4 super easy recipes
Gum disease is a common issue in dogs, but you can help protect your pup’s teeth with homemade dog toothpaste. With just a few simple ingredients, you can banish bad breath and improve your dog’s oral health. Try out our easy dog toothpaste recipes and say goodbye to doggie dental problems!
🚨 Never use human toothpaste on your dog — it can have Xylitol, a substance that’s highly toxic to dogs. If your dog eats Xylitol, it can lead to death.
Dr. Dwight AlleyneFluoride in some human toothpaste can be toxic to dogs as well.
Luckily, there are plenty of safe options available on the market just for pets! Or, if you prefer the all-natural route, we’ve got some great homemade dog toothpaste recipes for you!
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4 easy-to-make homemade dog toothpaste recipes
We tweaked four of the most popular homemade toothpaste recipes to meet our quality and nutritional standards. 👩🍳 Then, we tried out a few flavor experiments on Willow, our official betterpet toothpaste tester terrier.
🥥 Easy DIY coconut oil toothpaste for dogs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- Coconut oil
- Baking soda
Instructions:
Melt the coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds until it becomes liquid. Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. You can use any dish you like. You can even make extra to store for a couple of days. Simply mix the ingredients by shaking or stirring — and voilà — easy-peasy doggo toothpaste.
Original recipe from Rachel Fusaro
Editor’s Note: betterpet recommends against giving dogs bone marrow or any raw meat product, as seen in Rachel’s tutorial.
🌿 Refreshing minty olive oil toothpaste for dogs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon dried or fresh parsley flakes (for minty freshness)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water (or more as needed)
- 2 ½ tablespoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon minced mint leaves (optional)
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a dish. A lidded container is helpful if you want to save the excess for tomorrow’s brushing. And the day after that, and the day after that! (Yes, we really want you to brush your dog’s teeth daily.)
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🐔 Savory homemade chicken toothpaste for dogs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 powder packet of chicken. You can use vegetable or beef bouillon or choose broth, as well, depending on your dog’s preferences.
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons water
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients. Store the extra for up to three weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
Original recipe from Top Dog Tips
🌿 Immune-boosting kelp and turmeric toothpaste for dogs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kelp
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients. It really is that easy.
Original recipe from: Petwell Supply
👉 An estimated 80% of all dogs have some form of gum disease by age three.
Vets recommend brushing Fido’s chompers daily. We understand that is a lot, but it’s a habit you can work on with your fluffy BFF. But, if you can get it done at least 2–3 times a week, you’ll still be helping.
While it’s a big commitment, it will pay off in the end. Not only will your dog have fresh breath, but you can help save yourself from pricey doggie dental bills. Why? Because brushing with the right kind of product helps remove bacteria from your dog’s mouth and prevents tartar build-up that can lead to periodontal disease (a.k.a. gum disease).
Gum disease in dogs starts without symptoms but can lead to painful infections and tooth loss. It can even cause life-threatening conditions. While stinky dog breath is no fun, we all want the best for our dogs. Think of brushing as a way to keep the whole dog healthy. Just as it’s important for humans to be kind to our teeth, we must also help our four-legged friends. After all, it’s hard to hold a toothbrush without opposable thumbs.
Create your own unique DIY dog toothpaste recipe
You’ve probably noticed that a lot of these ingredients overlap. Feel free to experiment at home to come up with your pooch’s favorite toothpaste recipe. For example: for the first recipe, you could add a little bit of bouillon for the flavor. You could also add parsley, turmeric, and kelp. Soon you’ll have your own unique doggie toothpaste concoction — a pup-approved secret family recipe.
We tried a variation of the minty fresh dog toothpaste recipe with olive oil. We opted to leave out the cinnamon due to Willow’s preferences, our betterpet toothpaste tester. We had all the ingredients on hand already, so that was a breeze. The doggie toothpaste took no time at all to make. As you can tell by the photo, Willow was intrigued by the toothpaste. When we went to brush her teeth, she was slightly less enthusiastic. However, we were able to polish up those chompers because Willow is the goodest girl.
Willow, our official betterpet toothpaste tester terrier
Homemade dog toothpaste vs. store-bought
Homemade dog toothpaste lets you control everything that goes into your fuzzy BFF’s mouth. DIY doggie toothpaste is quite cheap. You likely have most — if not all — ingredients at home already. (Well, you might not always keep kelp in the cupboard!) For reference, store-bought doggie toothpaste ranges in price from about $2-$10.
Bonus: Not all dogs adore the flavor of store-bought toothpaste. Making DIY toothpaste at home allows you to control the flavor and health benefits. Some dogs (my own included) prefer beef bouillon over chicken. Maybe your poochie hates kelp but loves parsley. You have options — all right in your own kitchen. Your own personal pupper toothpaste tester will wag their tail about this.
Best store-bought dog toothpaste
If you find that you are short on time or that you don’t have the right ingredients on hand, you can certainly use canine-formulated toothpaste. One thing we can’t stress enough is that human toothpaste is bad for dogs.
The good news is, you’ve got options when it comes to doggie toothpaste. Look for what flavors your dog likes. If you can find an enzymatic product, that’s even better. Enzymes help with your dog’s breath and dental health because they fight plaque and tartar buildup.
Virbac C.E.T Enzymatic Toothpaste for dogs and cats comes highly recommended by most vets. It comes in several flavors and costs about $12 a tube. For more recommended dog dental products, we highly suggest reviewing the Veterinary Oral Health Council’s (VOHC) list of approved products .
