As a pet owner, you may have come across the suggestion of feeding dry food to your pets to keep their teeth clean. Many pet owners stand by the belief of dry food dental benefits. Without the appropriate scientific backing, it is difficult for pet owners to understand whether this statement is a myth or truth.

Simply told, the belief that dry food offers benefits to your dogs and cats is nothing but a myth. Dry food has almost no impact on keeping the teeth of your pets clean. In addition, a dry food diet can create several health problems for your pets. Although the simple answer to this belief is quite brief, the discussion regarding this myth is elaborate.

DEBUNKING THE MYTH OF DRY FOOD DENTAL BENEFITS FOR YOUR PETS
It is a misguided belief that dry food is advantageous for the oral health of your pets. Many underlying reasons go against this idea. Among several reasons, the primary ones that do not support this myth are discussed as follows.

THE HIGH CARB CONTENT IN DRY FOOD CREATES BACTERIA
Dry food for your pet such as Kibble has a high amount of carbohydrates in it. These foods are essentially made of high-starch carbohydrate content. Even the grain-free kibble contains a large number of starchy carbs, which include- peas, lentils, and legumes. When dry food like Kibble is fed to your pets regularly, it can create bacteria in their teeth.

As studies show, cats and dogs do not have the teeth structure to masticate the food. The lack of amylase enzymes in their digestive system also goes against a high-carb diet for your pets. In addition, the high sugar content from the dry pet food creates bacteria in their teeth. As a result, it causes dental debris like plaque, calculus, or tartar in the teeth of your pets.

DRY FOOD DOES NOT CONDUCT ENOUGH FRICTION TO DO SCRAPING
The primary reason why pet owners believe that dry food is good for the dental health of their pets is that they believe it does the necessary scraping. However, many veterinarians and researchers will show that this belief is simply untrue. To begin with, your cats or dogs do not have the teeth structure to masticate or grind the food.

Instead, they swallow the food with little to no chewing. As a result, there is almost no friction caused by the dry food to allow scraping. Hence, the entire reason why you are feeding dry food to your cats and dogs is left undone. The limited friction that dry food creates is not enough to scrape in your pets' teeth. So, it has no value in their dental health.

DRY PET FOOD DOES NOT ADDRESS GINGIVITIS
Another important reason why dry food dental benefits are a myth is that dry pet food does not address gingivitis. Even when your pets chew their dry food, it does not rub along their gum line. The gum line along with just a few millimeters below the gum line, also known as the sub-gingival space, is a crucial part of the dental health of your pets.

Dry pet food or dry kibble does nothing to address the health of the gum or gingival space of your pets. This is primarily because the food does not rub along that area of their mouth to support healthy gums. It has no impact on the dental health of your pets. As a result, we can easily see why the idea of dry foods being good for your pet’s dental health is a myth. This is where edible and recreational bones are important! Stay tuned to our blog for more information on the benefits of edible and recreational bones regarding your pet’s dental health.

DRY FOOD IS LEAST BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR PET’S HEALTH
It is safe to say that the best quality dry food is worse than the lowest quality balanced wet food. Not only for the oral health of your pets but also their overall physical health, dry food can have several negative impacts. Several studies also suggest the same thing. Dry food can cause your pets to lose appetite, lose skin elasticity, suffer from inflammation, and create dehydration leading to kidney disease.

Because dry food has little or no moisture in them, they create harmful health consequences for your pets. It can create kidney disease due to the lack of hydration. At the same time, this can lead to dehydration in your pets. Consequently, the pets suffer from organ failure.

WHICH PET FOODS ARE BENEFICIAL FOR PETS?
There’s no one perfect brand of food that can ensure the best dental health for your pets. Luckily, several great brands fit several needs according to your individual pets. If you are wondering, what is the best pet food in Scottsdale or, raw pet food near me, you can choose from the following options.

Steve’s Real Food is one of the best options for your canines and felines and they even offer a special prey diet for cats called Quest to fit their special lower-carb requirements! It has all the necessary ingredients and nutritional values to round off the diet of your pets. With the smaller bite-sized nuggets, your cats can comfortably dive into their bowl of food. Steve’s real food has ideal meals for both your cats and dogs.

Another favorite option for pet owners is the OC Raw Dog. It is the biggest seller in the store making it a favorite option by pet owners. There is a wide range of options by OC Raw Dog Food to choose from for your pet. Thus, you can ensure a complete and balanced diet for your pets.

Instinct Longevity is a fan favorite by pet owners. One of the best things about this brand is that the company has completed more than 10 years of research at the University of Helsinki in Finland to ensure the best food for your pets. It is formulated by Susan Wynn, a veterinary nutritionist, which is pretty rare in the market. With the food options from Instinct Longevity, you can ensure a healthy and complete diet for your pets.

Bones & Co Fetching Dog Arizona
If your pets need a high-fat diet, Bones & CO has the best solution for you. This brand has a 1:1 fat to protein ratio in its food, so you can safely choose dog food from them. It may help them combat different diseases and aid in recovery.

For the dogs that just need to detox a little bit, you have several options to choose from. OC Raw Dog, Smallbatch, and Primal are the brands with dog food that will ease dogs with itchy skin and other inflammatory-related issues. It will also allow them to detox lightly with a tasty and nutritious diet. 

You can also look at the wide range of pet foods from Answer’s Pet Food and Stella and Chewy’s. These brands come with multiple nutritious pet food options to assist a healthy diet for your pets.

IN CONCLUSION - DON'T SETTLE FOR DRY FOOD!
Dry dog food or cat food dental benefits are a common myth found by many pet owners. With the right knowledge and awareness, you can easily understand why this belief is untrue. To maintain the dental health of your pets, you need a more holistic approach. Thus, ensure great oral health for your pets by providing them with the right diet and nourishment.

Also, be sure to check out our collection of healthy raw pet foods for your pet. We aim to provide the best raw pet food Scottsdale (Arizona) considering food quality and dedication to our clients. So, we hope you will give our products a try and hope you stop by The Fetching Dog, where Healthy Pets are Happy Pets!