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9 Best Dog Treats For Bad Breath in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Dog Treats A kiss is your pup’s way of showing you they love and appreciate you. When you come home after a long day, your pooch is waiting with tail wagging and kisses on the ready. It’s enough to warm your heart. That is, of course, until you catch a whiff of that lovely dog breath.

Many factors can contribute to gnarly puppy breath. It can be so bad that you won’t want to get within ten feet of a pooch smooch, and heaven help anyone sitting next to a panting pup. Thankfully, there are some things you can do…or in this case give… your pungent pal to help with bad breath. The answer is treats!

The only downside to this brilliant plan is choosing treats that actually work. As usual, though, we have you covered. We have gone the distance and found the nine best dog treats for dogs with bad breath. Our reviews below cover effectiveness, taste, ingredients, safety, and all the other details you need to know. Plus, there are some extra tips at the bottom to help you stop mutt mouth in its tracks.

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A Quick Look at our Favorite Picks in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews
  • Contains delmopinol
  • Clinically proven for dental health
  • Greatly helps reduce tartar and plaque buildup
  • Best Value
    Second place
    WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews
  • Vegetarian treats
  • No artificial ingredients
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews
  • Multiple sizes
  • Exclusive dual-enzyme system
  • Formulated for canine dental health
  • Arm & Hammer Products Tartar Control Dental Mints Arm & Hammer Products Tartar Control Dental Mints
  • Formulated with baking soda
  • Crunchy texture to clean teeth
  • VetIQ Minties Dental Dog Treats VetIQ Minties Dental Dog Treats
  • Triple-action formula
  • Natural breath fresheners
  • The 9 Best Dog Treats For Bad Breath

    1. OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews – Best Overall

    OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews

    Check Price on Chewy

    OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews are the best overall dog treats for bad breath. Designed as a daily treat, these chews are clinically shown to prevent plaque and tartar buildup. They have delmopinol as an ingredient, which is used in human oral rinses and creates a barrier that prevents bacteria from attaching to the teeth.

    The natural chewing process helps to remove plaque through chewing action, improving your dog’s bad breath. Despite good results, some reviewers said the chews had a rubbery texture that their dogs wouldn’t eat.

    Pros
    • Clinically proven for dental health
    • Contains delmopinol
    • Greatly helps reduce tartar and plaque buildup
    Cons
    • Rubbery texture
    • Some dogs don’t like them

    2. WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews – Best Value

    WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews

    WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews are the best dog treats for bad breath for the money. These treats are easy to digest, vegetarian, and all-natural to freshen your dog’s breath and reduce some of the tartar and plaque buildup. They also have vitamins and minerals for health. 

    The unique knob-shaped design helps to scrape off buildup on your dog’s teeth while they chew and massage the gums to encourage blood flow. Like other Wellness products, these treats are made with no artificial ingredients, colors, flavors, or preservatives. These chews are a bit on the small side, so they are more suitable for toy and small breeds. You can give them to a larger breed, but they probably won’t spend as much time gnawing on them as a small dog would. 

    Pros
    • Vegetarian treats
    • No artificial ingredients
    Cons
    • May not help teeth
    • Some dogs don’t like them

    3. Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews – Premium Choice

    Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews

    Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews is the premium choice for a dental chew. Created from a top veterinary dental brand, these chews feature an exclusive dual-enzyme system to provide a natural antiseptic and an abrasive texture that helps to loosen tartar when your dog chews. They are clinically proven to control plaque, clean teeth, and freshen their breath to keep your dog’s teeth healthy between cleanings.

    You can get chews in x-small, small, medium, and large. Rawhide isn’t appropriate for all dogs, however, so be sure to check with your vet. Some reviewers had their dogs choke or experienced digestive issues.

    Pros
    • Formulated for canine dental health
    • Exclusive dual-enzyme system
    • Multiple sizes
    Cons
    • May be a choking hazard
    • May cause digestive upset

    4. Arm & Hammer Products Tartar Control Dental Mints Beef Flavor

    Arm & Hammer Products Tartar Control Dental Mints Beef Flavor

    Arm & Hammer Products Tartar Control Dental Mints Beef Flavor is enriched with baking soda for advanced dental care. Formulated from a top dental brand for humans, these mints clean your dog’s teeth and reduce odors while breaking up plaque and tartar. The crunchy texture is fun for dogs to chew and encourages rigorous chewing, helping your dog clean their own teeth.

    Though these treats can be used daily, they’re more like mints than chews. Some reviewers said their dogs just swallowed them instead of chewing, offering little benefit to their teeth.

    Pros
    • Formulated with baking soda
    • Crunchy texture to clean teeth
    Cons
    • Some dogs may swallow them whole

    5. VetIQ Minties Dental Dog Treats

    VetIQ Minties Dental Dog Treats

    VetIQ Minties Dental Dog Treats are a vet-recommended chew with a triple-action formula to clean your dog’s teeth, control plaque, tartar, and improve their breath. Each treat has five natural fresheners for minty breath and odor-free kisses. There are also natural enzymes that break down odor-causing particles in the stomach.

    These treats are made in the US without wheat, gluten, soy, or artificial flavors and byproducts. However, reviewers said that their dogs wouldn’t eat them or noted some quality control issues.

    Pros
    • Triple-action formula
    • Natural breath fresheners
    Cons
    • Some dogs won’t eat them
    • Quality control issues

    6. Purina DentaLife Oral Care Dog Treats

    Purina 017800184939

    Purina DentaLife Oral Care Dog Treats are long triangle-shaped treats that work to eliminate bad breath from the source. This brand uses honey and spirulina to reduce plaque and help freshen breath. Spirulina is listed (along with the honey) as the active ingredient, yet we are not sure of the concentration as it only gives values for those two ingredients.

    Another important factor to note is the other ingredients within this formula. You can find preservatives and chicken by-product meal listed in the formula. Although Purina states there are no artificial colors or flavors, some of the other ingredients are suspect.

    These treats come in mini form in either a 56 or 90 count bag, and the treats are easy to chew. The chicken flavor is appealing to dogs, yet it does not do a credible job of freshening their breath. Beyond that, the chews are harder to digest, and they are not recommended for young dogs or dogs with liver issues.

    Pros
    • Fights tartar and plaque
    • No artificial colors or flavors
    • Good flavor
    • Easy to chew
    Cons
    • Questionable ingredients
    • Not as effective at breath freshening
    • Hard to digest
    • Not for young dogs
    • Not recommended for dogs with liver issues

    7. Ark Naturals Dog Dental Chews

    Ark Naturals 40001

    Moving on, we have Ark Naturals Dog Dental Chews, a brushless toothpaste treat that helps reduce tartar, fight plaque, and freshen your furball’s breath. This is a long green treat with ridges to help clean teeth while the white soft center acts as toothpaste to promote oral health.

    The chew is recommended for medium dogs between 20 and 40 pounds and comes in a one, two, or value pack. You will need to give this treat twice a day to be effective, although consider that this option is higher in calories than others.

    One good feature of Ark Naturals is the natural formula containing alfalfa, cinnamon, vanilla, and clove. What’s more, it does not contain any corn, soy, wheat, or artificial colors or preservatives. The one drawback is the taste is not always appealing to pups.

    Also be advised that these treats are not easily digestible, and can cause gas. Not to mention, the chew themselves have a very unpleasant odor. Finally, although they are somewhat effective at freshening your pooch’s breath, they should not be used in pregnant, breeding, or young dogs.

    Pros
    • Natural ingredients
    • Fights tartar, plaque, and freshens breath
    • Effective
    Cons
    • Dogs don’t like the taste
    • High calories
    • Hard to digest
    • Causes gas

    8. Benefit Biscuits Natural Dog Biscuits

    Benefit Biscuits FB-01

    Second to last we have the Benefit Biscuits that come in one size and a small seven-ounce bag. These hard treats can be difficult for your pup to chew, and is better for freshening breath than fighting tartar build-up and plaque.

    That being said, this brand uses an all-natural vegan formula. There is no corn, soy, or wheat in the ingredients, plus it is non-GMO with no artificial flavors. Unfortunately, the mint and rosemary flavor does not tempt many pups, and it is very difficult for them to digest. It can cause stomach issues in some pets, as well.

    Besides that, you should be aware that they do not have any real effect on pooch breath, and they are high in calories. Finally, these chews are recommended for larger dogs, and it is unclear how often you should give this treat to your pet.

    Pros
    • All natural formula
    • Safe vegan ingredients
    Cons
    • Biscuits are hard
    • Difficult to digest
    • Not effective
    • Not recommended for medium and small dogs
    • High calories

    9. Pet Naturals of Vermont Breath Bites

    Pet Naturals

    Pet Naturals of Vermont Breath Bites concentrate on breaking down leftover food in the mouth and stomach to combat bad breath. This bite-size chew comes in a single, two, three, or four-pack and contains spirulina, champignon mushroom extract, and yucca.

    Unfortunately, this method is not effective at reducing plaque and tartar which is the main cause of bad breath. Also, the chicken liver flavor is credited to be natural, although based on the ingredients, that does not seem to be the case.

    That being said, there is no wheat, corn, or soy included in the formula, yet the soft chews are not a favorite among canines. They are difficult to digest if they can get them down, and in some cases, they can make gas worse.

    You should also give these treats to young, pregnant, or breeding dogs. Furthermore, you need to be very cautious with this brand and follow the directions exactly. For example, smaller pups require half a treat and can become ill if given too much. Finally, Pet Naturals of Vermont Breath Bites are not recommended for pets with liver disease or past liver problems.

    Pros
    • No wheat, corn, or soy
    Cons
    • Not effective
    • Hard to digest
    • Overdose possible
    • Not for dogs with liver issues
    • Not natural
    • Dogs don’t like them

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    Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Dog Treats For Bad Breath

    Important Things To Know

    There are several important factors every dog owner should know when it comes to your pup’s bad breath. First, the odor is caused by bacteria build-up in the month in the form of plaque and tartar. Although yucky mouth is one side effect, your pet could also develop other serious side effects such as tooth loss, painful gums and mouth, and even the spread of infection to other parts of their body.

    That being said, dealing with bad breath is an issue onto itself, and can occur even if your pet’s mouth is otherwise healthy. If you take good care of your ankle biter’s teeth and mouth, these treats can make a big difference to your pooch’s kissability.

    When it comes to a breath-freshening chew, one of the most important features to look at is the ingredients. If the brand of best dog treats for bad breath does not have a plaque and odor-fighting formula, you might as well give your friend regular treats. Take a look at these ingredients that work well for fighting funky Fido breath:

    • Baking Soda: Baking soda has long proven itself to be a great odor fighter. It is why this ingredient is featured in many human tubes of toothpaste. Any dog treat with baking soda is a good sign of odor-fighting action.
    • Calcium: Helps strengthen teeth and bones. The stronger your pet’s teeth, the more effective cleaning will be which will help eliminate odor.
    • Delmopinol: A human-grade option that is proven to prevent the build-up of tartar and plaque. When you clean your pet’s teeth, plaque can start to appear again within a few hours and tartar can build-up within three days. This ingredient will slow the bacteria growing process down.
    • Spirulina: Spirulina is a tricky one. Although research has shown it to reduce plaque and tartar, it should be used in its organic form, otherwise, more serious side effects can occur. With that being said, try to determine if the ingredient is natural, and stay away from this option if your pup has liver issues. Also, note that this ingredient has been proven to reduce the risk of mouth cancer.
    • Shape: Even though this is not an ingredient, it still makes a big difference in reducing plaque and bad breath. Ridges, X shapes, and other similar designs help scrape and clean teeth while getting rid of harmful bacteria.

    Although other formulas that contain things such as mint can be beneficial, the ingredients above are the most effective and important elements in a bad breath fighting treat. Best case scenario, your pal’s chew should contain a combination of the essential ingredients plus a tartar fighting design.

    Tips When Shopping

    As mentioned above, fresh breath treats should be given to your pooch in conjunction with good oral health care. As we are sure that is the case, here are a few other things to consider when choosing the right chew:

    • Size: Most of the options above are only effective if your pup chews on them for at least ten minutes. If your dog can devour the treat within two minutes, you should look for a more durable option.
    • Flavor: If you know your pal hates chicken liver, that is not going to be the best choice. This is true especially for mint, as some pups can’t tolerate the taste.
    • Digestion: This is going to come into play if your pet has food restrictions or sensitivities to specific foods. Keep an eye on features like wheat-free or soy-free, otherwise, you may end up with bigger issues than bad breath.
    • Specific Dog Factors: Some products are not recommended for pregnant pups, or pets under six months. Make sure you find a product that is right for your pal.

    Does your pup wolf down everything without taking a breath? Check out our reviews on the ten best dog bowls for overeaters and help your pup have a better digestive system.

    If all else fails, you could invest in a few of these, sure to help kick that harsh dog breath!

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    Conclusion

    Having pets with bad breath is never pleasant. Having your dogs’ teeth professionally cleaned is beneficial for their dental health and tackles bad breath, but it is not always possible. This is why having dental chews in between cleanings is a great way to reduce bad breath, so we hope our list has given you some options.

    Our best overall choice for dog treats for bad breath is the OraVet Hygiene Dental Chews. If you want value, WHIMZEES by Wellness Brushzees Dental Chews are budget-friendly treats with breath-freshening ingredients. The premium choice is Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dental Chews, a top canine dental brand. Good luck and happy shopping!


    Featured Image Credit: DegrooteStock, Shutterstock

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