A dog’s dental health is extremely important. However, it is sadly also one of the most overlooked parts of a dog’s health. Most dogs in the United States (and, likely, the world) have some sort of dental problem and without proper care, dogs will develop periodontal just like us.

Dental problems can even be deadly in some instances. Swollen, irritated gums can get infected, which may allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Even if the bacteria don’t find a way into the bloodstream, infected teeth can abscess and make it impossible for a dog to eat. If the abscess bursts, it can also develop a secondary infection, which may be deadly.

Therefore, taking care of your dog’s teeth is vital. Luckily, there are quite a few ways that you can go about this—one of which is dog teeth-cleaning toys. While you shouldn’t just rely on these toys, they can provide some extra cleaning power for your pooch.

Of course, not all of them are made equal. If you are looking to keep your dog’s teeth clean, then you should only invest in the best. We’ll review some of the best dog teeth-cleaning toys below to help you decide which one may be best for your dog.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024

The 10 Best Dog Teeth Cleaning Toys

1. Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Teething Ring Dog Toy – Best Overall

Of all the toys on the market, the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Teething Ring Dog Toy is easily the best overall dog teeth cleaning toy. Not only does it do a decent job of cleaning your dog’s teeth, but it is also one of the most inviting toys out there, which increases the chance that they’ll actually use it.

It is designed for mild to moderate chewers, so it probably won’t withstand the toughest chewers out there. However, the ring construction is pretty durable, as long as your dog isn’t known for absolutely shredding toys.

This toy also has a bacon scent that makes it quite inviting to dogs. In fact, this scent is very durable and long-lasting, so it should make the toy more inviting for months to come.

With many different nubs, this toy is designed to help rub your dog’s teeth, preventing tartar build-up. Of course, it does depend on your dog actually using it and getting their teeth into the grooves, but it’s much easier than trying to brush your dog’s teeth.

---

2. Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy – Best Value

For those looking for something a bit cheaper, the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy is the best dog teeth cleaning toy for the money. It is much cheaper than the competition, but the design is still very effective at helping your dog’s teeth get clean. It features a twisted design that rubs your dog’s teeth and gums, helping them stay clean.

The flexible plastic can withstand up to moderate chewing. However, if your dog is known for shredding toys, then they will probably shred this one without much of a problem and you’ll have to look elsewhere if your dog is a strong chewer.

The bacon scent helps attract your dog to the toy and sticks around for quite a long time. Therefore, your dog will be brought back to the toy continuously, helping keep their teeth clean over time.

Because this toy is cheaper, you are giving up some features. It just isn’t as durable as other options out there, and the plastic material can make it dangerous if your pet starts to shred it. Plus, it is quite small and only suitable for smaller dogs.

---

3. Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Dental Chew Toy – Premium Choice

Compared to other toys, the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Dental Chew Toy is a bit more expensive than other options. However, it is made of nylon, not plastic. It’s more suitable for tougher chewers and it also features a DentaShield coating which rubs off on your dog’s teeth and prevents new tartar from forming.

Therefore, while it is more expensive, you’re getting a lot more bang for your buck. In our view, the extra cost is absolutely worth it for these extra features, especially if the few extra dollars wouldn’t be a problem for you.

This bone features an actual, edible center that is bacon flavored. However, the outside is made of nylon and designed to clean your dog’s teeth. while your dog is trying to eat the middle, they are also keeping their teeth clean with the raised nubs.

However, once the middle is gone, it is gone. Therefore, this toy may not be as long-lasting as other options, though some dogs are still interested in it after the middle is gone.

---

4. Dog Toothbrush Stick by iBeazhu

The Dog Toothbrush Stick by iBeazhu has a pretty unique design behind it that may revolutionize your dog’s teeth cleaning routine—if they use it. This toothbrush is designed to have toothpaste inserted into the top hole. Then, your dog chews around the outside, which helps brush their teeth. Your dog only needs to chew on the brush for a few minutes, and then you can remove it for the next day.

The serrated grooves do a good job of getting into all the places on your dog’s teeth that need to be cleaned. You can also add your dog’s favorite toothpaste into the stick since it takes any kind.

This toy is designed for larger dogs. Smaller dogs may find it a bit too clunky to use, so we only recommend it for larger canines.

With that said, there isn’t much to encourage your dog to use this toy. Unless they just really like the smell and taste of the toothpaste you choose, they may not decide to use it at all. Plus, there are many reports of dogs tearing through this toy quickly.

---

5. Dog Treat Toy Ball

Unlike most toys designed to clean your dog’s teeth, this Dog Treat Toy Ball is specifically designed for playing. While some dogs may decide to chew on it, that is not its primary purpose, so it may be a good option for dogs that just aren’t very interested in chew toys.

This toy is made from natural rubber, which makes it quite bouncy. For dogs that like to chase things, this is a great option. It also features an antiskid surface so it won’t slip out of your dog’s mouth if they do decide to chew on it, and the small grooves help clean their teeth as they play.

Overall, this toy is extremely simple. However, because it isn’t made for serious chewing, it may not help keep your dog’s teeth quite as clean as other options—it’s best for those that just won’t use chew toys, which are likely more effective.

---

6. Toothbrush Toy for Aggressive Chewers

There are not many toys out there that are designed for heavy chewers. However, the Toothbrush Toy for Aggressive Chewers is the expectation of this rule. It is designed to look like an alligator and it features a variety of different nubs that are designed to scrape your dog’s teeth and remove plaque. It is specifically designed to withstand heavy chewers and is sized for medium to large dogs.

Therefore, if you think your dog is just going to absolutely destroy the toys we’ve mentioned thus far, you may want to consider this one.

It is made out of rubber, which makes it more durable than other options. Many dogs also prefer the mouth-feel for rubber, which would make them chew on it more. While this treat is scented, it smells like milk, which is not a normal smell for a dog toy at all. However, many dogs do like this smell, and it is something different from the typical bacon scent.

You can also add toothpaste to this toy, which helps get your dog’s teeth nice and clean.

---

7. Pet East Dog Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers

The Pet East Dog Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers is another dog toy for aggressive chewers. It is specifically designed to help larger dogs get their teeth clean. It accomplishes this in the same manner as most dog teeth cleaning toys—with various nubs spread throughout its surface. The idea is that the dog chews on the bone, rubs its teeth against the nubs, and comes away with cleaner teeth.

To encourage dogs to chew, this toy does come with a bacon scent. It seems to be quite long-lasting, so your dog should keep chewing for months to come. Because this bone is rubber, it is often more satisfying for dogs to chew as well.

Because this chew toy is designed for tougher chewers, it is more durable than other options out there. However, that doesn’t mean that it will be able to stand up against all tough chewers, though.

This toy is a bit more expensive than most, likely because it is made with higher-quality materials. The nubs may also not be the most effective, as they are quite spread out. There is no toothbrush-like surface on this toy, which also may limit its effectiveness.

---

8. Petizer Dog Squeaky Toy for Aggressive Chewers

While the Petizer Dog Squeaky Toy for Aggressive Chewers isn’t blatantly advertised as being for teeth cleaning, it is designed to be like a toothbrush. Therefore, it does a pretty good job of helping your dog’s teeth stay clean, assuming that they use it extensively. You can even put toothpaste into the groove, which should help your dog’s teeth stay even cleaner.

As the name suggests, this toy is designed for tougher chewers. It is made out of rubber for this reason and comes with a slightly higher price tag. It is sized to work for medium to large dogs, so smaller breeds should look elsewhere.

Unlike most chew toys, this one squeaks. For dogs that like squeaky toys, it may not get much better than this.

---

9. Arm & Hammer Chew Toy for Pets

The main draw of the Arm & Hammer Chew Toy for Pets is that it comes with real baking soda infused into the toy. Baking soda is a great cleaning agent, though its effect on a dog’s teeth is largely unknown. It may provide a cleaning effect that can help your canine’s teeth stay super clean. However, we don’t exactly know its effects.

This toy is also for very small dogs. While that isn’t necessarily a problem, it does mean that larger dogs will have to find something else. Plus, this toy is a bit expensive for what we’ve typically recommended for smaller dogs.

To help your dog’s teeth stay clean, this toy does feature a bunch of different grooves. These are all very small to account for smaller dogs’ tiny teeth. Therefore, if your dog is smaller and a heavy chewer, then this toy might be a great option.

---

10. Kincown Dog Toothbrush Toy

Like most toothbrush toys, the Kincown Dog Toothbrush Toy is designed to be a chew toy. However, it also features many different nubs to help scrub your dog’s teeth clean. It also allows you to add in toothpaste, which may help your dog’s teeth get even cleaner.

This toy is advertised as being for dogs of all sizes. However, it is not great for heavy chewers, especially larger ones. This toy does not last very long by all reports, and it is quite expensive for the amount of chewing that your dog will likely get to do.

Plus, the bristles are extremely flexible, which means that they don’t do much scraping. It is likely that this toy doesn’t actually do much for your dog’s teeth.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Dog Teeth Cleaning Toy

Keeping your dog’s teeth clean can be a challenge. For this reason, it is vital that you only choose the best dog teeth cleaning toy out there. Otherwise, the toy may not actually do much to help you on your quest of avoiding canine periodontal disease.

While these may just be another toy, choosing the perfect one for your canine can be challenging. Much of this is because we don’t have a good idea of what actually helps keep your dog’s teeth clean and what doesn’t. Very little research has been done on these toys, so we only have the company’s claims to go off of in most cases (and you can guess how accurate those are).

So, to help you choose the best toy, let’s take a look at the science we do have behind these toys.

• See Also: When Do Puppies Get Teeth? What You Need to Know!

How Do Dog Teeth Cleaning Toys Work?

These chew toys help keep your dog’s teeth clean simply through the mechanical action of chewing. The more your dog chews, the more their teeth are scraped. This scraping helps remove plaque and tartar, which is the top cause of periodontal disease in dogs. Therefore, if you’re looking to keep your dog’s teeth clean, encouraging them to chew isn’t a bad idea.

However, it also depends on the surfaces they chew on. If the surface scrapes more of their teeth, then it is likely that it will help clean them. That’s why many teeth cleaning toys have nubs of some sort. It allows the toy to scrap all the way to the gum line, which helps remove more of the gunk on your dog’s teeth.

Therefore, choosing a toy that does as much scraping as possible is recommended.

Some of these toys also take toothpaste, which may improve your dog’s dental help even further. You should use only toothpaste designed for dogs since human toothpaste can contain harmful ingredients.

• See Also: How Much Does a Typical Dog Tooth Removal Cost?

Factors to Consider

Now that we know how these toys work, let’s take a look at some of the most essential factors to keep in mind:

• See Also: 10 Best Dog Beds for Chewers – Reviews & Top Picks

Conclusion

Choosing dental chew toys for your dog may be the difference between clean teeth and periodontal disease. While you can’t only rely on these toys for your dog’s dental health, they can help quite a bit.

For most canines, we highly recommend the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Teething Ring Dog Toy. This simple toy is bacon-scented to encourage chewing and comes with many different nubs to clean your dog’s teeth.

We also found the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Twisty Bone Dog Toy to be a solid budget option. The twisty design helps remove plaque and keep your dog’s teeth clean, while the lower price makes it more accessible.

Our premium choice is the Hartz Chew ‘n Clean Dental Chew Toy, which has the tartar prevention DentaShield coating. A definite bonus!

We hope that you were able to find a great dog tooth cleaning toy for your canine. We also recommend that you look at other ways to keep their teeth clean, such as dog toothpaste and dental treats.