The 15 Best Dog Teeth Cleaning Toys
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
The oral health of a dog is critical. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most ignored aspects of a dog's health.
Most dogs in the United States (and, most likely, the globe) have some kind of dental condition, and dogs, like humans, will acquire periodontal disease if they are not properly cared for.
In some cases, dental disorders might be fatal. Swollen, inflamed gums can become infected, allowing germs to enter the circulation.
Even if the germs do not enter the bloodstream, diseased teeth can abscess and render a dog unable to eat. If the abscess breaks, it can cause a secondary infection that can be fatal.
Taking care of your dog's teeth is very critical. Fortunately, there are several options available, one of which being dog teeth cleaning toys. While you shouldn't rely only on these toys, they can help your dog with cleaning.
Of course, they are not all created equal. If you want to maintain your dog's teeth clean, you should only buy the finest.
Below, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) will go through some of the best dog teeth cleaning toys to help you pick which one is ideal for your dog.
Reviews
Best Overall: Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Dog Teething Ring
- Material: Plastic
- Scent: Bacon
The Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Teething Ring Dog Toy is by far the greatest overall dog teeth cleaning toy on the market. It not only cleans your dog’s teeth well, but it is also one of the most appealing toys available, increasing the likelihood that they will use it.
It is intended for mild to moderate chewers, thus it is unlikely to sustain the most ferocious chewers. However, as long as your dog isn’t renowned for shredding toys, the ring construction is rather robust.
This toy also has a bacon fragrance that dogs find appealing. In fact, this aroma is incredibly long-lasting and resilient, so it should make the toy more appealing for months to come.
This toy has a variety of nubs that are meant to massage your dog’s teeth and prevent tartar buildup. Of course, it is dependent on your dog actually using it and putting their teeth into the grooves, but it is far easier than brushing your dog’s teeth.
Pros
- perfumed with bacon
- Construction that is long-lasting
- Various nubs
- Plaque removal
- Suitable for dogs weighing up to 50 pounds
Cons
- Not recommended for heavy chewers.
Best Value: Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy by Hartz
- Material: Plastic
- Scent: Bacon
The Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy is the greatest dog teeth cleaning toy for the money for those seeking for something a little less expensive. It is far less expensive than the competitors, yet the design is still quite efficient at keeping your dog’s teeth clean. It has a twisted design that massages your dog’s teeth and gums to keep them clean.
The flexible plastic may endure mild gnawing. If your dog is renowned for shredding toys, they will most likely shred this one without much difficulty, and you will need to find elsewhere if your dog is a powerful chewer.
The bacon fragrance attracts your dog to the toy and lingers for a long time. As a result, your dog will be drawn back to the toy on a regular basis, which will help keep their teeth clean over time.
You are giving up certain features since this toy is less expensive. It just isn’t as robust as other solutions, and the plastic substance might be hazardous if your pet begins to shred it. Furthermore, it is fairly tiny and is only ideal for little dogs.
Pros
- perfumed with bacon
- The twisted shape aids with plaque removal.
- Plastic that is flexible for moderate chewers
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Not particularly long-lasting
Premium Choice: Hartz Dental Chew Toy Chew ‘n Clean
- Material: Nylon
- Scent: Bacon
When compared to comparable toys, the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Dental Chew Toy is slightly more costly. It is, however, composed of nylon rather than plastic. It’s designed for harder chewers and has a DentaShield covering that rubs off on your dog’s teeth, preventing fresh tartar from developing.
As a result, while it is more expensive, you get far more bang for your dollars. In our opinion, the extra cost is well worth it for these extra capabilities, especially if the few more bucks aren’t an issue for you.
This bone has a genuine, edible bacon-flavored core. The outer, on the other hand, is composed of nylon and is intended to clean your dog’s teeth. While your dog is trying to devour the centre, the elevated nubs are keeping their teeth clean.
But once the center is gone, it’s gone. As a result, this toy may not survive as long as other choices, however some dogs are still interested in it after the centre has been removed.
Pros
- DentaShield protection coating
- Middle is edible and bacon-flavored.
- Raised nubs to help clean your dog’s teeth
- There are several hues available.
Cons
- Not as long-lasting as other alternatives
Ball Dog Treats
- Material: Rubber
- Scent: No
Unlike other toys meant to clean your dog’s teeth, this Dog Treat Toy Ball is made to be played with. While some dogs may chew on it, that is not its primary function, so it may be a decent alternative for dogs that aren’t very fond of chew toys.
This toy is composed of natural rubber, which gives it a lot of bounce. This is an excellent choice for dogs who enjoy chasing things. It also has an antiskid surface to prevent it from slipping out of your dog’s mouth if they decide to chew on it, and the little grooves assist clean their teeth while they play.
This gadget is fairly basic in general. However, because it isn’t designed for intense chewing, it may not keep your dog’s teeth as clean as other options—ideal it’s for dogs that just refuse to use chew toys, which are likely more successful.
Pros
- Rubber construction
- Design is straightforward.
- Surface anti-slip
Cons
- Not recommended for heavy chewing.
- Not as effective as other alternatives
Aggressive Chewers’ Toothbrush Toy
- Material: Rubber
- Scent: Milk
There aren’t many toys made for heavy chewers on the market. The Toothbrush Toy for Aggressive Chewers, on the other hand, represents the rule’s expectation. It is shaped like an alligator and has a variety of nubs that are meant to scratch your dog’s teeth and eliminate plaque. It is made to endure strong chewers and is suitable for medium to big dogs.
As a result, if you believe your dog would completely destroy the toys we’ve recommended thus far, you might want to try this one.
It is constructed of rubber, therefore it is more durable than other possibilities. Many dogs love the mouth-feel of rubber, which encourages them to chew on it more. While this treat is perfumed, it smells like milk, which is unusual for a dog toy. However, many dogs enjoy this aroma, which is distinct from the normal bacon scent.
You may also add toothpaste to this toy to help keep your dog’s teeth clean.
Pros
- Made for heavy chewers
- Place to put toothpaste
- Milk-scented
Cons
- It may be less effective if there are fewer nubs.
- Not completely unbreakable
Pet East Aggressive Chewer Dog Chew Toy
- Material: Rubber
- Scent: Bacon
Another dog toy for aggressive chewers is the Pet East Dog Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers. It is particularly developed to assist bigger dogs in cleaning their teeth. It does so in the same way that most dog teeth cleaning toys do, with numerous nubs distributed over its surface. The dog eats on the bone, rubs its teeth against the nubs, and ends up with cleaner teeth.
This toy has a bacon fragrance to entice dogs to chew. It appears to be extremely durable, so your dog should be able to gnaw on it for months to come. This bone is frequently more pleasurable for dogs to chew because it is made of rubber.
This chew toy is more durable than other alternatives available since it is meant for harder chewers. However, this does not imply that it will be able to withstand all harsh chewers.
This toy is slightly more costly than others, most likely due to higher-quality materials. Because the nubs are so dispersed, they may not be the most effective. This toy lacks a toothbrush-like surface, which may restrict its efficacy.
Pros
- Developed for hard chewers
- perfumed with bacon
- Interesting rubber texture
Cons
- Expensive
- Nubs are ineffective.
- Heavy
Squeaky Dog Toy for Aggressive Chewers by Petizer
- Material: Rubber
- Scent: No
While the Petizer Dog Squeaky Toy for Aggressive Chewers isn’t explicitly labeled as a teeth cleaning toy, it is supposed to function similarly to a toothbrush. As a result, if your dog uses it frequently, it performs a fantastic job of keeping his teeth clean. You may also place toothpaste in the groove to keep your dog’s teeth extra cleaner.
This toy is intended for harder chewers, as the name implies. Because of this, it is manufactured of rubber and is significantly more expensive. Smaller breeds should search elsewhere because it is designed for medium to big dogs.
This one, unlike other chew toys, squeaks. It doesn’t get much better than this for dogs who enjoy noisy toys.
Pros
- For picky eaters
- Squeaks
- Grooves for putting toothpaste
Cons
- Expensive
- Not as long-lasting as other alternatives
- Squeaker is of poor quality.
Arm & Hammer Chew Toy for Pets
- Material: Rubber
- Scent: No
The Arm & Hammer Chew Toy for Pets’ key selling point is that it contains actual baking soda. Baking soda is an excellent cleaning agent, but its impact on a dog’s teeth is unknown. It may have a cleansing effect that will keep your dog’s teeth clean. However, we don’t know exactly what it does.
This toy is also suitable for little dogs. While this isn’t inherently an issue, it does imply that larger dogs will have to find another source of entertainment. Furthermore, this toy is a little pricey for what we usually recommend for little dogs.
This toy has a variety of grooves that can help keep your dog’s teeth clean. These are all quite little to cater for the tiny teeth of smaller dogs. As a result, if your dog is little and a heavy chewer, this toy might be an excellent choice.
Pros
- It includes baking soda.
- For tiny canines
- There are several grooves on the surface.
Cons
- Not the most durable toy available.
- Large chunks break off, which may be harmful.
- Pricey for the size
Toy for Dogs by Kincown
- Not specified material
- Scent: No
The Kincown Dog Toothbrush Toy, like other toothbrush toys, is intended to be chewed. It does, however, include a variety of nubs to assist scrape your dog’s teeth clean. It also allows you to add toothpaste, which may aid in the cleaning of your dog’s teeth.
This toy is marketed as being suitable for dogs of all sizes. However, it is not suitable for heavy chewers, particularly larger ones. According to accounts, this toy does not last very long, and it is pretty pricey for the quantity of chewing that your dog will most likely get to accomplish.
Furthermore, the bristles are highly flexible, so they don’t do much scraping. This toy is unlikely to benefit your dog’s teeth in any way.
Pros
- Room for toothpaste
- There are fissures with nubs for cleaning your teeth.
Cons
- Nubs that are extremely malleable
- Not particularly long-lasting
- Expensive
How to Choose the Best Dog Teeth Cleaning Toy
Keeping your dog’s teeth clean might be difficult. As a result, it is critical that you only select the best dog teeth cleaning toy available. Otherwise, the toy may not aid you much in your quest to avoid canine periodontal disease.
While they may appear to be just another toy, selecting the best one for your dog might be difficult. Much of this is because we don’t know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to keeping your dog’s teeth clean. Because very little study has been conducted on these toys, we are mostly relying on the company’s assertions (and you can guess how accurate those are).
So, to assist you pick the greatest toy, let’s look at the science that goes into these toys.
What Are the Benefits of Dog Teeth Cleaning Toys?
Through the mechanical process of chewing, these chew toys help keep your dog’s teeth clean. The more your dog chews, the more his or her teeth will be scraped. This scraping aids in the removal of plaque and tartar, which are the leading causes of periodontal disease in dogs. So, if you want to keep your dog’s teeth clean, encouraging them to chew is a good idea.
It is also dependent on the surfaces they chew on. If the surface scratches more of their teeth, it will most likely assist clean them. That is why many tooth cleaning gadgets contain some kind of nub. It enables the toy to scrape all the way to the gum line, removing more of the muck from your dog’s teeth.
As a result, selecting a toy that scrapes as much as possible is advised.
Some of these toys also accept toothpaste, which may aid your dog’s oral health even more. Because human toothpaste can include dangerous components, you should only use dog toothpaste.
Consideration Factors
Now that we know how these gadgets function, let’s look at some of the most important things to remember:
- You should select a toy that is appropriate for your dog’s size. A larger toy will be required if your dog is larger. This not only makes the toy more durable, but it also guarantees that the nubs are the proper size to clean your dog’s teeth.
- Chew-ability. If your dog does not like chewing on the toy, its teeth will not be cleaned. As a result, the toy should be incredibly appealing to your dog and keep them coming back for more. Some dogs are more picky than others in this regard. When selecting a toy, it is essential to consider your dog’s preferences.
- You want a chew toy that will last a long time. After all, you don’t want to spend money on a toy that will break after a few usage. Furthermore, toys that shatter might be hazardous to our dogs since they may swallow fragments of them. If your dog chews a lot, this element should be taken into account even more.
- These toys may be rather pricey. You should select a toy that is within your budget, but you should also consider how long that toy is projected to survive. In the long run, you may save more money by purchasing a more costly toy that will last longer rather than a cheaper one that would only last a month or two.
Conclusion
Selecting dental chew toys for your dog might be the difference between healthy teeth and periodontal disease.
While you can’t rely only on these toys to improve your dog’s oral health, they can assist a lot.
We strongly suggest the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Teething Ring Dog Toy for most dogs. This basic toy has a bacon fragrance to stimulate chewing and a variety of nubs to clean your dog’s teeth.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) also thought the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy was a good value.
The twisted design aids in plaque removal and keeps your dog’s teeth clean, while the cheaper price makes it more affordable.
We hope you were able to locate the best dog teeth cleaning toys for your canine.
We also recommend looking into alternative options for keeping their teeth clean, such as dog toothpaste and dental treats.
Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher
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