dog’s bad breath, even if I haven’t brushed their teeth in over a week (you know…when life gets too busy). 

I highly recommend this product, I’m not even getting paid to review this product…….my love for Bluestem is honest and genuine. By far the best dog dental care product I have ever used. Please try it! Lol

Teeth Cleaning Chews /Breath Mint Chews

Breath Mint Chews and Dental treats are great dog care dental product, but I don’t believe they should be used as an alternative to brushing. Rather they should be seen as supplemental.

I have many clients who still have dog’s with tartar build up even after using the chews. Only one of my dogs actually chews these treats, while my other dog chews once or twice and then swallows them whole. I’m pretty sure they never really did much for his teeth.  

Therefore, it’s essential to just brush his teeth.  Plus brushing ensures each and every tooth is receiving some TLC (tender love and care). I’m pretty sure there’s a reason these chews don’t exist for humans. I’m sure the Dentist would have a lot to say about that.

Just Clean Tartar Build Up at the Vet

Routine teeth cleaning vet visits are extremely important! But routine at home tooth maintenance is just as important too!

Regular brushing using the best dog dental care products helps prevent not only plaque buildup, bad breath, and periodontal disease, but it also helps prevent pain from inflammation and rotting teeth.  There’s nothing worse than a dog in pain from the horrible state of their teeth. With that kind of pain, they can’t eat hard foods, play with toys, or even sleep well.

 Our four-legged friends can’t choose whether or not they can make it better. It’s our job, to keep them happy and healthy.

Basically,  your dog’s dental health is important.

It’s our job as pet parents to keep up with routine brushing just as well as we keep up with our own.  Deciding to have a dog goes beyond just having a companion, we must care for them as we would ourselves and make their health a priority as well!

Hopefully, this post about the best dog dental care products helped you! Please feel free to reach out to me anytime if you have any questions. My email is in the about me section.

Thanks for reading!!

Credits:

Photo by Andrii Podilnyk on Unsplash