How to choose the best pet food for dental health

August is dental month, so we’ve been discussing all the ways you can help keep your pet’s teeth clean on our Facebook page. Choosing the right pet food is one of the best ways you can ensure good dental health for your pet and one of the easiest too!

Here’s what you need to consider when choosing the best pet food for dental health.

Food types

Cat and dog food tends to come in two forms: wet food and dry food. While most pets enjoy the texture and taste of wet food over dry, wet food on its own can cause dental issues.

The consistency of wet food means that it can stay in your pet’s mouths, hiding in the crevices of teeth and gums and start to rot. This can lead to a build-up of bacteria or an infection that can move from your pet’s mouth to other parts of their body causing significant health issues.

Dry food is the best option as the kibble acts like a toothbrush, wiping away plaque and tartar from the teeth. Your pet’s don’t actually need wet food if their dry food is a completely balanced recipe from brands like Hills or Royal Canin.

If you want to continue to give your pet wet food, ensure that it is given with dry food during or after so that the dry food can scrape any wet food away.

Kibble size

While feeding your pet dry food is the best way to keep their teeth clean, the size of the dry food makes all the difference.

If your kibble is too small, your pet will chew it too quickly and they won’t get any of the benefits we listed earlier. The goal is to make your pet chew, so a larger kibble is best.

Most pet food bags have a real size picture of their kibble on the bottom of the bag so make sure you check before buying.

Specialised dental diets

Veterinary grade dog food like Royal Canin Dental or Hills Dental are specially formulated with the help of veterinarians and scientists and are clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar build-up. Some even include ingredients to help freshen your pet’s breath!

If your pet has recurring dental issues, or their breed is susceptible to dental issues, your vet might recommend keeping them on this diet or at least mixing this food with their normal food.

Treats

If you like to give your pets treats for good behaviour, enrichment or even just because, it’s a great idea to use a treat that is good for their dental health.

Our favourite dog dental treats are Greenies or Oravet and our favourite cat dental treats are Greenies!

If you want to learn more about taking good care of your pet’s teeth, call us and discuss your options with one of our friendly and knowledgable vet nurses. If you think your pet needs a dental checkup, book an appointment today!