Dental chew toys: how they fit a brushing routine (and what they cannot do)

Every dog owner would like chewing to do the brushing for them. It does not, and I would rather say so plainly than sell a toy on a promise. What chewing does do is useful, and a good toy earns its place in the routine as long as you know what that place is.

What chewing does

As a dog works a textured toy, the surfaces rub along the teeth and over the gums and help loosen soft food debris, and the dog is kept busy and content for twenty minutes. Rope fibres get between teeth in a way a smooth rubber ball never does. Smear a little pet toothpaste in the grooves and the paste is carried over the teeth as your dog chews, which is a neat way to get extra contact time with a dog that is still learning the brush.

What chewing cannot do

Chewing cannot reach the gum line in the methodical way a brush does, and it cannot shift tartar that has set. No toy can, and we do not claim ours does. A dog that only chews, and is never brushed, still builds plaque along the gum line of the back teeth where toys rarely reach. Think of chewing as the thing that happens between brushes, not instead of them.

Choosing a toy that will not break a tooth

The most common dental injury I hear about from vets is a fractured upper back tooth from a hard chew. The test is simple: press the toy with your thumbnail. If it does not give, it is too hard. Antlers, hooves, cooked bones, hard nylon chews and ice cubes all fail the test. Natural rubber and cotton rope pass it. Our tyre rope flosser is a pliable natural rubber tyre with ridged tread and a thick braided cotton rope through the middle; the hollow centre takes kibble or treats, and the tread takes a line of toothpaste.

Size and supervision

• Choose a toy your dog cannot fit entirely in its mouth; the tyre is 14 cm across.
• Supervise every session. No toy is indestructible.
• Inspect before each use and bin the toy as soon as the rubber cracks or the rope frays, so nothing can be swallowed.
• Not for extreme power chewers or dogs that swallow rope, and not for cats.
• Wash in warm soapy water, rinse and let the rope dry completely.

How we use it in the routine

1. Daily brush first: outer surfaces, pet toothpaste, under a minute.
2. Then chew time: a smear of Petsmile in the tread, ten to twenty minutes of supervised chewing or a game of tug.
3. Weekly look inside the mouth, so you notice change.
4. Vet check yearly, sooner if anything changes.

For a dog that is not yet brushed at all, the toy with toothpaste in it is a sensible first step while you work through the taste-then-brush plan in our FAQ. It is not where the routine should end.

The honest summary

A good chew toy is enrichment with a dental bonus. It supports brushing, it keeps a dog happy, and chosen well it is safe. It is not a dental product in its own right, and Petdentist® products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. If your dog's breath is bad every day, the gums look red or a tooth looks wrong, it is the vet you need, not a different toy.

Questions people ask

Are dental chews (the edible kind) better than toys?

Edible chews are eaten in minutes and add calories; a toy lasts and can be reused with toothpaste. Some edible chews carry the VOHC seal for plaque control and are a reasonable addition for dogs that will not be brushed, but neither replaces a brush.

Can puppies use the tyre flosser?

Yes, with supervision. It is soft enough for teething puppies and tough enough for adult dogs, but it is not for extreme chewers.

How often should I give my dog a chew toy?

Most days, for ten to twenty minutes of supervised play, after the daily brush rather than instead of it.

Read next: Raw bones and dog teeth: the fracture risk, Caring for your dog's teeth at home, Shop dental chew toys.

About the author. Dr Deepak Songra BDS (GDC 68552) is a dental surgeon with more than 35 years in clinical practice and the founder of Petdentist®. He is not a vet. He lives with Merlo, the Cavapoo you will see across this site.

This article is general information about daily care, not veterinary advice. Petdentist® products are non-medicinal daily-care products for dogs and cats and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are worried about your pet, please see your vet. Petdentist® is the trading name of Pet Dentist L.L.C-FZ, Meydan Grandstand, 6th Floor, Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, UAE. UK orders are dispatched from Northampton.