Dentastix clean your dog’s teeth. These tasty treats reduce tartar build-up and scrub sticky plaque between teeth and gums. Dentastix don’t have much fat or sugar and lack artificial color and flavor. (Artificial ingredients may cause some dogs to become hyperactive.)
Dogs can get bad breath, discolored teeth, and gum disease, just like people. Dentastix help keep your dog’s mouth healthy in between vet visits.
This Dentastix review looks at one of the most popular treats that doubles as a tooth cleaner for dogs.
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What Is The Product?
Image via Flickr
Dentastix are dog treats that help keep your pet’s teeth clean. The treats scrub teeth below the gum line to get rid of plaque and tartar.
This product is low in fat and sugar and doesn’t have added color or flavor. The Dentastix design keeps teeth clean with an X shape that reaches hard to clean places.
These treats can be eaten by dogs over four months old. Dentastix reduce tartar by 80 percent.
Dentastix come in packs of four, seven, 18, 32 or 40. The treats come in seven flavors – chicken, grain-free, beef, bacon, fresh, bacon and chicken, and original flavor.
Pedigree Dentastix have a chewier texture than some other dental treats, which helps them clean teeth thoroughly. The treats may be too hard for older dogs, however.
These treats don’t have the Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal of Acceptance like a few other well-known dog treat brands, but they contain no soy and receive excellent reviews from most pet parents.
Buy Dentastix directly from Pedigree, not from a third-party seller, on Amazon. You can also buy Dentastix from Petco, PetSmart, or your local pet store.
Product Specifications
Image via Flickr
Use Dentastix once a day to prevent your dog from developing gum disease. Gum disease is caused by tartar along the gumline, and Dentastix loosens and eliminates tartar as your dog chews.
Statistics show four out of five dogs over three years of age have tartar or gum disease. Dog chews and brushing teeth (at home or the vets) can prevent gum disease and tooth loss. Drooling, pawing at the mouth and bleeding gums are signs of gum disease in dogs.
Give your dog one Dentastix a day along with balanced meals. Don’t use Dentastix with puppies four months or younger. Use every pack within two weeks of opening.
The ingredients in Pedigree Dentastix vary slightly, according to the flavor you buy (bacon, chicken, etc.), but here are the essential ingredients for the product:
- Cereals derived from vegetables
- Minerals
- Sodium tripolyphosphate and zinc sulfate
- Vegetable protein extracts
- Oils, fats
- Animal and meat derivatives
Dentastix has 1045mgs of zinc sulfate heptahydrate, a nutritional additive. The treats have 842 mg of beef flavor or 286 mg of chicken flavor.
Treats for all dogs (small/medium/large) provide an analytical content of 8.5 percent protein, 1.8 percent fat, 5.3 percent inorganic matter, 2.8 percent crude fiber and 13.5 percent moisture
A complete ingredient over comes from the listing for Dentastix for large dogs. The ingredients include wheat starch, rice flour, glycerin, calcium carbonate, gum Arabic powdered cellulose, iodized salt, and potassium chloride.
The vitamins and minerals in Dentastix include Vitamin B12 supplement, Vitamin B1, Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B2, Vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol Acetate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Zinc Sulfate, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Copper Sulfate and potassium sorbate as a preservative.
Always keep a bowl of fresh drinking water nearby when you give your dog Dentastix treats.
Dentastix should be used in conjunction with healthy, all-natural kibble and wet food to give your dog a nutritious diet.
Customer Reviews
Dentastix has 2600 reviews on Amazon with 82 percent five-star ratings from customers.
A dog owner who bought the 32-treat chicken flavor box comments that her 40-pound dog likes the treats and eats them slowly. The treats are inexpensive and help get her pet’s teeth clean, although the pet parent writes there are treats her dog likes more.
These treats and fabulous and they keep my dog’s breath smelling fresh, write another customer. These treats keep my four-year-old Cairn terrier’s teeth clean, another pet parent writes, and her dog loves three of the flavors.
My fat, arthritic dog has bad breath, one customer writes, and the treats get rid of the pet’s “dragon breath.”
Most positive reviews mention the excellent texture and flavor of the product. The treat allows dogs to chew on the treat instead of merely gulping it down, which aids in cleaning teeth and gums. Some customers comment that their dogs have brighter smiles after using this product.
You can also break large treats into small pieces to give to smaller dogs. Many reviewers mention giving small or medium-sized dogs a half or quarter stick of the treat per day. Even large dogs may choke on the treats if they eat them too quickly. Break treats in half or quarter if your dog eats fast/is excitable.
You can break a Dentastix into small pieces and give it to tiny dogs, like Chihuahuas. Many reviewers like the fact that these treats are made in the U.S, and not China, which makes them safer for dogs to eat.
The grain-free version is Amazon’s Choice for dental dog treats.
Pricing
Dentastix dog treats cost less than many other dental dog treats. On Amazon, prices range from $9 to $34 depending on the size of your dog and the number of treats in a package you buy. At Petco, 32 treats for large dogs cost $17 and 25 treats for small/medium dogs cost $11.
How It Compares
Image via Amazon
This Dentastix review wouldn’t be complete unless we compared Dentastix with a few other industry leaders in dog dental chews.
Blue Buffalo Dental Bones
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The famous Blue Buffalo brand offers gluten, grain-free dental bones in large, mini, regular and small sizes. Large bones are for dogs 50 pounds or more, regular for dogs weighing 25 to 50 pounds, small for 15 to 25-pound dogs, and mini for five to 15-pound dogs.
The packs are available in 12, 27, and 36-ounce sizes. The treats contain minerals, vitamins, and are free from artificial preservatives, soy, wheat, and corn. One reviewer commented that her dogs loved the blue bones and that smaller “chews” from the company weren’t as favored by her pets.
The ingredients in Blue Buffalo dental treats may include potatoes, water, vegetable glycerin, blueberries, parsley, oat hulls, oil of rosemary, dehydrated alfalfa meal, pea protein, gelatin, sunflower oil, powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate, dehydrated beets flaxseed, and carrot.
These easy to digest treats are excellent for dogs prone to bad breath. Some reviewers comment that the formula has recently caged and the treats cause stomach problems for their dogs. Overall, this product has a 70 percent five-star rating on Amazon.
Blue Buffalo also makes Soft-Moist Dog Treats, Buffalo Treats Bits Dog Treats, wet dog food and dry dog food.
Blue Buffalo is named after an Airedale named Blue. The dog’s death from cancer inspired the company’s founders to find ways to make more natural and holistic dog food and treats.
Greenies Dental Dog Treats
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Greenies Dog Treats come in teenie, regular, and large sizes. You can buy packs of 6 teats, or larger sizes – 12,18, 27, 36 or 72 treat sizes or a 36 treat variety pack. This product fights bad breath and tartar build-up and is made in the USA, like Dentastix.
These natural dog treats have been recommended by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, and they contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The flexible design allows the treats to stay in contact with – and clean teeth – longer.
The ingredients in Greenies dental dog treats include wheat flour, wheat gluten, gelatin, fruit juice color, glycerin, water, lecithin, magnesium amino acid chelate, zinc, iron, copper and manganese amino acid chelate, calcium carbonate, selenium, and potassium iodide.
You may want to buy another treat if your pet is sensitive to gluten. Dentastix offers grain-free options.
The vitamins in these treats include Vitamin A, Vitamin E (dl-alpha tocopherol acetate), Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Biotin, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B6, folic acid, niacin, Vitamin B5 and turmeric coloring.
Some of the ingredients used in Greenies may be sourced from other countries even though the treats are manufactured in the U.S.
Greenies cost a little more than Dentastix or several other dog dental treats, but the product may be worth it for some consumers.
Greenies started as an independent company in 1998. The founders developed a treat made of chlorophyll, wheat, edible, healthy foods, and vegetable oil to treat dogs with bad breath. The company was sold to Mars, Inc. in 2006.
Pedigree Dentastix Dog Dental Treats
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Dentastix dog treats for teeth are less expensive than Greenies and comparable, price-wise to Blue Buffalo, if you buy the small packs. These X-shaped treats are easy for dogs to eat and resemble a hard cookie.
Pet parents give Dentastix a higher rating than Blue Buffalo or Greenies, according to online reviews. The treats have a meaty smell, and even though they’re packed with vitamins and minerals, they don’t contain natural ingredients like carrots blueberries, like Blue Buffalo.
Avoid overfeeding your dog, even if he loves the treats. Treats have calories, just like dog food, and too much of a good thing can pack extra pounds on your dog’s frame. Supervise your pet when he eats treats if he tends to “pig out” to prevent problems.
Dog dental treats reduce plaque deposits when used as directed, but they aren’t a substitute for vet visits or at-home brushing.
Kal-Kan started in 1936, and in 1968, Mars bought Kal-Kan. Kal-Kan changed its name to Pedigree Pet Foods in 1985.
Pedigree owns the Greenies and Dentastix brands. General Mills completed their purchase of Blue Buffalo in 2018.
Pros And Cons
What are the advantages and disadvantages of DentaStix Dog Dental Treats? Here’s a look at what to expect from this dog treat for cleaner teeth.
The pros outweigh the cons, with many of the disadvantages applicable to only small percentages of dogs and pet parents. Other drawbacks are so minor they won’t be noticed by most people or pets.
PROS
- Made in several flavors
- Made in the USA
- Freshens breath
- Reduces plaque and tartar
- Mini and large size chews
- Contains essential vitamins, minerals and natural supplements (turmeric, etc.)
CONS
- Not for small dogs less than five pounds
- May contain gluten
- Some pet parents don’t like the new, extra packaging
Some reviewers were pleased with Dentastix in the past, but fond the new formula bad-smelling, and their pets don’t like it as much. Contact Dentastix customer service if you want to know more about the product’s formula or ingredients.
Conclusion
Dentastix gets our recommendation as the top dental dog treats for canines
based on package sizes, flavor choices, nutrition, and price. Online reviews are mostly positive, and the complaints about the product concern packaging or treat size.
The most severe complaint concerns dogs possibly choking on oversized pieces, but this can be easily remedied by the treats in two or three pieces or buying a packet of smaller sized treats.
Most dogs love the product, according to reviews, or enjoy it at first and then lose their initial enthusiasm and still eat it. Pet parents are happy with the way it cleans their dogs’ teeth and gums.
Some people might not like the fact that Mars Inc now owns the formerly independent company.
We hope our Dentastix review has given you all the information you need to make a wise buying choice regarding dental dog treats for your pet.