Veterinary Dental Products and recommendations

We are proud to carry Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC)-accepted dental products in our clinic to help support your pet’s oral health at home. These products have met established standards for effectiveness in reducing plaque and/or tartar, giving pet owners trusted options for maintaining healthy teeth and gums between professional dental cleanings.

Dental Products

Water additives

VETRADENT® Water Additive for dogs and cats, it’s a veterinary dental product made by Dechra. It’s designed to help reduce plaque/tartar formation and improve bad breath by changing the oral environment and interfering with the mineralization of plaque. The recommendation is to mix 2 teaspoons per 1 cup of fresh drinking water.

Dental chews

VEGGIEDENT FR3SH is a dental chew made by Virbac for dogs. It is designed to help control plaque and tartar while also improving bad breath. The chew's texture and unique Z-shape provide mechanical cleaning as the dog chews. Virbac reports reductions of about 37% in plaque and 70% in tartar when used daily. It is a plant-based alternative to rawhide and is free of animal protein and wheat gluten. FR3SH technology is intended to address oral causes of bad breath and provide a breath-freshening effect. The recommended use is one appropriately sized chew daily. The dog should be supervised while chewing to make sure it doesn't swallow the chew whole. In a palatability trial cited by Virbac, 100% of dogs accepted the chew and 92% consumed the entire chew.

Toothbrush/toothpaste

C.E.T. uses a dual-enzyme system—glucose oxidase and lactoperoxidase, along with potassium thiocyanate—to help control bacteria and reduce plaque formation. It also contains mildly abrasive ingredients that help physically remove plaque when you brush.

It is:

Safe to swallow—it doesn't contain foaming agents requiring rinsing.
Made specifically for dogs and cats.
Available in poultry, beef, malt, seafood, and vanilla-mint flavors in the U.S.
Intended for regular daily brushing

Dental wipes

VETRADENT Dental Wipes are oral-care wipes made for dogs and cats. They are designed to help control plaque and tartar formation and freshen breath.

How they work:
They use Biotrate® Technology, which changes the oral environment and binds minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron that contribute to plaque becoming hardened tartar.

How to use them:
Pull a wipe through the container opening, then gently—but firmly—rub it over your pet's teeth and gums. The wipes are large and textured, making them easier to handle and providing some physical cleaning.

Ingredients:
The active ingredients include sodium citrate, citric acid, and zinc chloride. The product is also xylitol-free, alcohol-free, and chlorhexidine-free.

Things to avoid

Here is a list of veterinary dental items to avoid, particularly because hard or non-yielding chews can fracture teeth. A fractured tooth can expose the pulp, potentially leading to endodontic disease, pain, infection, and the need for extraction or root canal therapy.

Common items to avoid include:

Bones — especially weight-bearing or very hard bones
Antlers
Ice cubes
Rawhides — depending on the product and chewing behavior; they can also pose choking or gastrointestinal risks
Very hard nylon/plastic chews
Hooves
Hard, dried animal parts such as some horns
Tennis balls with abrasive fabric

A useful rule of thumb: if you cannot dent it with your fingernail, it may be too hard for a dog's teeth.

For dental health, look for flexible, chewable products with some give, ideally those that have been evaluated for dental safety. We recommend KONG toys.

Did you know?

Human toothpaste isn't appropriate for pets. Some human toothpastes contain ingredients such as xylitol, which can be dangerous to dogs. Veterinary toothpastes are designed to be safely swallowed.