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Originally Posted by Nancy1999  Your right, if dry kibble was the same composition as a cookie, but it isn't. You know the old saying, "that's the way the cookie crumbles?" Well kibble is made not to crumble. It does not break apart easily like a cookie, there's an abrasive action that cleans the calculus off the teeth. Not only that, but since moist food is made of up to 80% water, dogs don't need to drink as much water throughout the day, which is good for helping rinse off plaque before it turns to tartar. I agree, " no matter what you feed, you should brush your dog's teeth regularly." |
Most kibbles break when they hit the coronal tip of the tooth, so there is not much cleaning going on. Some food (like Science Diet T/D) have been shown to reduce tartar by about 39% but regular kibbles haven't been shown to do this. The studies on this subject aren't really reliable because they didn't meet certain standards (the studies weren't done the same way and there was some problem with their reliability). It would not be surprising to see dog food companies come out with regular food similar to the size and texture of dental diets in the near future, so it would have some effect on teeth. Kibble may clean teeth slightly, but not enough to feed it. I am paraphrasing from a veterinary nutrition textbook.
Canned may build tartar faster than kibble but it isn't anything teeth cleaning can't take care of.
That being said, Ellie ate mostly kibble for the longest time with no tooth care. She developed stage 3-4 periodontal disease and had to have 9 teeth pulled. A few months after this she went on homecooked food (similar consistency to canned). She gets her teeth brushed everyday and gets OraVet once a week. Her teeth have never been prettier.
Also, Ellie's vet is very into dentistry and sees no problem with me homecooking. Her nutritionist doesn't either.
I like the moisture content in canned or homecooked foods because they don't have to drink as much then. Dogs usually drink only when they have to and I like to know Ellie is getting plenty of moisture.
That is why I am okay with not feeding kibble.
