Keeping your dog's teeth clean is one of the kindest things you can do for them, and it gives back so much more than fresh kisses. Healthier gums, a happier tummy, and a dog who simply feels good in themselves. And with up to 80% of dogs showing signs of dental disease by the age of 3, Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), it is one of the easiest things to let slide, and one of the most worth prioritising.
But finding the time and the money for brushing, regular vet visits and five different products is hard when life is already busy enough. That is not a failure. That is just real life.
So these are the tips we have learned building Bell & Bone, with the help of trusted vets, industry experts, and the best judges of all, the real life results we see in dogs across our community. Simple, reliable, and some of them are already sitting in your kitchen 🐾💜
Everyday Ingredients That Support Your Dog's Teeth
These ingredients, most of which are already sitting in your fridge, can support your dog's teeth when you add them into their diet.
- Raw carrot – Crunchy enough to help scrape soft plaque away. Thick sticks, or whole for bigger dogs.
- Apple slices – Get the saliva moving, the mouth's own rinse cycle. Core and seeds out.
- Celery – Stringy stalks that work a bit like floss between the teeth.
- Fresh parsley – Finely chopped through dinner, it helps neutralise the compounds behind bad breath. A pinch is plenty.
- Plain yoghurt or kefir – Live cultures that help balance the oral microbiome, where a lot of plaque-causing bacteria begin.
They do not have to be an everyday thing. But swapping a treat, or the odd under the table scrap, for one of these supports their wellbeing and keeps their teeth happy at the same time.
Ingredients Worth Avoiding
It works the same way in reverse. Turn the pack over on whatever you are buying, and three things are worth putting straight back on the shelf:
- Wheat, cereal and flour – Starch is sticky. It clings to the teeth and feeds the very bacteria that turn plaque into tartar.
- Rice and potato – Cheap bulk, almost no nutrition, and dogs are not built to process much starch.
- Artificial colours and flavours – There to sell you the pack, not to do anything for your dog.
The quickest test of all: if meat is not the first ingredient, the treat is doing less than it says. It is the rule we hold ourselves to every single time, and we go into exactly why in why meat first dental treats are the best choice for your pet's health.
Adding the good ones in and leaving the rest on the shelf supports their teeth and their whole body.
The Importance of Oral Actives
A daily chew or dental stick lets you effectively scrape away plaque and tartar build-up, and that is genuinely one of the best things you can do for their teeth.
But most on the market rely solely on that scraping. They do not contain anything that actively supports their teeth or helps break the build-up down any further, and plenty are padded out with grains, flours and fillers, the very starches that feed plaque-causing bacteria.
Our Dental Sticks are built to do more. Alongside the chewing, the oral actives in them help actively break down build-up, reach the areas a chew physically cannot get to, and keep supporting their teeth long after the chew is finished.
So what is an oral active? They are ingredients that work on the mouth itself rather than only cleaning the surface, targeting the bacteria and mineral build-up behind plaque and tartar. Ours are:
- Seaweed (Ascophyllum Nodosum)
- Zinc
- Sodium tripolyphosphate
There is more on how each of them works in 4 reasons why your pet needs oral health actives.
A chew with no actives is similar to a toothbrush with no toothpaste. So adding oral actives into their routine, with a daily Bell & Bone Dental Stick, is a really simple place to start.
Chew Toys That Are Kind to Teeth
Alongside a daily dental stick, a flexible, textured rubber toy is a great addition. It massages the gums, helps lift soft plaque, and because it gives under pressure it is far kinder to teeth than anything rigid. KONG built their whole range around this, and the Classic is a good benchmark for the texture to look for.
The rule we use: if you cannot press a thumbnail into it, it is too hard. That rules out most antlers, hooves and bones.
Stuff it with plain yoghurt or a chopped up Dental Stick, then freeze it to make it last. It keeps them busy and encourages exactly the kind of chewing their teeth benefit from anyway. A lick mat does the same job for dogs who are not big chewers.
👉🏼 SHOP ENRICHMENT ACCESSORIES
The Importance of Supporting Their Gut
Most pet parents do not know how closely oral health and gut health are linked. So much of what shows up in the mouth, including dental disease and that unmistakable bad breath, actually begins in the gut, which is why a routine that targets both is worth so much more than one that only cleans teeth.
That does not have to mean a hundred different pre, pro and postbiotics though. We created our Dental Topper to be the one step that covers it, turning their food into dental food with four sprays over one meal, once a day. No water additives, no separate supplements, and it is fussy pup approved.
A meat first diet, a spoon of plain yoghurt, and a little prebiotic fibre from something like pumpkin are lovely additions too. Together they work on their gut, their gums, their teeth and that smelly breath all at once. There is more on how it all connects in the science behind our Dental Topper, and the full 30 day results are here.
When to Check In With Your Vet
Above all else, we always suggest checking in with your vet if something does not feel, look or smell right. As Dr Kelly from Bentons Road Veterinary Clinic puts it in her guide to vet recommended dental care:
"It's really easy to miss the signs of dental disease. You've got to look really, really closely."
So lift the lip every now and then, and book a check if you notice any of these:
- Yellow or brown build-up along the gum line
- Red, puffy or bleeding gums
- Breath that has changed, not just ordinary dog breath
- Chewing on one side of the mouth only
- Dropping food, or going off their dinner
- A broken or loose tooth
If anything on that list sounds familiar, we would suggest a check-up with your vet, just to make sure everything is okay. They can see what is happening under the gum line, which is where the trouble usually starts, and early support often leads to simpler care and better outcomes.
Small Habits Can Make a Big Difference 💜
A daily Dental Stick and Dental Topper, paired with the tips above, will support your dog in so many ways. They are simple steps, easy to keep up, and we really hope they help.
And if you are ever unsure where to start, just reach out. We are here for all of it.
That's why Bell & Bone is trusted by vets and loved by pets 🐾💜
Build their daily dental routine here:
Arianne Sackville, Founder & Owner, Bell & Bone
Common Questions About Dog Dental Care
How often should I clean my dog's teeth?
Daily is the goal. A chew and a topper every day does far more than one long, tiring toothbrush battle every few weeks.
Do your dental sticks actually work?
Yes, they do. The chewing itself physically scrapes the softer plaque and build-up off the tooth, and the oral actives carry on afterwards, helping break down what is left and targeting the bacteria behind it in the places a chew simply cannot reach.
Can I use human toothpaste on my dog?
No. Many contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Use a pet-safe paste, or a dental chew instead.
How long until I see a difference?
Fresher breath is usually the first thing you notice, and for a lot of dogs that comes within the first couple of weeks. The bigger changes to plaque and build-up take longer and keep developing over the following month or so.
Is it too late if my dog already has tartar?
No, and it is never too late to start. However, how much build-up is already there will decide whether your dog needs a professional clean first. We always suggest checking in with your vet, getting their opinion on where things are at, and then building a daily routine around that. In the long run, that is what stops the build-up coming back.
