We’ve all smelled doggy breath. But that stinky odor coming from your dog’s mouth isn’t just “how dogs are” — it’s often a sign of bad oral hygiene or periodontal disease.
Just like humans, dogs’ teeth get plaque and tartar up from food if you don’t brush often enough. Brushing your dog’s teeth with a dog toothpaste and toothbrush regularly can help control build up on your pup’s teeth and keep it from getting worse.
If you have a young dog who doesn’t have much build up yet, brushing regularly with a high-quality dog toothpaste will keep those teeth pearly white, and may help reduce the risk of associated health problems.
We talked with Dr. Teresa Manucy DVM, a Florida-based virtual veterinarian for Chewy’s Connect with a Vet service, about how to pick a dog toothpaste for your pet, and all things related to dog dental health.
How Often Should You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth?
“It’s ideal to brush a dog’s teeth daily since the plaque is easy to brush off before it calcifies within 48-72 hours,” says Mauncy. She recommends focusing on the upper and outer surfaces of your dog’s teeth, since the majority of food build up occurs near their lips and cheeks.
“Brushing at least two to three times per week will help prevent the development of serious dental disease,” she says.
If you don’t brush your pup’s teeth regularly, Mauncy says that your dog may have an increased risk of developing tooth and gum issues, like gingivitis, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and possible tooth fracture. Severe periodontal disease can also lead to bone loss, infection, and even organ damage.
Traits We Want in a Dog Toothpaste
“When purchasing a dog toothpaste, pet parents should consider ones that contain ingredients that are safe for dogs to swallow,” says Mauncy. Human toothpaste should never be used on dogs, since the ingredients are not safe for ingestion.
“Dogs do not spit their toothpaste out and ingestion is likely,” she says. “Human toothpaste often contains detergents, fluoride or xylitol which are toxic if swallowed.”
Mauncy also recommends finding a toothpaste with a flavoring that your dog enjoys. From a training perspective, your pup will be happier to have their teeth brushed if they enjoy the flavor of the toothpaste, since it’ll act as a treat during the process.
In terms of ingredients, dog toothpastes should contain an abrasive ingredient like sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), calcium carbonate, or silica. Abrasive ingredients help physically target build up on your dog’s teeth, alongside a toothbrush.
Antibacterial ingredients like lactoperoxidase and grapefruit seed extract may help target harmful bacteria in your dog’s mouth. Other ingredients, like dicalcium phosphate and glucose oxidase, are included to help break down plaque or control tartar.
The Best Dog Toothpastes
| Whole Dog Journal Rating | Product and Maker | Price | Size | Ingredients | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Petsmile Professional Natural London Broil Flavor Dog Toothpaste | $15 | 2.5 oz | Water, Glycerin, Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate, Citric Acid, Calcium Peroxide, Flavor, Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Urea Peroxide, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, EDTA, Cetyl Pyridinium Chloride, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum | The only VOHC-approved dog toothpaste on the market, Petsmile Professional dog toothpaste is worth the cost for the peace of mind of knowing that it’s been proven to control plaque and tartar on your dog’s teeth. |
| Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste | $13.50 | 2.5 oz | Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Sorbitol, Purified Water, Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, Hydrated Silica, Glycerine, Poultry Digest, Dextrose, Xanthan Gum, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Thiocyanate | An enzymatic option loved by dogs and vets alike, the Virbac C.E.T. is my personal favorite. My vet recommends it and it’s been my toothpaste of choice for multiple years. My almost 6-year-old dog has never needed a dental cleaning, thanks to regular brushing with this toothpaste. |
| Vet's Enzymatic Dog Toothpastes | $9.50 | 3.5 oz | Glycerin, Aloe, Pectin, Neem Oil, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), Glucose Oxidase (Enzymes) and Natural Flavors | This option contains the most natural ingredients on this list, so it’s ideal for pet parents looking for a dog toothpaste without artificial ingredients. However, the texture of this gel toothpaste is a bit runny and can be hard to use. |
 | Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste | $14 | 3.17 oz | Sorbitol, Glycerin, Silica, Calcium Pyrophosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Poultry Extract, Purified Water, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Lactate, Potassium Thiocyanate, Zinc Gluconate, Vitamin E, Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Lactoferrin, Lysozyme. | Another great enzymatic option, the Vetoquinol Enzadent dog toothpaste features a poultry flavor that’s derived from real meat. My tester dogs loved this toothpaste, but it’s not suitable for dogs that may have chicken or turkey allergies. |
Best VOHC-Approved Dog Toothpaste: Petsmile Professional Natural London Broil Flavor Dog Toothpaste
The VOHC, or Veterinary Oral Health Council, is an organization that recognizes and gives a seal of approval to products that meet certain criteria for dog and cat oral health. The VOHC reviews data from trials done on these products, and the products have to be proven to slow down plaque and tartar buildup on animal’s teeth.
Petsmile Professional is the only dog toothpaste on the market to have a VOHC seal of approval, which is great for pet parents who want a toothpaste that’s proven to help keep their pup’s teeth and gums healthy.
The Petsmile Professional toothpaste is a no-brush formula, so it’s great for dogs who are just learning to have their teeth brushed, or who can’t sit still for long. Just rubbing this toothpaste on your dog’s teeth and gums will help control plaque and tartar build up.
During testing, my tester dogs were skeptical of the London broil flavor at first but eventually warmed up to it.
Best Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste: Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste
According to Mauncy, enzymatic toothpastes are helpful for dog oral health, as they are formulated with specific ingredients that target harmful bacteria in your dog’s mouth.
“The ingredients also react with sugar molecules in their mouth to create a chemical reaction that helps degrade plaque and tartar on their teeth and inhibits new tartar formation,” she says.
The Virbac option contains multiple antibacterial and plaque control ingredients (like glucose oxidase and lactoperoxidase) that help keep your dog’s teeth clean.
The Virbac C.E.T. toothpaste is one that I’ve been using on my dogs for years, and is recommended by my personal vet. My dogs are pretty sure that the poultry flavor is chicken-flavored frosting, and they usually are happy to lick the toothbrush after brushing. The beef flavor, however, has not proven to be as tasty.
This toothpaste does a great job at reducing the amount of buildup on my dog’s teeth, but I noticed anecdotally that their breath smells fresher with this one if I use it daily as opposed to just a few times per week.
Best Natural Dog Toothpaste: Vet’s Best Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste
The Vet’s Best Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste is a good option for pet parents looking for a toothpaste without artificial ingredients.
Note that not all natural toothpastes are created equally. “Natural or organic dog toothpastes may also work due to the friction from brushing to scrub the plaque off the teeth,” says Dr. Mauncy. “These should be part of a comprehensive oral routine since they do not replace dog toothpaste.”
The Vet’s Best Enzymatic toothpaste is a good middle ground option. It features an enzymatic formula to help with plaque and bad breath, but otherwise features natural ingredients, like aloe and grapefruit seed extract.
This toothpaste is banana flavored, which my dogs didn’t love, and the gel texture was runnier than other options. I felt like I had to use more toothpaste to really coat my dogs’ teeth during testing and if I wasn’t careful, the toothpaste would slide off the toothbrush before I could get it into my dog’s mouth.
Best Flavored Dog Toothpaste: Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste
Another enzymatic option, the Vetoquinol Enzadent dog and cat toothpaste, is very similar in texture to the C.E.T. toothpaste. It’s safe for both cats and dogs, is formulated with multiple ingredients that control plaque and work against harmful mouth bacteria. It also has a poultry flavor that my tester dogs absolutely loved.
It’s the only dog toothpaste on this list that includes a real meat-derived flavoring, (it has poultry extract listed in its ingredients), so it’s no surprise why the tester dogs loved it. If your dog has poultry allergies, skip this option, since it only comes in one flavor.
