Any veterinarian will tell you using treats is never going to be as effective as brushing their teeth (if your pet(s) allow it), but do dental treats do anything at all? Or is it really just an excuse to sell you an overpriced snack product for your pet?

These treats will make claims that it cleans your cat's / dog's teeth or that it helps control tartar. A few examples:

• Greenies (for dogs) claims "Unique texture fights plaque and tartar"

• Pedigree DentaStix makes several claims:

  • Cleans teeth
  • Freshens breath
  • Clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar buildup
  • Helps clean down to the gumline to promote healthy gums

• The Kirkland Signature brand of dog dental treats claims that it cleans teeth and reduces plaque and tartar.

• Milk Bone Brushing Chews make the bold claim that it's "as effective as brushing*" (with an asterisk)

• The Feline Greenies brand claims to clean teeth and freshen breath

• Emerald Pet Feline Dental Treats claim to support clean teeth and fresh breath

• Purina Dentalife (for cats) makes a few claims:

  • Allows tooth to penetrate for an effective clean
  • Scientifically tested to reduce tartar buildup
  • Seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (is this organization reputable?) with a claim that it helps control tartar.

• Temptations cat treats claim to help control tartar

Anything about freshining breath is a subjective claim which can be ignored, but for the rest, how much of it is marketing BS? How does the effectiveness differ between cats and dogs?

Many manufacturers and retailers of dental chews for dogs and cats claim it will help reduce plaque and/or tartar.

For example:

• Greenies Dental Chews:

Unique texture fights plaque and tartar

• Pedigree DentaStix:

These treats are clinically proven to promote oral health by reducing plaque and tartar buildup.

• The Kirkland Signature:

The chews are two-sided, with a groove and multiple levels of ridges and nubs to help clean teeth and reduce plaque and tartar from a variety of angles

Similar claims are made by other products such as:

• Milk Bone Brushing Chews make the bold claim that it's "as effective as brushing*" (with an asterisk)

• The Feline Greenies brand claims to clean teeth

• Emerald Pet Feline Dental Treats claim to support clean teeth

• Purina Dentalife (for cats) makes a few claims:

  • Allows tooth to penetrate for an effective clean
  • Scientifically tested to reduce tartar buildup
  • Seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (is this organization reputable?) with a claim that it helps control tartar.

• Temptations cat treats claim to help control tartar

Are these claims true? Do dental chews reduce plaque and tartar in dogs and cats?

Obviously, using treats is never going to be as effective as brushing their teeth (if your pet(s) allow it), but do dental treats do anything at all? Or is it really just an excuse to sell you an overpriced snack product for your pet?

I've found a few sources (if you can call Reddit a source) to suggest they don't really have significant benefits in practice despite having certain enzymes that control tartar due to the fact that cats and dogs don't do much in the way of chewing and don't keep the treats in their mouth long enough to make a difference. Most of the top results in a Google search are from sources that would have a conflict of interest in providing accurate and well-tested data.

Any veterinarian will tell you using treats is never going to be as effective as brushing their teeth (if your pet(s) allow it), but do dental treats do anything at all? Or is it really just an excuse to sell you an overpriced snack product for your pet?

These treats will make claims that it cleans your cat's / dog's teeth or that it helps control tartar. A few examples:

• Greenies (for dogs) claims "Unique texture fights plaque and tartar"

• Pedigree DentaStix makes several claims:

  • Cleans teeth
  • Freshens breath
  • Clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar buildup
  • Helps clean down to the gumline to promote healthy gums

• The Kirkland Signature brand of dog dental treats claims that it cleans teeth and reduces plaque and tartar.

• Milk Bone Brushing Chews make the bold claim that it's "as effective as brushing*" (with an asterisk)

• The Feline Greenies brand claims to clean teeth and freshen breath

• Emerald Pet Feline Dental Treats claim to support clean teeth and fresh breath

• Purina Dentalife (for cats) makes a few claims:

  • Allows tooth to penetrate for an effective clean
  • Scientifically tested to reduce tartar buildup
  • Seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (is this organization reputable?) with a claim that it helps control tartar.

• Temptations cat treats claim to help control tartar

Anything about freshining breath is a subjective claim which can be ignored, but for the rest, how much of it is marketing BS? How does the effectiveness differ between cats and dogs?