5 Dental Tips For Your Dg

People are really surprised when I tell them that I don’t buy into the dental treat category. I also don’t buy the idea that crunchy kibble cleans their teeth. Why? Carbohydrates. Kibble and most dental treats are high in carbs and it is well established that carbohydrates stuck to teeth tend to cause tarter, tooth decay, and bacteria growth linked to gum disease. I’m not saying that dogs shouldn’t have any carbs, in fact I think quite the opposite (that is another blog post all together!). However, it doesn’t make sense to me to sell an item marketed toward dental health that includes ingredients that contribute toward the problem. Despite my opinion on the matter, many customers will testify to how dental treats work really well to maintain their dog’s teeth. Hence why we stock dental treats such as Greenies & Whimzees.

(Be sure to scroll to the bottom for an easy homemade dog toothpaste recipe!)

1. Give them chews like bully sticks, tendons, or bones.

I frequently tell customers that natural chews are their best option to help clean teeth because (1) dogs love to chew which scrapes the teeth of buildup, and (2) there are no carbs with natural animal chew products. These lower cost bully stick options are in our bulk chew area:

Frozen raw bones are another great option but are messier and do require supervision. Exercise caution when giving your dog a raw bone and take away any broken, splintered, or cracked bones immediately. Some customers have mentioned that too much of the marrow (fat) in one chewing session can cause their dog to have an upset stomach. It is not a bad idea to have the marrow last a few chewing sessions! However, if there is any marrow left between chewing sessions the bone should be refrigerated or frozen until the next use.