Do Dog Dental Chews Actually Work? What a “Dental” Claim Should Prove

Some dental chews genuinely work. That's not just something written on packets: researchers have measured less plaque and tartar in dogs given certain chews.[2][3]

But sticking “dental” on a packet doesn't tell you whether that particular chew cleans teeth, freshens breath, or merely looks like it ought to.

We think dog owners deserve to know the difference.

First, what are we trying to clean?

Plaque is the soft film that builds up on teeth. Tartar is what can form when that material hardens. Keeping plaque under control is not the same as removing hard tartar that's already there.

Chewing can rub against teeth and help shift some deposits. But it doesn't reach every tooth equally, and the shape, texture, size and way a dog chews can make a difference.[1][4]

A chew doesn't have to be shaped like a toothbrush to make contact with a dog's teeth. What happens while the dog chews is more useful to know than the shape on the packet.

We know some chews can help

In a four-month study of small dogs, a tested daily dental chew reduced plaque deposits by 17.3% and tartar build-up by 45.8% compared with the control group.[2]

Other controlled studies have found improvements in plaque or tartar measures for particular chews.[3] So dismissing every dental chew as marketing would be wrong.

Those impressive percentages belong to the particular chews in those studies. They aren't results you can assume for every other chew on the shelf.

That's when a maker needs evidence: if it says a chew reduces plaque, the research should genuinely apply to that chew. If it promises a particular percentage reduction, the research needs to support that number. Simply explaining how a chew makes contact with teeth is a different kind of claim.

A clever shape isn't the same as a proven result

Imagine a chew moulded with ridges. The maker can show you those ridges and explain that they're designed to rub against teeth as the dog chews.

But naturally uneven chews can make contact with teeth too. Take a piece of wild boar skin: as a dog gnaws it, the chew may rub against the teeth, and chewing stimulates saliva. There's veterinary research describing those ordinary effects of chewing, including with skin-based treats.[6]

That's a sensible reason to offer a chew with dental care in mind. It isn't the same as having measured how much plaque that particular chew removes.

But “designed to rub against teeth” and “proven to remove 30% of plaque” are two very different promises.

The stronger the promise, the stronger the evidence should be. Results from a genuinely similar chew may sometimes help, but only when the features that make it work are meaningfully comparable. Simply sharing a flavour, ingredient or general shape isn't enough.[4][5]

When a dental promise goes too far

There's another difference owners should watch for: preventing new deposits is not the same as removing old, hardened tartar.

A company claiming its powder or chew breaks down years of existing tartar is making a much bigger promise than one claiming to help reduce new build-up. Strong dental-effect and disease-treatment claims need much stronger support, and some can cross into veterinary-medicine rules.[5]

That isn't a technicality when your dog is the one with sore gums. If there's heavy tartar, bleeding, pain or difficulty eating, book a vet appointment. Don't rely on a packet promising to make it disappear.[1]

What we think dog owners should do

Start with toothbrushing if your dog will tolerate it. The Royal Veterinary College calls it by far the most effective way to control plaque and gum disease at home. Dental chews can be useful extras, especially when brushing is difficult, but they're not a replacement for it.[1]

Choose a chew that's suitable for your dog's size and chewing habits, and avoid chews so hard they risk damaging teeth. Read the ingredient list, too. Knowing what you're feeding matters in its own right.

And if you're specifically paying a premium for a claimed dental result, ask one more question: what evidence backs up the promise on this packet? The voluntary Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal can be a useful sign that a product has met defined plaque- or tartar-control criteria, although a product doesn't have to carry that seal to be effective.[4]

At Bounce & Bella, we care about clearly named ingredients. That's a reason to trust what goes into a treat, not automatic proof that it cleans teeth better than another one.

Some chews have good evidence for dental effects. Others have a plausible design, an interesting ingredient or an attractive label. We think manufacturers should be clear about which they're actually selling.

A good ingredient list tells you what your dog is chewing. Good evidence tells you what that chewing does.

Sources and further reading

  1. Royal Veterinary College, “Dog Dental and Dentistry Services / How to care for your dog's teeth”. Recommends toothbrushing as the most effective home method, notes that dental chews can help clean some teeth, and warns about tooth fractures from very hard chews such as antlers and bones. https://www.rvc.ac.uk/small-animal-vet/general-practice/practice-services/routine-pet-healthcare/pet-dentistry/dog
  2. Hennet P, Servet E and Venet C, “Effectiveness of an oral hygiene chew to reduce dental deposits in small breed dogs”, Journal of Veterinary Dentistry (2006). Four-month comparison, with 17.3% less plaque deposition and 45.8% less calculus accumulation for the tested chew, not all dental chews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16718990/
  3. Quest BW, “Oral Health Benefits of a Daily Dental Chew in Dogs”, Journal of Veterinary Dentistry (2013), 60 dogs for 28 days; and Oba P et al., “Effects of novel dental chews on oral health outcomes and halitosis in adult dogs”, Journal of Animal Science (2020). Controlled studies showing improvements for products tested, with variation across specific outcomes and chew designs. https://doi.org/10.1177/089875641303000203 ; https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa274
  4. Veterinary Oral Health Council, “Trial Protocol Requirements” and accepted-product guidance. A voluntary programme with defined evidence requirements for plaque and tartar control. It is not UK law. https://vohc.org/
  5. Committee of Advertising Practice, “Animals: Pet food”; Veterinary Medicines Directorate, “Advertising non-medicinal veterinary products” (updated 25 September 2026); and ASA ruling against Nutri-Paw Ltd t/a Healthy Dog (26 August 2026). Objective dental-efficacy claims need applicable substantiation and more demanding benefit claims need robust evidence. Some prevention/treatment claims are medicinal by presentation, irrespective of softer marketing words. Neither UK rules nor these sources impose a clinical trial on the exact finished SKU for every simple product/design or genuine-mechanism statement. https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/animals-pet-food.html ; https://www.gov.uk/guidance/advertising-non-medicinal-veterinary-products ; https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/nutri-paw-ltd.html
  6. Scholarly review, “Revisiting Periodontal Disease in Dogs: How to Manage This New Old Problem?”, Animals (2022), section 6, discusses bovine-skin treats and other chewing items, saliva stimulation and mechanical tooth contact as possible oral-care mechanisms. The WSAVA 2026 Global Dental Guidelines describe evidence for certain rawhide dental chews but stress that results vary and some teeth are not effectively reached. Neither establishes a measured plaque-removal effect for Bounce & Bella wild boar skin. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9774197/ ; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70057