We are loathe to call all dental chews actual dog treats, because for most commercial companies, Dental chews or stick are akin to candy. That means very little actual nutritional value.
We call dog treats, products that have a high percentage of REAL meat, and provide nutrition, as well as a good tooth clean. But for the purpose of this article, we are going to look at all of the add on “CHEMICALS” you are likely to find in your dental chews, and their supposed miracle values.
AND what we think about each one. And then of course, it’s a lot easier for you to make your mind up, rather than just accepting a multi national’s word for it.
What is the point of dental chews for dogs?
- reduce plaque and tartar buildup
- freshen breath
- promote overall dental hygiene
Of course, if you use natural food, with natural hard chewing good edges, and LOW carbs, your dog probably doesn’t need a highly processed dental chew.
But let’s look at what they add to these soy residue and plant mix sticks.
CHEMICALS you might find in dental sticks for dogs
- Sodium Hexametaphosphate
(SHMP) is a very common ingredient in dental chews. It is added because it is said to reduce tartar and plaque formation. Just like for human toothpaste. It works by binding to calcium in the dog saliva, preventing the calcium from contributing to tooth tartar buildup.
A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry highlights its effectiveness in maintaining dental health and preventing periodontal disease (Berg, J., et al., 2010).
SHMP is also a common food additive in which it is used under the E452i. sodium carbonate is sometimes added to SHMP to raise the pH to 8.0–8.6, which is why it is known for use in water softening and in detergents. It can also be used as a deflocculant in the production of clay-based ceramic particles.
You might ask at this stage, why not just use human toothpaste? Well, that is mostly because human toothpaste contain fluoride, which causes GI upset in dogs and possibly more serious reactions.
- Chlorhexidine
The use of chlorhexidine in dog chews (to prevent dental issues) is an anti-microbial agent that helps control bacterial growth in the mouth. It is effective in reducing plaque and gingivitis by killing bacteria that cause these issues.
NOTE, every living animal has MOUTH bacteria. Not all bacteria are ‘bad’. The reason that dog mouth bacteria typically get out of control and rot your dog’s teeth is that they feed on the sugars in commercial dog food (wet and dry). All that plant material is full of carbs, and carbs feed the bacteria.
Dog food made of meat and offal (ONLY) typically contains NO carbs, so the bacteria don’t grow.
Why would you feed your dog kibble that has carbs, that increase the bacteria, then have to feed them dental sticks, from the same company, that has added chemicals, to prevent bacteria growth, from the first food they told you, that you had to feed them?
Alternatively feeding your dog a raw or meat based diet, and wholesome dried meat or offal dog treats benefits your dog’s health through appropriate nutrition and cleans their teeth at the same time.
- Tannins
Tannins are polyphenolic compounds found in various plant-based ingredients. They have astringent properties that help reduce inflammation and control bacterial growth.
But isn’t that name familiar to you? Did you recognise it as a chemical in wine?
Did you know that the tannin chemical also happens abundantly in nature, mostly in the bark of many trees and in numerous leaves, legumes and fruits, including grapes.
Of course, we know that wine and grapes are toxic to dogs. But we are just talking about tannins here, right?
Tannin molecules are usually much larger than those found in other types of polyphenols, and they have a special ability to combine with other molecules, especially proteins, causing them to precipitate (be deposited in solid form from a solution). This is the basis of leather production, in which the structure of animal hide is changed (tanned) by using various tree barks (that contain tannin).
Rawhide when manufactured from bad sources has tannin in it, as well as toxic: lead, arsenic, mercury and formaldehyde.
But is Tannin itself bad for dogs? Exposure to acorns by dogs eating them is common in the autumn. The toxic ingredient in acorns that is bad for dogs is potentially tannic acid, which can cause damage to the liver and kidneys. This can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
Tannic acid is NOT necessary the same as tannins used in dental sticks. But it is definitely not a natural thing for a dog to eat.
CONCLUSION
There are many more chemicals that are added to dental sticks. Because the mechanical action of dogs eating a compressed vegetable stick, just isn’t very good at removing all of the kibble debris.
They need chemicals to counter what kibble as added in the form of crumbs and carbs.
And it so happens that many of the massive commercial companies making global dog food and dog treats, also happen to own large pharmaceutical components. It just makes sense for them to add extra potentially noxious chemicals to the dental sticks, so they can legally lock in the chemical as an added bonus.
This can also lock out the competition – if they advertise enough that your dog needs a chemical that they have IP over – then it makes most owners think that its actually required for your dog to have clean teeth and good breath.
But did you know, if you feed your dog exclusively on meat, offal and bones, like they used to eat, that they wouldn’t get a massive load of carbs, that would raise the blood sugar levels, and rot their teeth.
And that they wouldn’t need a highly processed, extrusion moulded dog dental stick, to remove all of the bad things that kibble added to their main meal in the first place?
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