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When it comes to dental care, that of dogs often gets overlooked. Part of the reason for this is that dogs don’t like being fooled within the mouth area unless you are playing with them or they are eating! Using treats for teeth cleaning is an alternative to brushing and it can also help bridge the dental care gap between cleanings at your vet or the occasional brushing you may get in.
Dentastix and Greenies are two of the most popular choices when it comes to canine dental dog chews. Making the choice may not be so easy if you just see them at the store. Scout is going to compare the two so you can decide more easily what is best for your dog.
It is worth noting that all the dental chews discussed in this post have been shown to be effective in reducing plaque, tartar, and bad breath from your canine family members. The differences lay in ingredients and price point.
Price
- On average, a 32-pack of Dentastix sells for around $12 and weighs in at 1.72 lbs.
- Greenies which are around $34 for 36 dental treats and a total weight of 2.25 lbs
Sizes Available
Both Dentastix and Greenies come in different sizes. The regular or large size is suitable for a lot of dogs though but if your dog is really small or you have multiple dogs of different sizes you can always break a chew in half and give it to a smaller pooch.
Variety
Both Dentastix and Greenies come in a variety of flavors and formulas. Greenies offers a hip and joint version for example. This post is comparing just the regular and grain-free varieties of each brand.
The chewy texture and unique X-shape design in these healthy dog treats is clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar buildup, so treat time is part of a healthy dental care routine that helps promote canine oral health too.
Dentastix Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Rice Flour, Wheat Starch, Glycerin, Gelatin, Gum Arabic, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Poultry Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid, Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E]), Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Smoke Flavor, Zinc Sulfate, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Iron Oxide Color, Copper Sulfate.
Caloric Content
76 kcal/treat
| CRUDE PROTEIN | 8.0% min | |
| CRUDE FAT | 1.0% min | |
| CRUDE FIBER | 4.5% max | |
| MOISTURE | 18.0% max |
These delicious original flavor dental dog treats are crafted with an irresistibly chewy texture that helps remove plaque and tartar. These natural dog treats are vet recommended for at-home oral health care because they help promote oral hygiene.
Greenies Dental Chews Nutritional Info
Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Glycerin, Gelatin, Oat Fiber, Water, Lecithin, Natural Poultry Flavor, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium, Potassium Iodide), Dried Apple Pomace, Choline Chloride, Fruit Juice Color, Vitamins ( Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate [Vitamin B5], Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid), Turmeric Color.
Caloric Content
90 kcal/treat
| Guaranteed Analysis | ||
| CRUDE PROTEIN | 30.0% min | |
| CRUDE FAT | 5.5 % min | |
| CRUDE FIBER | 6.0 % max | |
| MOISTURE | 15.0% max | |
| CALCIUM | 0.5% min | |
| PHOSPHORUS | 0.4% min | |
| NIACIN | 14 mg/kg min |
Dentastix Wins Round One
While Greenies offers more protein, I try to stay away from treats and foods designed for my dog that have a lot of wheat, corn, or soy in them. What I do like is that they do not have any artificial colors, flavors, or animal digest. Dentastix is also free of these ingredients and contains rice as the first ingredient which is one of the only grains I feed my dogs. From my perspective, the Dentastix offers a much better value and price point than the Greenies.
Dentastix has fewer calories per treat too, which may be relevant if you are trying to watch your dog’s weight.
Grain-Free Option
Greenies do offer a grain-free version of their chews for a little more money. These are made with Chickpeas and Potatoes rather than wheat! Dentastix also has a grain-free version made with Chickpeas and Potatoes.
The unique texture of Greenies Dog Chews cleans down to the gumline to fight plaque and tartar and freshen bad dog breath. These treats for Dogs are veterinarian recommended and VOHC accepted.
Greenies Grain-Free Nutritional Info
Dried Chickpeas, Gelatin, Glycerin, Powdered Cellulose, Dried Potato, Water, Lecithin, Natural Poultry Flavor, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium, Potassium Iodide), Dried Apple Pomace, Choline Chloride, Fruit Juice Color, Vitamins ( Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate [Vitamin B5], Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid), Turmeric Color.
Caloric Content
138 kcal/treat
| CRUDE PROTEIN | 23.0% min | |
| CRUDE FAT | 5.5% min | |
| CRUDE FAT | 7.0% max | |
| CRUDE FIBER | 11.0% max | |
| MOISTURE | 15.0% max | |
| CALCIUM | 0.5% min | |
| PHOSPHORUS | 0.4% min | |
| NIACIN | 14 mg/kg min |
Dentastix Grain-Free Nutritional Info
Potatoes, Chickpeas, Glycerin, Tapioca Flour, Pea Starch, Gelatin, Natural Poultry Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source Of Vitamin C], D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source Of Vitamin E]), Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Smoke Flavor, Zinc Sulfate, Turmeric, Green Tea Extract, Iron Oxide, Copper Sulfate.
97 kcal/treat
| CRUDE PROTEIN | 14.0% min | |
| CRUDE FAT | 2.0% min | |
| CRUDE FIBER | 3.0% max | |
| MOISTURE | 14.0% max |
Grain-Free Options Analysis
Dentastix is still more affordable than Greenies but each treat does have fewer calories. Greenies have a whopping 138 calories per treat compared to the Dentastix at 97 calories. The ingredients are not that much different, although one distinction is that the Greenies contain apple which could be a bit more appealing to your dog due to the sweetness. Of course, this may also be part of the reason why the calorie content is so much higher.
Dental health is important. While we know that getting your dog to let you brush their teeth may be close to impossible, there are some other things you can do to help reduce the amount of tartar and plaque on your dog’s teeth. Keep dog chews around. They don’t have to be food either.
Chewing helps reduce plaque and tartar but you may not always want your dog to be eating something. Check out our post on The 10 Best Dog Bones for Power Chewers for a few options.
Consider A Water Additive
There are liquids you can add to your dog’s water to keep breath fresh and reduce plaque and tartar. These are usually sold in bottles like mouthwash, and you add a cap or two to your auto-watering device. These additives also help keep the water bowl fresh and clean.
SynergyLabs Dental Fresh Original Formula, 32oz.
Dental Fresh Original Formula Water Additive is beneficial for everyday use. Adding it to your pet’s water bowl daily equates to brushing their teeth each time they take a drink.
Hard Kibble
Feed your pooch hard kibble most of the time; the crunchiness of kibble helps dogs maintain cleaner teeth. I know dogs love wet food, but if they can eat dry at least part of the time it is better for their oral hygiene.
It All Adds Up
Anything you do to help your dog’s dental health is great. You don’t have to brush their teeth daily but it is good to do a few of the things talked about in this post. Scout hopes that you have decided to take doggy dental care more seriously and that your dog enjoys some great dental treats!
