Your Dog’s Teeth: A Practical, Real-World Guide to Gum and Dental Health

Why I Wrote This

Dog dental health is frequently framed in absolute terms, despite a much more complex biological reality. In contemporary companion animals, the pursuit of immaculate dental surfaces often comes at the expense of behaviours that satisfy a dog’s biological need to chew, gnaw, and load the jaw as it was shaped to do - sometimes to the detriment of digestive function and overall physiological health.

Over the years, I’ve watched well-meaning dog parents become confused, fearful, or even shamed - told that if they don’t follow a single, rigid dental protocol, they’re failing their dog. That never sat right with me.

This article exists to help reframe the conversation around canine teeth and gum health.

It’s not about perfect teeth, and there’s no product to sell. It’s not a promotion of any particular service. It’s about understanding how dogs are biologically designed, how modern life changes that, and how we can support our dogs’ dental health in a way that’s thoughtful, realistic, and kind.

Everything below is written from lived experience, observation, and years of learning - not from a script.

 

What Makes Me Grind My Teeth

Dog dental health is one of those topics where fear, dogma, and marketing collide.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that dogs must have their teeth cleaned under anaesthetic every year, that kibble cleans teeth, that bones are dangerous, or that the only safe option is a highly processed, starch-based dental chew with a reassuring logo on the packet.

And yet, when I step back and look at dogs - real dogs, living real lives - the story becomes far more nuanced. I’m not going to pretend there’s one perfect solution for every dog.

What follows is simply my perspective, built over years of observation, trial and error, learning from specialists, and watching what works in the real world.

 

Teeth in The Wild vs Teeth in The Modern Dog

If we start at the beginning, it’s worth asking a simple question:
How did dogs manage their teeth before modern dentistry existed?

In the wild, there was no safety net.

Animals with poor genetic dentition didn’t get a second opinion or a dental procedure - they struggled to eat, struggled to survive, and were naturally bred out over time. It was brutal, but effective. Survival of the fittest wasn’t a philosophy; it was reality.

And here’s something that’s almost never talked about: when you look at wolves and wild canids, you don’t see bright white, “perfect” teeth. What you see are teeth that are often more yellowed or naturally stained - and that’s completely normal. The idea that healthy teeth must be cosmetically white is a very human, very modern construct. In nature, teeth don’t need to be pretty; they just need to function.

Wild canids commonly show tooth wear, chips, fractures, and varying degrees of dental disease as they age. They are not living in a plaque-free fantasy world. My conclusion is that teeth are designed to wear down over the expected lifespan of an animal - that’s expected, not pathological.

Modern dogs live in a completely different world. We’ve selectively bred them for appearance, temperament, and companionship - not dental resilience. Many dogs today have crowded mouths, poor tooth anchorage, and jaw structures that don’t naturally self-clean.

So we need to adapt our approach to suit the individual dog in front of us.

 

Dogs Don't Chew - They Chomp

One of the most misunderstood aspects of canine dental health is how dogs actually use their mouths.

Dogs don’t chew the way humans do. Their jaws are designed primarily for vertical, hinge-like motion rather than side-to-side grinding, which is why canine oral processing is dominated by chomping and gnawing, not true mastication.

The benefit of chewing isn’t really about grinding food. It’s about mechanical action – rubbing, scraping, and massaging the gum line. That friction helps disrupt plaque and slow tartar buildup. Without it, plaque hardens, gums recede, and periodontal disease sets in.

This is where many modern feeding approaches fall short.

Just as importantly, teeth and gum health aren’t only about cleanliness or keeping a mouth looking “tidy.” They’re also about honouring a deeply ingrained biological need to use the mouth. Dogs are hard-wired to chomp, tear, and work their jaws - not just for food, but for stimulation, regulation, and comfort.

When we remove every opportunity to chew, scrape, and apply pressure to the teeth and gums, we’re not just affecting oral health; we’re depriving dogs of an instinctive behaviour their nervous system expects to express. Appropriate chewing isn’t a luxury or enrichment add-on - it’s fundamental to letting dogs be dogs.

Highly processed foods and soft meals may be nutritionally complete on paper, but that doesn’t always translate to absorption and assimilation - a theme explored more broadly in the article The Balanced Meal Myth: When a Marketing Term Became Gospel - and they give dogs very little reason to use their teeth.

 

Periodontal Disease: The Quiet Epidemic

Periodontal disease is one of the most common canine health issues worldwide.

Most estimates suggest the majority of dogs show signs of dental disease by the age of three, making canine dental health one of the most overlooked aspects of long-term wellbeing.

It’s not just about bad breath.

Chronic oral inflammation has been associated with pain and discomfort, tooth loss, increased bacterial load entering the bloodstream, and added stress on vital organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Dental health isn’t cosmetic. It’s foundational.

 

Age Matters: Adapting As Dogs Get Older

Dental care isn’t static. As dogs age, jaw strength declines, digestion changes, and bone tolerance may reduce. That doesn’t mean we stop caring - it means we adjust.

Softer options like vegetables, brushing, and gentler chewing tools become more valuable over time. Supporting dogs as they age means moving with them, not holding them to a standard their bodies can no longer meet.

 

Genetics: Sometimes It's Out Of Your Control

Some dogs are simply genetically predisposed to poor dental health.

You can do everything “right” and still face challenges.

That doesn’t mean you’ve failed - it means biology isn’t fair. All we can do is reduce burden, slow progression, and support comfort and quality of life.

 

The Myth That Kibble “Cleans Teeth”

There’s a persistent belief that dry, processed food - kibble - “cleans” a dog’s teeth simply because it’s firm. Some pet food companies even cite studies showing reduced plaque or tartar with specific dental kibbles.

But it’s important to understand what those studies are actually comparing.

They almost always compare types of processed diets - dental kibble versus standard kibble, or dry food versus wet food. They do not compare kibble to brushing, biologically appropriate chewing, or mechanically abrasive options like firm vegetables or purposeful chew items.

So yes, dry food may look better than soft canned food - but that doesn’t mean it effectively cleans teeth.

If firm biscuits genuinely cleaned teeth, humans would skip toothbrushes and eat crackers for oral hygiene. We don’t - because residue matters just as much as friction.

Kibble may satisfy a dog’s urge to chomp in a low-grade, artificial way, but it comes with trade-offs: residue buildup, digestive workload, and limited mechanical cleaning. Claims that kibble “cleans teeth” are best understood as relative comparisons within processed diets, not absolute dental solutions. You can read more about my thoughts on processed diets in a number of articles including It’s Not Always Arthritis: A Whole-Dog Look at Inflammation.

 

Anaesthesia-Free Dental Cleaning: My Personal Experience

Years ago, I wrote about anaesthesia-free dental cleaning for dogs and even published a video documenting the process with my own dogs.

That view hasn’t changed - but it comes with an important caveat.

This is not an endorsement of all practitioners. There are some very skilled operators, and unfortunately, others who should never be allowed near a dog’s mouth.

My own education came from spending time with Brian Borg from Fresh Breath Doggie Dental - initially as a customer, and later through shared conversations as colleagues in the canine health space. This isn’t a recommendation; it’s simply my experience.

Brian has worked on animal teeth for over 30 years - dogs, cats (including my own aggressive cat), and earlier in his career, Olympic horses.

What stood out wasn’t just technique, but judgement: reading the dog, respecting thresholds, and knowing when not to proceed.

It also challenged the claim that anaesthesia-free cleaning can’t address plaque or tartar below the gum line. In the right hands, with appropriate experience, I’ve witnessed and documented that it can.

Maintaining a dog’s teeth well enough to avoid professional cleaning altogether throughout a dog's life can be difficult. Despite our best efforts with diet, chewing options, and brushing, some dogs will still accumulate plaque or tartar to a point where professional intervention becomes necessary.

When that time arises, provided a dog does not require full veterinary dental treatment under anaesthesia, anaesthesia-free dental cleaning can be an excellent option for dogs, and in many cases, for cats as well. Used appropriately, with the right practitioner and realistic expectations, it offers a valuable middle ground between home care and invasive veterinary procedures.

 

When Veterinary Dentistry Is Necessary - And Why That Matters

Natural approaches have value - but there are times when veterinary dentistry under anaesthesia is essential.

Advanced periodontal disease, infected or painful teeth, poor tooth anchorage, trauma, or genetic dental failure may require professional intervention, including extractions.

I can speak honestly here because I’ve lived both sides.

My own dogs responded poorly to anaesthesia - vomiting, lethargy, and behavioural changes - which led me to avoid it entirely. In hindsight, that wasn’t always the right decision.

When I found Brian in 2013, Augustine’s teeth genuinely needed work. I was still learning, and by avoiding veterinary dentistry altogether, I delayed care that should have happened earlier. That delay was ultimately to her detriment.

Natural dental care isn’t about avoidance. It’s about informed decision-making.

 

Bones: Dangerous or Demonised?

Cooked bones are dangerous - always. Raw bones are a different discussion.

Dogs can choke on bones, but they can also choke on toys, sticks, socks, and almost anything else.

The real issue is selection and supervision.

Teeth are designed to wear over a lifetime. The goal isn’t plaque-free, showroom-white teeth - it’s managed wear, healthy gums, and teeth that last.

That’s why I don’t recommend frequent or excessively hard bones, especially for young dogs. The wrong chewing surfaces too early can shorten tooth lifespan.

One type of bone I personally avoid altogether is large, weight-bearing marrow bones (such as femur or knuckle bones). These bones are extremely dense and hard, and regardless of a dog’s size, they’re far more likely to cause tooth fractures and excessive wear than provide any meaningful dental benefit.

Bones must be selected with care, considering a dog’s size, breed, and age. As dogs age, digestive capacity changes, and what once worked may no longer be appropriate.

 

Antlers: Deer vs Elk

Antlers are a tool - not a miracle.

Deer antlers are harder. Elk antlers are generally softer and more forgiving.

They don’t work by nutrition. They work by occupation.

If my dogs can lie beside me, calmly chomping and mentally engaged for half an hour, that’s a win. Dogs have a primal need to chomp - removing that doesn’t make them healthier; it makes them bored.

 

Vegetables As Dental Tools (Not Nutrition)

I regularly give my dogs whole vegetables like carrots and zucchini, often coated in coconut oil and briefly refrigerated so that the coconut oil will harden. Here's a photo montage that was sent to me in 2013 of Bonnie and Clyde after I started sharing this concept.

This isn’t about nutrition and as you can see, dogs don’t extract much from raw vegetables anyway.

It’s about texture, resistance, gum stimulation, and plaque disruption.

Yes, it’s messy. Yes, bits go everywhere, and yes - it helps.

 

Coconut Oil: A Simple, Versatile Ally

Coconut oil is palatable, easy to use, and helpful for gums and oral hygiene.

Some people make simple dog toothpaste using coconut oil and a small amount of food-grade bicarbonate of soda.

Brushing remains the gold standard - but it’s not always realistic. Coconut oil helps bridge the gap.

Even with all the natural options we are covering in this article, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. Different dogs will get different results depending on genetics, jaw shape, bite alignment, chewing style, and even which side of the mouth they favour.

Many dogs consistently “work” certain back teeth or one side more than others, so it’s normal to see uneven plaque and tartar reduction rather than a perfectly uniform clean across every tooth.

When it comes to consistently reducing plaque and slowing tartar buildup, the number one tool will always be brushing - not because it’s fashionable, but because it provides the most targeted and repeatable mechanical disruption. Think of chewing options as supportive tools that enrich and assist, while brushing remains the most reliable preventative foundation when it’s possible to do it.

 

Supplements For Dental Health: Worth Exploring, With Caution

Some supplements contain kelp, sea minerals, or algae-based compounds aimed at oral bacteria.

They can help to reduce plaque and tartar build up - results vary.

I don’t endorse specific products. Research ingredients, understand the theory, and remember: no powder replaces mechanical action.

 

Dental Treats: Read the Label

Dental treats are heavily marketed and heavily processed.

Many contain fillers, carbohydrates, artificial flavours, and preservatives.

If something is meant to clean teeth, it’s worth asking whether it should resemble confectionery.

Research beats compliance.

 

Rawhide, Pig's Ears, and Fur-On Ears: An Important Distinction

Rawhide and pig’s ears aren’t something I use or recommend.

They’re heavily processed, often dried, dehydrated, smoked, glued, and altered for shelf life. They’re dense, collagen-rich, and demanding to digest.

In my opinion, any dental contact is outweighed by digestive and safety concerns.

Fur-on ears, such as rabbit ears, are different. I use them occasionally for enrichment. The fur provides texture, mental stimulation, and indigestible fibre that can support gut motility.

Firm vegetables provide resistance without digestive burden - which is why I treat them differently.

 

Coffee Wood Sticks: Another Tool, Not a Cure-All

Coffee wood sticks offer a non-food chewing option.

They provide mechanical friction and mental regulation for dogs that don’t tolerate bones or antlers well.

They’re not a replacement for brushing or veterinary care, and supervision is essential.

Used thoughtfully, they’re one tool among many.

 

What I Do For My Own Dogs

There’s no secret formula.

Sadly, as friendly as my dogs are, they don't like their mouths being meddled with, so brushing is not an option.

I use raw bones (twice weekly), antlers for supervised chewing, vegetables in coconut oil, and constant observation and adjustment.

Every 6-12 months I have their teeth cleaned using anaesthesia free teeth cleaning.

 

Final Thoughts

Everything starts with observation.

Dog dental health isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding biology, respecting individuality, and supporting dogs realistically in a modern world.

If this article replaces fear with curiosity, it’s done its job. 

No dogma. No fear-mongering. Just real-world learning.