Ben Madilynn
What else we considered
Shoshi Parks/Insider
Toothpastes and gels
Pet::Essential Healthymouth Cat Topical Gel: Healthymouth’s topical gel is the only cat toothpaste with a VOHC seal besides our top pick. The brand recommends applying the gel with the included cotton-tipped applicators instead of a toothbrush, but I struggled to get the goopy formula out of the jar and onto the swabs. My cats were wholly unimpressed by the smell of the gel and refused to taste it. It’s also notable that this is the most expensive toothpaste we tested, almost three times the price of our top choice, Petsmile.
Vetoquinol Care Enzadent Enzymatic Toothpaste: Of all the toothpaste we tested, my cats liked the taste of this poultry-flavored formula the most. I liked that it was stickier and a little less runny than some other formulas — plus the price is nice. But while Vetoquinol contains bacteria-fighting enzymes and has been audited by the National Animal Supplement Council, it has not undergone the voluntary VOHC seal of acceptance review process to confirm its efficacy at preventing plaque buildup.
Zymox Oratene Brushless Enzymatic Oral Care Dental Gel: My cats liked the flavor of this dental gel and its enzymes should help prevent the buildup of bacteria and remove plaque. The manufacturer also advertises that their formula is extra-gentle, protecting mouth tissue against dryness — though I was unable to confirm this in my own testing. The product, however, has not undergone the process to earn a VOHC seal.
Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste: The poultry-flavored Virbac C.E.T. toothpaste was a hit with my cats and the price is right. However, as Snyder told us, without a VOHC seal, there’s no way to know for sure.
Oxyfresh Pet Toothpaste: I love that this toothpaste is cruelty-free, but with no scent or flavor, my cats showed zero interest in it. It is also not VOHC-accepted.
Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Malt Toothpaste Dental Care Kit: Although the consistency of this toothpaste was just right for brushing, its ingredient list does not include any of the enzymes found in many of the other formulas we tested and it has not undergone the process for VOHC acceptance. The flavor was also a miss for my cats, who refused to taste it. I did like the toothbrush sold with this kit, which appears to be identical to our top pick, Virbac’s C.E.T. Toothbrush.
Toothbrushes
Petsmile Professional Pet Toothbrush: The angle of this dual-sided toothbrush was helpful in brushing hard-to-reach back teeth and I like the grippy material on the handle. However, at 8.5 inches in length, the Petsmile toothbrush was awkward to hold and hard to maneuver. It also costs nearly three times that of the other toothbrushes we tested.
Vetoquinol Enzadent Dual-Ended Toothbrush: Like the Petsmile toothbrush, the Vetoquinol Enzadent is dual-ended and long, approximately 8.5 inches. Unlike the Petsmile, it is not angled to more easily reach the back teeth, making it just as awkward to use and less effective overall.
Water additives
Zymox Oratene Water Additive: This enzymatic water additive is tasteless and odorless and my cats drank it readily. However, as Snyder told us, looking at ingredients alone doesn’t necessarily indicate that the formula is effective at promoting dental health. The thing that best confirms that is a VOHC seal, which Zymox Oratene doesn’t have.
Oxyfresh Water Additive: My cats drank up this cruelty-free, tasteless, odorless concentrate without noticing anything amiss in their water bowl. During the weeks that I added Oxyfresh to the water, I swear my cats’ breath did seem to smell marginally better. However, Oxyfresh does not contain enzymes. Its primary ingredient, which the brand calls “oxygene,” is made from sodium chlorite, a chemical water disinfectant, which the FDA approved in 2004 as a nontoxic antimicrobial agent for drinking water.
Dental treats
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dental Dry Food: Moore sometimes recommends feeding VOHC-accepted dental kibble like Royal Canin’s as supplemental dental treats, but there is no good resource to inform pet parents how many pieces they require to reap the benefits. So while my cats liked the taste of this kibble and ate it as quickly as the other dental treats, that uncertainty combined with a high price tag was a large part of what kept this product and Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d out of the top spot. A second issue with this kibble popped up after my senior cat had a few teeth removed. While he was able to eat the large, round kibble without trouble with a full set of teeth, post-dental surgery he regularly got the kibble stuck between his lip and gums and struggled to get it out.
Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care Food: Like Royal Canin’s dental diet, my cats liked the taste of this VOHC-accepted kibble. But also like Royal Canin’s dental diet, it is pricey, there is no good resource that confirms how many should be fed daily, and the large, hard pieces were challenging for my cat to eat after having a few teeth removed.
Purina DentaLife Daily Oral Care Cat Treats: My cats liked the taste of the chicken-flavored DentaLife treats and the ingredient list is remarkably similar to that of Feline Greenies. Like Greenies, DentaLife treats are VOHC-accepted to remove tartar and are sold at a similar price point, but they only come in only two flavors and three package sizes. The large, round shape of the treats may make it difficult for cats missing a few teeth to eat.
Virbac Intellident: My cats liked Virbac’s Intellident and I was pleased to find that only three treats are recommended daily, compared to the 16 recommended by Greenies. But while Virbac has conducted an in-house study of its product’s efficacy, it has not been VOHC-accepted.
Cat dental toys
It’s worth noting that neither of the vets I spoke to for this guide recommended dental toys for cats and the VOHC does not include the category in their accepted dental products. Cats typically don’t chew on their toys and generally use only their canine teeth when hunting and playing. It’s unlikely these toys would impact common problem areas in the back of a cat’s mouth. For these reasons, we have not included this category.
