Maintaining a dog's healthy teeth and gums is the responsibility of the veterinarian, but also of the owners. Owners can help by providing dental care at home. Regular professional dental cleaning is necessary, but not sufficient to keep teeth and gums clean and healthy, as plaque and tartar can build up within a few days¹. 

Daily tooth brushing remains the gold standard of home dental care. However, it is not easily achieved by owners and is not accepted by all dogs. Even when brushing is recommended by a veterinarian and the owner has all the necessary information, compliance remains low². To improve compliance, alternative solutions exist, including chewable flaps and drinkable solutions to be diluted in water. While many are available on the market, their effectiveness against plaque and tartar is rarely demonstrated by scientific studies.

Scientifically proven effectiveness against plaque and tartar 

We already had proof that the pomegranate extract present in our Vet Aquadent^® FR3SH^™ water-dilutable oral solution could limit the growth of canine oral bacterial species in vitro. Thanks to a study published in September 2023 by Dr. Jerzy Gawor, an expert in veterinary dentistry, it is now scientifically proven that Vet Aquadent^® FR3SH^™ can help to preserve the oral health of dogs. Indeed, used after professional dental cleaning, our water-dilutable drinking solution can help reduce plaque and tartar build-up on teeth and maintain good gum health.
This is great news for owners, because although tooth brushing is the gold standard, using Vet Aquadent^® FR3SH^™ is easier to implement on a daily basis!

Pioneers in pet dental health, at Virbac we have 30 years of expertise in this field and are constantly innovating to help pet owners care for the teeth and gums of their faithful companions. Today, we offer a wide range of high-quality, scientifically-based solutions to help fight plaque, tartar and bad breath.

Click here to read the full study.

_{1-Niemiec B, Gawor J, Nemec A, Clarke D, McLeod K, Tutt C, Gioso M, Steagall PV, Chandler M, Morgenegg G, et al. World Small Animal Veterinary Association Global Dental Guidelines. J Small Anim Pract (2020) 61:E36–E161
2-Miller BR, Harvey CE. Compliance with oral hygiene recommendations following periodontal treatment in client-owned dogs. J Vet Dent (1994) 11:18–19}