Here are five doggie dental health myths and what the experts have to say about them. There are some definitely surprises in here!

1. It’s normal for pets to have bad breath.
Absolutely not! Your pet shouldn’t have bad breath any more than you should.

2. Pets can clean their teeth themselves by gnawing on dental chews or toys, raw bones and antlers.
Also false. Bones and antlers are hard and can break the teeth of dogs who are vigorous chewers — and they can get caught in the dog’s mouth and cause injuries.

3. Dry food helps to keep a pet’s teeth clean.
True — but with some reservations. There’s a long-standing belief that dry food is better than canned food for dental health because it helps to scrape off tartar. “There is some truth to that,” Dr. LeVan says. “There is a variety of opinion, but anything that’s a little bit abrasive does help to keep plaque and calculus off teeth.”

4. A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human mouth.
Legends about the healing powers of a dog’s lick notwithstanding, this myth is just not true. “The fact of the matter is, dogs and humans all have bacteria in their mouths,” Dr. LeVan says.

5. Nothing can be done to prevent pet dental disease.
The most cost-effective thing you as a pet owner can do to help prevent or slow the progression of periodontal disease is to brush your pet’s teeth daily to help remove plaque and prevent tartar buildup.

A note about dry food cleaning teeth: Although we’ve said dry food can aid in taking off hard tartar that does not necessarily mean, your dog should eat ONLY dry food. What works well for one dog may not work nutritionally for another. Some dogs may need softer food. Be sure to check with a vet if your dog seems in ill health.

To read more go to Vet Street.