Greenies Original Dental Dog Treats
Check current price on Amazon VOHC-accepted, sizes teenie to large
View on AmazonSee all 5 picks ↓Greenies Original Dental Dog Treats
Liv: 5/5 · Willemijn: 4/5
Greenies have been the gold standard in dog dental chews for years, and honestly, the reputation is earned. They hold the VOHC seal, they come in sizes for every dog, and most dogs go absolutely bonkers for them; Teddy practically sits at attention the moment he hears the bag crinkle.
Pros
- VOHC-accepted for reducing tartar and plaque
- Available in sizes from teenie to large
- Highly digestible formula
Cons
- Some dogs with sensitive stomachs may have issues
Whimzees Wellness Veggie Strip
If your dog destroys most chews in under 30 seconds, Whimzees are a game changer because they're denser and last significantly longer than the average dental treat. This is the Veggie Strip shape specifically, made with a handful of natural, plant-based ingredients, which is a huge relief if you're trying to keep your dog's diet clean.
Pros
- Long-lasting texture is great for power chewers
- All-natural, vegetarian-friendly ingredients
- Strip shape gives good surface area for scrubbing
Cons
- Stronger smell than other dental chews
- Whimzees also sells other shapes (stars, brushzees) separately if this one doesn't land
Milk-Bone Brushing Chews Daily Dental Treats
Milk-Bone Brushing Chews won't win any fancy awards but they get the job done as an everyday option. The twisted shape is actually pretty clever for getting between teeth, and they come in small and large sizes to fit most dogs.
Pros
- Comes in small and large sizes
- Ridged, twisted shape helps clean multiple surfaces
- Widely available at grocery and pet stores
Cons
- No VOHC seal
- Contains artificial preservatives some owners prefer to avoid
Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews
Virbac C.E.T. chews are an enzymatic option for small dogs, where the enzyme action adds to what a small jaw's chewing does.
Pros
- Dual enzyme system fights bacteria actively
- Enzymatic formula
- Sized specifically for small to medium breeds
Cons
- Poultry flavor is not for every dog
Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent Fr3sh
Veggiedent is a plant-based chew, not a meat-based one, which makes it a solid pick for owners who want to avoid animal by-products or are managing a dog with food sensitivities. It carries the VOHC seal for plaque and tartar control, the same independent standard the Whimzees option above holds.
Pros
- Plant-based formula, no animal by-products
- VOHC accepted for plaque and tartar reduction
- Sized by dog weight, from extra small to large
Cons
- Pricier per chew at the larger sizes
- Some dogs take a few tries to accept the plant-based taste
Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Greenies Original | Overall Best | Check price |
| Whimzees Veggie Strip | Aggressive Chewers | Check price |
| Milk-Bone Brushing Chews | Widely Available | Check price |
| Virbac C.E.T. Chews | Small Dogs | Check price |
| Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent Fr3sh | Natural Formula | Check price |
Our Top Pick
Greenies Original Dental Dog Treats take the top spot because they combine a VOHC seal and a daily-chew format that many dogs accept. Whether you've got a tiny terrier or a big lab, there's a size that fits.
Of course, dental chews work best as part of a broader care routine. Keeping your dog well-hydrated helps rinse away food debris between chews; check out our guide to the Best Dog Water Bowls 2026 to make sure your pup always has fresh water within reach. And if you're putting together a full gear setup for your dog, our Best Dog Harness For Pulling and Best Dog Collars And Leashes 2025 Complete Guide are worth a read for walks that are safer and more comfortable for everyone.
Choosing the Right Chew for Your Dog's Breed
Small breeds like chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers, and dachshunds have delicate jaw structures and smaller mouths that make oversized chews a genuine choking risk. Always size down with these dogs and choose chews specifically labeled for small breeds; the Virbac C.E.T. enzymatic chews and the teenie or small Greenies are both designed with compact jaws in mind. Medium breeds usually have the most options. Power chewers, think huskies, labrador retrievers, and American bulldogs, need a denser, longer-lasting chew like Whimzees that will last much longer than a standard chew. For giant breeds, always check the weight rating carefully, since a chew sized for a smaller dog may not provide enough structural resistance to meaningfully engage a mastiff's jaws and deliver real dental benefit.
What Dental Chews Actually Do for Your Dog's Teeth
The way dental chews work is primarily mechanical; the abrasive texture of the chew physically scrubs the tooth surface as the dog chews, removing soft plaque before it hardens into tartar. Products with the VOHC seal have met the council's own testing standard for plaque or tartar control, and tartar buildup is the starting point for periodontal disease in dogs. Some chews also include enzymatic additives, like those found in Virbac C.E.T. Halitosis in dogs is an early sign of periodontitis.[2] Some owners report fresher breath after starting a daily chew. Pairing dental chews with good nutrition and proper hydration gives you the best overall oral health outcome; our Best Dog Water Bowls guide covers the hydration side.
Using Dental Chews as Training Tools
A dental chew is one of the highest-value rewards in a training toolkit because the dog works on it over several minutes rather than consuming it in a second; this makes it ideal for teaching calm, settled behaviors like "place" (sending the dog to a mat and staying there). Giving a dental chew in the crate during alone-time training builds a powerful positive association between the crate and something the dog genuinely enjoys, which speeds up crate acceptance significantly for puppies and anxious dogs. For dogs that struggle with separation anxiety, a chew that takes 15 to 20 minutes to finish eases the transition when you leave the house by redirecting the dog's attention and energy. Just factor the calories into the daily food budget: check the pack for a large Greenies chew's calorie count, and reduce kibble slightly on days you give them to avoid weight creep.
Age-Appropriate Dental Chews: Puppies to Seniors
Puppies under six months should not have standard adult dental chews; their baby teeth and developing jaws are too fragile for the abrasive texture. Look for chews specifically designed for puppies, which are noticeably softer and appropriately sized. Once the adult teeth are fully in around six to seven months, you can transition to the adult options on this list. Adult dogs aged one to seven years benefit most from daily chews, as this is when plaque and tartar accumulation compounds if unchecked, and the habit becomes much harder to reverse once calculus hardens onto the teeth. Senior dogs often have more sensitive teeth and gums, so softer chews or enzymatic options that rely more on chemistry than abrasion, like Zymox, are gentler choices. If your senior dog has any dental pain, loose teeth, or inflamed gums, consult your vet before introducing any chew, as chewing on a compromised tooth can cause pain or breakage.
The VOHC Seal: What It Actually Means
The Veterinary Oral Health Council is an independent body that grants its seal to pet oral care products that meet its plaque and tartar standards.[1] The seal is awarded on submitted study data: the council's submission page asks for a trial protocol and results compared with a control group.[3] This is a meaningfully higher bar than marketing language like "clinically proven" or "dentist-tested," which often refers only to in-vitro lab tests or studies funded entirely by the brand without third-party validation.
Of the products on this list, Greenies and Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent carry VOHC acceptance. That does not make Whimzees ineffective; it just means Greenies and Virbac have cleared the most rigorous independent bar in the consumer dental chew space. When shopping online, search specifically for "VOHC accepted" rather than relying on product listings to self-report accurately, since manufacturers sometimes make the seal claim casually without it applying to every product size or formula in their range. If your priority is the highest-confidence, independently verified option and your dog tolerates either formula well, start there.
Do Dental Chews Actually Work?
Yes, measurably, and less than a toothbrush. Both halves of that matter.
What the trials found
This has been measured in controlled trials. In small breed dogs, a daily chew over four months gave 17.3% less plaque and 45.8% less calculus than dry diet alone.[4] In a randomised trial with 45 small dogs and 60 larger dogs, daily chews over 30 days reduced plaque and calculus compared with no chew.[5] Evidence: limited
Those are real numbers on a real problem. Periodontal disease is the most prevalent oral condition in dogs and cats, and it is frequently underdiagnosed.[6]
Where the honest limit is
Brushing is the best-studied home method. A study on brushing frequency in a randomised, blinded beagle trial found that brushing more often gave better results, and that daily or every-other-day brushing beat weekly brushing.[7] Evidence: limited None of the chew trials above compared chews with brushing, so a chew is best treated as a supplement to brushing, not a substitute.
So the fair way to think about a dental chew is as the thing you actually do, versus the toothbrush you keep meaning to use. If you can do both, do both.
What a chew will not do
- It will not remove tartar that is already there. Hardened calculus comes off under anaesthetic at the vet, not in the living room.
- It will not fix bad breath with a cause. Persistent bad breath in a dog can be a sign of dental disease, so ask your vet.
- It is not calorie-free. A daily chew is food and belongs inside the day's calories.
Where to Check This Yourself
Everything on this page about which chews are accepted, and by whom, is checkable in one place rather than on our word:
- VOHC, Accepted Products for Dogs — the council's own list, with the date each product was accepted and whether it was accepted for plaque, tartar, or both. Canine Greenies has held acceptance since 2007; Purina DentaLife since 2016; Pedigree Dentastix Advanced since 2018; Virbac C.E.T. VEGGIEDENT FR3SH since 2020. If a product is not on that list, it does not carry the seal, whatever the packaging suggests.
Ingredients to Look for and Avoid in Dental Chews
The safest dental chews are made from digestible proteins, natural starches, and fiber sources that break down fully if a dog swallows a large piece quickly. When I check labels, I look for ingredients like rice starch, potato starch, natural chicken or pork derivatives, and tapioca, which are highly digestible and low-risk even for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Natural cellulose and plant fiber additives support the mechanical scrubbing action without adding unnecessary calories or allergens.
The most critical ingredient to avoid is xylitol, a natural sweetener used in some human oral care products that is severely toxic to dogs. Ingestion can cause severe hypoglycemia followed by acute liver failure.[8] Always check the ingredient label of any chew or treat before giving it to your dog, particularly if it is marketed as "all-natural," "sugar-free," or borrowed from a human dental product line. Artificial dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 2 appear in some dental chews. Also avoid chews with high sodium content.
Rawhide is a separate category. It is generally not recommended as a way to care for teeth, and the choking and blockage risks that vets raise about it are one reason we do not list it here. The one exception we know of is a single rawhide-based product that has been accepted by the VOHC (2007), so the category is not zero evidence, but it is not what we would reach for first. If you are weighing rawhide against a VOHC-accepted dental chew, we would pick the dental chew.
Greenies Original. Used with Teddy and Bear for several months. Drawback: expensive. Score: 5/5.
Liv co-founded PawPicks and earns a commission on purchases through its links. The products here were used by her own animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Willemijn has kept animals for around 45 years. She did not have these particular items in her own home. What follows is her read on them, put together from research and from what she has seen at other owners' houses. We keep it separate from her hands-on notes on purpose, because the two are not the same thing.
Whimzees Veggie Strip. Better texture than Greenies. Drawback: The price.
Milk-Bone Brushing Chews. Less effective than Whimzees. Drawback: The effect.
Virbac C.E.T. Veggiedent. Works reasonably. Drawback: The taste.
Willemijn is a friend of the founder and is not paid for this.