Keeping your dog's teeth clean is an important responsibility.
Plaque and tartar buildup can lead to infection, and that could mean bacteria leeching into your dog's body.
But who has time to brush their dog's teeth every day?
The Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs is designed to help keep Fido's teeth clean between brushings.
I've never met anyone who told me stories of how much they loved brushing their dogs' teeth.
In fact, I often hear stories from pet owners who say their dog runs away mid-brush, chews on the toothbrush, or even growls when the owner gets near his mouth.
Nevertheless, proper dental care is an imperative part of dog ownership.
Did you know that periodontal disease is the most commonly seen health condition in dogs over 4 years old by veterinarians?
If you don’t take care of your pooch's teeth, bacteria from the mouth could leech into his bloodstream and have a negative effect on the organs of his body.
In fact, periodontal disease in dogs has been linked to heart disease, as well as liver and kidney damage.
As I mentioned, brushing isn't the only way to keep your dog's teeth clean. If you can't brush his teeth daily, dental chews and toys can help to scrape the tartar and plaque off of his teeth between brushings.
However, I have to stress the fact that these types of toys and chews are not a replacement for brushing.
You’ll still have to tend to your dog’s dental care needs with a toothbrush and toothpaste on a regular basis, but products like the Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs can prevent plaque and tartar from building up between brushings.
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Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs Review
This dental toy for dogs is made of natural, pet-safe rubber that is extra durable.
It is designed to use your dog's natural chewing behavior to clean his teeth. The design is based on the anatomy of the canine mouth to ensure proper cleaning.
If you've ever tried to brush your dog's teeth, you know that it can be difficult to reach the teeth in the very back of his mouth.
The Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs is designed to reach those back teeth, in-between teeth and all the other hard to reach places in your dog's mouth.
As I demonstrate in my video review, there is a toothpaste reservoir on one end of the stick that you can fill with doggy toothpaste.
Be sure to use toothpaste made specifically for dogs, because human toothpaste could poison your pet.
Once you fill the reservoir, the toothpaste will self-dispense through the small holes that run down the side of the stick.
In the photo above, you can see the rigid bristles that work to scrape away plaque and tartar.
These bristle-lined grooves submerge the teeth all the way down to the gum line.
And, because there are bristles on all three sides of the grove, the Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs cleans the inside and outside surface of the tooth at the same time.
My dogs really like the paw pads on the bottom of the stick. In the photo above you can see our Labrador holding onto the paw pads, and in the photo below you can see our Beagle using them as well.
The paw pads allow your dog to keep the stick standing up while he gnaws on it.
The company says that you should allow your dog to chew on the Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs for about 10 minutes at a time.
This is enough time to clean his teeth, but not so long that he'll get bored of it. And, when his 10 minutes are up, you should take the stick and put it up until next time.
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If you watch my video review above, you'll notice that our Labrador enjoys licking the toothpaste out of the stick more than she likes to chew on it.
I let her have hers for about 25-30 minutes at a time, because in that time she will actually chew on the stick for about 10-15 minutes.
Our Beagle wanted nothing to do with the Brite Bite Brushing Stick for Dogs at first.
I had to smear peanut butter in the grooves a few times to get her to use it initially, but once she got the hang of it she seemed to enjoy it.
This doggy dental toy can be ordered from iheartdogs.com at the time of this review.
It was available in 3 sizes:
- Small for dogs weighing 5-20 pounds
- Medium – for dogs weighing 20-35 pounds (the size I use for my Beagle)
- Large – for dogs weighing more than 35 pounds (the size I use for my Lab)
As far as dog dental toys go, these are very fairly priced. The rubber has held up very well so far, but our Lab was able to break a couple of small pieces off.
I wouldn't recommend these sticks for aggressive or destructive chewers.
UPDATE: Looks like the product is currently not available on iheartdogs during this update in November 2023.
But I find this alternative which I highly-recommend you try for your dog.
Check out this Bristly Brushing Stick for Dogs that retails on Amazon for $7.99–$17.99, depending on the size.
Let us know in the comments section how it goes!
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