Do dental chews for pets reduce plaque and tartar?

Question

Many manufacturers and retailers of dental chews for dogs and cats claim it will help reduce plaque and/or tartar.

For example:

• Greenies Dental Chews:

  Unique texture fights plaque and tartar

• Pedigree DentaStix:

  These treats are clinically proven to promote oral health by reducing plaque and tartar buildup.

• The Kirkland Signature:

  The chews are two-sided, with a groove and multiple levels of ridges and nubs to help clean teeth and reduce plaque and tartar from a variety of angles

Similar claims are made by other products such as:

• Milk Bone Brushing Chews make the bold claim that it's "as effective as brushing*" (with an asterisk)

• The Feline Greenies brand claims to clean teeth

• Emerald Pet Feline Dental Treats claim to support clean teeth
• Purina Dentalife (for cats) makes a few claims:
  • Allows tooth to penetrate for an effective clean
  • Scientifically tested to reduce tartar buildup
  • Seal of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (is this organization reputable?) with a claim that it helps control tartar.
• Temptations cat treats claim to help control tartar

Are these claims true? Do dental chews reduce plaque and tartar in dogs and cats?

Answer 1

Summary

Yes, they help.

(Note: Calculus is another name for tartar.)

Dogs

• Effective Periodontal Disease Control Using Dental Hygiene Chews, Wendy Brown and Phil McGently, DOI: 10.1177/089875640502200102, March 2005

  Dogs fed a single daily dental chew had significantly less gingivitis (P = 0.02), plaque (P = 0.0004), and calculus (P = 0.0001) compared with dogs in the control group that were fed an identical diet but received no chews.

• Effectiveness of an Enzymatic Rawhide Dental Chew to Reduce Plaque in Beagle Dogs, Philippe Hennet, DV, June 2001, DOI: 10.1177/089875640101800201

  Dogs in the treatment group had significantly less plaque formation during the trial period compared with dogs in the control group. The rawhide dental chew provided in the study reported here decreases plaque formation in the short-term and may be beneficial in the prevention of progressive periodontal disease associated with attachment loss if provided on a long-term basis.

• Oral Health Benefits of a Daily Dental Chew in Dogs, Bradley W. Quest, June 2013 DOI: 10.1177/089875641303000203

  At the end of the study, measurements of plaque and calculus accumulation and evaluations of oral malodor and gingival heath were performed. Adding a dental chew to the diet resulted in statistically significant reductions in plaque and calculus accumulation, and oral malodor while improving gingival indices.

• Long Term Effects of a Dental Hygiene Chew on the Periodontal Health of Dogs, Tiffany L. Bierer, September 1999, DOI: 10.1177/089875649901600302

  Oral malodor, calculus, and plaque scores were still significantly lower after 21 months in the group that was receiving the dental hygiene chew, although gingivitis scores no longer differed significantly. [...] The results of the study support that feeding of the dental hygiene chew six days per week reduces accumulation of dental deposits, helps maintain periodontal health, and increases the time interval between professional periodontal intervention.

Cats

• Effect of a Dental Chew on Dental Substrates and Gingivitis in Cats, K.E. Ingham, , C. Gorrel, T.L. Bierer, December 2002, DOI: 10.1177/089875640201900403

  Results indicated that the daily addition of dental chews to a dry diet was effective in reducing plaque and calculus accumulation on tooth surfaces in cats, as well as reducing the severity of gingivitis.

Note: C. Gorrel is also an author of one of the dog studies cited above.

• Benefits of a ‘Dental Hygiene Chew’ on the Periodontal Health of Cats, , C. Gorrel, G. Inskeep, T. Inskeep, September 1998, DOI: 10.1177/089875649801500304

  This study demonstrated that the daily addition of the chew to the dry diet resulted in significantly less plaque and calculus accumulation on tooth surfaces. It was our experience that daily feeding of the chew helped maintain dental hygiene in cats; however, regular professional therapy is still indicated.