Dental Chews and Dental Health - do Dental Chews Really Help?

Looking after our pet's teeth is such an important part of daily care, plus, can save you a fortune in vet teeth cleaning to remove plaque, avoids smelly doggy breath, and can even eliminate the use of an anaesthetic to remove decaying teeth. Do have a look at all the tooth care options we have available for you, plus, at the same time have a look at all the other options we have. We have just about everything you need for your dog, cat and the little critters - www.mcmac.co.za

Dental Chews and Dental Health - Do Dental Chews Really Help?

by Scotty Valadao - Canine Behaviourist - Friends of the Dog

This is a question we are often asked, so we had a look into basic dental care and also if dental chews really do help.

What totally surprised and worried us is in a recent study done in America, it was found that up to 80 per cent of pet dogs and 70% of pet cats, where showing signs of dental disease by the age of three years of age!

However, there is also progress where dental health is concerned, as according to the APPA (American Pet Products Association) people buying dental products for their pets (which included dental chews, toothbrushes, paste etc ), rose from 29% in 2006 to over 43% in 2016. Still not enough but going in the right direction!

Some Tips for Good Dental Health

Before we get onto whether or not dental chews actually help with your dogs dental health, here are some tips to help you ensure that your dogs teeth stay in tip top condition.

Don’t just presume that you can give dental chews, and all will be ok! It is still advisable to brush your dogs teeth at least once a day, twice would be even better. We will be supplying you with an article on exactly how to do this in the near future.
Check your dogs teeth and gums carefully, at least once a week and have your dog’s teeth and gums checked by your vet once a year. Not only will this help to keep both in good condition, it can save you a lot of money in the long term - prevention is always better than cure.
Some people think that it is only when the dog stops eating that steps have to be taken where the dogs teeth are concerned – not so! A dogs instinct to survive is so strong that it will eat even if it is in pain, so if your dog has stopped eating due to pain, it is in trouble!
Always use a dog toothpaste, never a human one, as most human toothpaste contains fluoride which is extremely poisonous to dogs.
Early detection and treatment are critical, because advanced periodontal disease can cause severe problems and pain for your dog. Periodontal disease doesn’t just affect your dog’s mouth. Other health problems found in association with periodontal disease include kidney, liver, and heart muscle changes.
If you see anything unusual such as swollen gums, some bleeding of the gums, tartar starting to show on the tooth itself, the dogs breath being smelly, your dog pawing at its mouth, then do check these out at the vet. It could save your dog pain and suffering, which none of us want.
Avoid soft food in cans, unless your dog has a health problem. Soft canned food is more likely to promote tartar and plaque build-up. If you are feeding raw for example, then provide the appropriate raw bones as well as dental chews.
Avoid chews such as hooves – these are well known culprits when it comes to chipped teeth! Some dogs love to chew stones and similar strange objects – try to avoid objects such as these completely, as they can erode the surface of the tooth and also cause it to chip. If your dog is chewing objects such as above on a regular basis, there could be an underling problem, which could either be physical or behaviour based, so do ask your vet what your next step should be.
An old favourite to give dogs to chew on and help to clean teeth, is a rawhide, not a good idea! There are several reasons why we, and most vets are against these:-

Choking and/or blockages - This is not unusual with rawhide and it can get stuck in the oesophagus or lower in the digestive tract. As rawhide tends to swell when wet, it can increase in size and a serious blockage can occur, which if not resolved, can lead to death.
Toxins - Rawhide can contain trace amounts of toxic chemicals and Salmonella or E.coli contamination, even towards humans that may come into contract with these bacteria. Other poisonous residues that may show up in rawhide include arsenic and formaldehyde.
Allergies - Some dogs may develop an allergic reaction to rawhide, which could possibly be due to some of the ingredients mentioned above. This often results in digestive problems, including a runny tummy.

Benefits of Dental Chews and treats

There is a wide variety available, so that you can find the one that best suits your dog.
Dental chews can help to reduce ‘doggy breath’ and some varieties include breath fresheners which work with the chewing. and helps to remove unwanted substances from the teeth.
However, don’t just assume that the bad breath is from your dog’s teeth – there could be an underlying problem so do chat to your vet.

The Healthy Natural Doggie Dental Chew. LESS PLAQUE. - LESS TARTAR - MORE SMILES - STICKS & TOOTHBRUSH OPTIONS

Dental chews not only help to clean the teeth, they also help reduce plaque and tartar build up. As above, not to be used instead of tooth brushing, rather brush teeth and give dental chews daily as well.
What is important is to give the size that suits your dog for maximum effect.
In studies it was shown that dental deposits in dogs can be reduced by feeding a daily dental chew.
In research it showed that the tougher the dental chew is, the more it helps to reduce plaque due to the longer time it took for the dog to get through it.

While we were looking for reliable information for this article, we came across a lot of scientific evidence that suggests that dental chews, do indeed, help with cleaning teeth and reducing plaque. We have put in a link below to one that was more user friendly than others. However, do Google scientific research for dental chews yourself and you will find a lot more information – in between, just as you clean your own teeth twice a day - do clean your dogs teeth as well!