Guide · Safety and calm grooming
Dog dental tools: what helps and what doesn't
Daily brushing with a pet toothbrush and pet toothpaste comes first, VOHC-sealed chews can help, and tooth scalers belong at the vet. What to buy and skip.
Short answer
Daily brushing is the home tool that matters most: AAHA calls it the best way to help reduce plaque, using a soft toothbrush made for pets.[1] Use toothpaste made for pets, never human toothpaste, which AAHA says is often toxic to pets. Chews can help alongside brushing if they carry the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal. Skip tooth scalers and "anesthesia-free" cleanings: AAHA says scaling belongs to trained veterinary staff working on an anesthetized pet.[2]
What helps and what doesn't
| Tool | Use it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Soft toothbrush made for pets | Yes, daily | AAHA: daily brushing is the best way to help reduce plaque[1] |
| Toothpaste made for pets | Yes | AAHA: never use human toothpaste, which is often toxic to pets[1] |
| Human toothpaste | No | The same AAHA warning |
| Chews with the VOHC seal | Yes, as an extra | AAHA recommends choosing chews with the VOHC seal[1] |
| Chews, gels or water additives without the seal | Check first | Look the exact product up on VOHC's accepted-product lists[3] |
| Tooth scalers and tartar scrapers | No | AAHA: only trained veterinary staff should scale teeth, on an anesthetized animal[2] |
| "Anesthesia-free" cleaning by a groomer | No | AAHA: non-anesthetic scaling is cosmetic and can cause pain, fear, bleeding and infection[2] |
Brushing: the habit that matters most
AAHA says brushing your pet's teeth daily is the best way to help reduce plaque, and recommends a pet-specific soft toothbrush.[1] The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) also recommends daily home care, starting from an early age.[4]
Daily matters more than perfect. A short, relaxed brushing every day is closer to that advice than a long struggle once a week.
Building the habit
Expect it to take time for your dog to accept a brush in its mouth. AVSAB's advice on handling applies here: pair it with something your dog likes and reward calm tolerance in small steps.[5]
- Start with a taste. Let your dog lick a little pet toothpaste from your finger, then reward.
- Lift the lip. Lift it for a second and touch a front tooth with your finger. Reward.
- Introduce the brush. Let your dog sniff it, then touch it to one or two teeth. Reward.
- Add a little each day. A few more teeth, a few more seconds.
- Work up to the whole mouth over days or weeks, stopping each session while your dog is still relaxed.
If your dog pulls away, growls or snaps, stop and go back a step. How to groom an anxious dog explains how to rebuild from there.
Chews and the VOHC seal
AAHA recommends choosing chews that carry the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal.[1] VOHC keeps separate lists of accepted products for dogs and for cats, organized by whether each product was accepted for a plaque claim, a tartar claim or both.[3]
Three habits make the seal useful:
- Check the exact product. Look up the product name on VOHC's list, not just the brand.
- Check the species. A product on the dog list is not automatically on the cat list.
- Don't rely on a listing photo. A seal pictured in a marketplace listing is not proof. The VOHC list is.
Treat chews as an addition to brushing, not a replacement. AAHA's first recommendation is still the daily brush.
Why we don't recommend tooth scalers
Tooth scalers and "plaque removers" are easy to find online. AAHA's dental guidelines say clients should be told that groomers and others should never be allowed to scale a pet's teeth: scaling must be done by trained veterinary personnel on an anesthetized animal. AAHA adds that non-anesthetic scaling is cosmetic, does not improve oral or systemic health, and can cause pain, fear, bleeding and infection.[2]
AVDC's position statement explains part of the reason: the area below the gumline cannot be reached in a pet that is not anesthetized, and removing the tartar you can see is "purely cosmetic."[4]
So a tooth that looks clean after scraping is not the same as a healthy mouth. If you can see tartar, ask your vet about it rather than reaching for a tool.
What to look for when you shop
We don't list a dental product yet: nothing in our catalog meets our bar, so this guide doesn't link to one. When you shop, look for:
- A soft toothbrush made for pets, as AAHA recommends.[1] Pick a size that suits your dog's mouth.
- Toothpaste made for pets. Never human toothpaste.
- The VOHC seal on chews or other products that claim to control plaque or tartar, confirmed on VOHC's own list.[3]
- No scalers, picks or scrapers, however they are marketed.
Cats too
AAHA's home-care advice covers dogs and cats, and VOHC keeps a separate list for cats.[1][3] The same rules apply: a soft pet toothbrush, no human toothpaste, the VOHC seal for chews, and no scaling outside a veterinary clinic.
Next
Questions
Can I use human toothpaste on my dog?
No. AAHA says never to use human toothpaste on pets, because it is often toxic to them. Use a toothpaste made for pets.[1]
How often should I brush my dog's teeth?
Daily. AAHA says daily brushing is the best way to help reduce plaque, and AVDC also recommends daily home care from an early age.[1][4]
Are dental chews enough on their own?
AAHA calls daily brushing the best way to help reduce plaque and suggests choosing chews with the VOHC seal. Treat chews as an addition to brushing, not a replacement.[1]
Is anesthesia-free teeth cleaning safe for dogs?
AAHA says scaling should be done only by trained veterinary staff on an anesthetized animal, and that non-anesthetic scaling is cosmetic and can cause pain, fear, bleeding and infection. AVDC says the area below the gumline cannot be reached without anesthesia.[2][4]
What does the VOHC seal mean?
It shows a product has been accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, which keeps separate lists for dogs and cats by plaque and/or tartar claim. Look up the exact product on its list before you rely on a seal in a listing photo.[3]