Do dental dog biscuits actually work?

If you’ve ever wondered whether a dental dog biscuit really does anything for your dog’s teeth, you’re not alone. The short answer is yes — but how it works matters, and a treat is only ever part of the picture.

It’s the crunch that counts

A properly hard-baked biscuit works mechanically. As your dog chews, the firm texture drags against the tooth surface and helps lift away the soft plaque that, left alone, hardens into tartar. That’s why texture — not flavour — is the real job of a good dental treat. A soft, crumbly biscuit skips straight past the teeth; a hard one makes your dog actually chew.

It also gets the gums working. Chewing stimulates blood flow around the gum line, which supports healthy gum tissue.

What a dental biscuit can’t do

Here’s the honest bit: no treat replaces proper veterinary dental care. Biscuits help slow the build-up of soft plaque, but they can’t remove hardened tartar once it’s formed, and they won’t fix an existing dental problem. Think of them as everyday maintenance — like a daily habit that keeps things in better shape between check-ups — not a cure.

Your vet is still the one to see for scale-and-polish cleans and for anything that looks sore, smelly or inflamed.

Getting the most out of them

• Make it daily. A dental treat works best as a consistent routine, not an occasional one.
• Feed the right size. Match the amount to your dog — as a guide, up to 8 kg one biscuit, 8–20 kg two, over 20 kg three per day.
• Keep treats to about 10% of daily calories. Dental biscuits are still food.
• Always have fresh water down.

Where Bakers Bites fit

Our Original Hard Baked Dental Dog Biscuits are slow-baked until genuinely hard for exactly this reason, using premium all-Australian ingredients and no preservatives. They’re vet recommended as part of a daily dental routine — a simple, functional treat your dog will actually want to chew.