Updated: March 3, 2022
In this guide we’ll take a look at the best foods for dogs with bad teeth.
We’ve compared quality of ingredients, nutritional information, and value for money
to give you our top recommendations below.
Breed Advisor only recommends products that we've tested, or significantly researched . This page contains affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission for the site. Find out more here.
If you are worried about the state of your pet’s mouth or their bad breath, then get them checked over by your veterinarian first as they could require professional dental treatment. However, if you are looking for a good general diet for your dog that is prone to bad teeth then read on for some tips on what to look out for.
In most commercial diets the dog just bites the biscuit, shattering it into pieces. Some diets contain fibers that are aligned in such a way that the tooth sinks into the kibble. As the tooth becomes engulfed, the fibers gently brush against it reducing surface levels of plaque and tartar.
High levels of antioxidants in the diet can help neutralize free radicals in your dog’s mouth. Some of these ingredients will help lead to fresher breath and healthier gums.
Choose a diet that helps reduce the likelihood of plaque mineralization in the mouth. Under normal conditions, this sticky, bacteria-laden plaque on the surface of the tooth will calcify and turn into hard yellow or brown tartar. Some dental care diets contain a binding agent which binds with calcium in your dog’s mouth to help reduce the amount of tartar that forms.
A good brand will have different sized kibbles for different sized dogs. This allows you to select the size that is most suitable for your dog and will lead to more effective tooth care.
Diets on the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s accepted product list have met minimum standards to prove some benefit to the teeth and gums in dogs. Check to see whether your diet is on their accepted product list.
Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature that's most important to you.
Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight’ excellent quality food formulation provides all of the nutrition dogs need from their daily diet. This exceptional food has been carefully crafted to help dogs suffering from issues related to bad teeth. The main ingredient in this diet is whole chicken, a protein that is reinforced through the addition of chicken meal to provide a powerhouse punch of amino acids.
Each piece of kibble in Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight is textured to assist with scrubbing the teeth to help remove tartar build up and encourage better oral health.
Nutro Natural Choice Healthy Weight contains no by-products, corn, wheat soy, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, making it easily one of the best foods for dogs with bad teeth on the market today.
Primal Lamb Grain-Free Raw provides dogs with the nutritional support they need to enjoy an active lifestyle. The main ingredient in this premium food formulation is lamb, a lean protein that is full of amino acids to support healthy muscle development. Lamb organs and ground bone have also been included to increase the calcium content needed to assist with dental health.
A freeze-dried raw diet, this food is easily reconstituted with a little bit of water, making it both easy and convenient for dog owners on the go. It is comprised of easily digestible ingredients and is well-renowned as a food so flavorful that dogs keep coming back for more.
A food considered to be one of the best foods for dogs with bad teeth, Primal Lamb Grain-Free Raw is made in the United States and is free from grains, gluten, corn, wheat, and soy.
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream is an exceptional quality diet that hits all the high points dogs need from their food to achieve optimal health and wellness. A diet based on novel fish-based proteins, this top quality food is easy for dogs to digest and is packed with the nutrients dogs need for strong muscles, good joint function, and excellent skin and coat health.
A grain-free food, Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream includes antioxidant-dense fruits and vegetables in its recipe to help reduce inflammation associated with dental disease and tooth pain. These ingredients also increase fluid digestion and encourage the development of a strong and healthy immune system.
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream, rated among the best foods for dogs with bad teeth, contains no grain, corn, wheat, filler, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey is a premium quality diet that offers all of the nutrition dogs need to enjoy an active lifestyle. This dehydrated food has been specifically designed to help dogs suffering from pain associated with bad teeth. Its highly palatable recipe is easy for dogs with missing teeth or inflamed gums to eat without succumbing to excess discomfort.
The primary ingredient in this diet is whole turkey, an excellent source of protein that is rich in amino acids to support a healthy body. Whole oats are included along with a wide variety of fiber and antioxidant-rich vegetables to ensure good digestion and a strong immune system.
The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey is free from by-products, preservatives, and GMO ingredients, making it unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction in dogs with sensitive stomachs.
For the best food for dogs with bad teeth, it’s hard to go wrong with The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Turkey.
Hill’s Science Diet Oral Care has been specifically formulated to help improve the dental health of dogs suffering from bad teeth. This excellent diet is based on whole chicken, a lean protein that is easy for dogs to digest.
To provide assistance with plaque removal, each piece of kibble is textured and of an appropriate size to aid in removing excess tartar. The diet places a high emphasis on foods that are high in fiber and antioxidants to encourage fluid digestion and a strong and healthy immune system. Antioxidants assist with reducing inflammation commonly associated with gum disease.
Rated to be one of the best foods for dogs with bad teeth, Hill’s Science Diet Oral Care contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Another benefit of Hill’s Science Diet Oral Care is its ability to help dogs lose and maintain a healthy body weight.
Whether a dog’s teeth have been worn down by misuse, are broken off, missing, loose, or decayed, dogs that suffer from poor dental health will have a hard time eating and enjoying their meals.
In some cases, a switch to the best food for dogs with bad teeth can help remove excess plaque and tartar and restore good oral health. However, unfortunately, if a dog is suffering from advanced gingivitis or periodontal disease, it may be necessary for the dog to undergo a dental at a veterinary clinic.
Dentals can help remove plaque and tartar and improve odors coming from the mouth. However, in some cases, damage to the teeth and gums is irreversible, and at best, can only be managed not improved.
Identifying whether or not a dog has a dental issue that requires more than just a dietary change to see improvements can be challenging. However, there are some symptoms dogs with oral health problems often exhibit. Among the most common indications seen in dogs with dental concerns are:
To help prevent tooth decay and gum problems from occurring in dogs, owners can provide preventative maintenance through a variety of different means. This will help keep plaque and tartar from accumulating, one of the most common issues that leads to more serious dental complications down the road.
Among the things veterinarians recommend to promote good dental health in dogs are:
The ratio of calcium to phosphorus contained in a food can play a vital role in preserving a dog’s dental health. The optimal amounts to look for is 1.2 parts of calcium to every one part of phosphorus.
Some dog breeds have a natural predisposition towards developing bad teeth. These include toy breeds and Greyhounds. To keep their teeth and gums in good health, it is important to stay on top of tooth brushing and regular dental care.
How much of the best food for bad teeth a dog eats is equally as important as the ingredients found within it. Since many dog breeds will overeat if allowed to free feed, it is best to always carefully measure and monitor all food intake.
To determine how much to feed a dog, it is an excellent idea to use the suggested serving size on the bag as a starting point. This can be adjusted with the dog’s weight, activity level, and appetite serving as helpful guides.
As a basic rule of thumb, adult dogs need a diet with 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Puppies should be fed an excellent quality puppy food that has 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat with slightly higher amounts also desirable.
A dietary change can play a great role in helping dogs that suffer as a result of bad teeth. However, there are other things owners can do in addition to a switch in food that can support good oral health.
These include:
Dogs experiencing problems as a result of bad teeth need top quality nutrition to help improve their oral health. This begins with a diet that places a lean meat as its primary ingredient. Whole meats are preferred, but meat meals are also an excellent dense source of protein.
Because plant-based proteins such as soy, wheat, and corn are common allergens for many dogs, foods that place a high emphasis on these ingredients should be avoided. They are also difficult for dogs to digest well, making them of lesser nutritional value.
The best foods for dogs with bad teeth are typically free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. These items do not benefit dogs in any way and can lead to the development of skin or stomach sensitivities in some dogs.
No exceptional quality diet would be complete without a healthy serving of good fats. Healthy fats provide the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids dogs need for excellent coat and skin quality. The best sources of healthy fats are animal based and include such items as chicken fat and oily fish.
Highly digestible carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, fruits, and/or vegetables form an important part of a healthy diet for dogs with dental issues.
A diet that includes supplements offers dogs additional health benefits which can boost everything from digestion to skin and coat health and excellent joint function. Among the best supplements to look for include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
There are several natural ingredients owners can give to their dogs on their own or look for in a premium quality diet to help dogs that have issues with bad teeth. These include:
These ingredients will help improve odorous breath as a result of bad teeth.
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in a dog food for bad teeth:
