This post is sponsored by The Missing Link. All thoughts and opinions are entirely our own–and Tiki and Barli’s!
Doggie breath is no laughing matter–but a sign that trouble may be brewing in your dog’s mouth. The smell may be coming from plaque in your dog’s mouth, and one way to tackle it is with a dental chew.
Like an edible toothbrush, a dental chew mechanically helps scrape the plaque and built-up tartar off your dog’s teeth as he chews.
But what if you could give your dog a dental chew that not only addressed your dog’s dental health–but also helped provide additional supplements for skin, coat, and joint health and more?
We just had the opportunity to do a 28-day trial of the new Smartmouth™ Original Dental Chews from The Missing Link with Barli and Tiki.
This made in the USA dental chew caught my eye with this line on their website:
When fed daily, Smartmouth™ gives your dog all the essential vitamins they need for optimal health.
Smartmouth™ is designed to be a dental chew and so much more: a supplement using natural, whole foods supplying nutritional support for healthy skin and coat, joint health, and overall well being.
As our regular readers know, John and I authored The Healthy Hound Cookbook for Simon & Schuster a few years ago on the idea of creating treats for the purpose of treating your dog while supplying healthy nutrition at the same time.
The idea of combining the necessity of dental cleaning, the joy of a chew, and the benefits of a supplement in one definitely sounded intriguing!
Why Dog Dental Health Is So Important
It’s important to keep your dog’s gums healthy because healthy gums provide a barrier preventing bacteria from entering the system–bacteria that can play a role in causing everything from heart disease to kidney disease.
Smartmouth’s special combination of bristle ridges…
…working in conjunction with Stay-C™ (a patented form of Vitamin C) for gum health are designed to help clean teeth by removing plaque and tartar buildup.
What Makes Smartmouth Chews Different: Extra Benefits
Along with helping to clean our dogs’ teeth, I was interested in the extra benefits that Smartmouth offers, ones that basically turn this dental chew into a combination dental chew and supplement.
Together with teeth cleaning, the chew is also designed to assist with:
Skin and Coat: This benefit was of special interest for Barli, who loves nothing better than to hang out in his kiddie pool for long periods of time–something that cools him on hot summer days but has resulted in flaky elbows. Smartmouth Chews include flaxseed, a source of Omega-3 fatty acids that benefit your dog’s skin.
Hip and Joint Mobility: At 11 years old, Tiki now experiences arthritis so everything we can do to ease joint discomfort and keep her more mobile is a huge plus for us! The chews include Glucosamine to help keep your dog moving.
Overall health: The whole foods in the chews–from carrot to sunflower seeds– help digestion as well as a dog’s immune system and overall energy production.
What Ingredients Are in Smartmouth Chews?
Every ingredient in Smartmouth Chews is sourced in the US and Canada:
Dried Potato Products, Ground Flaxseed (source of Omegas), Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Pork Gelatin, Powdered Cellulose, Pea Fiber, Rice Syrup, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Soy Lecithin, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Poultry Liver, Salt, Cane Molasses, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Dried Kelp, Rice Bran, Primary Dried Yeast, Ground Dehulled Sunflower Seed, Natural Smoke Flavor, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Carrot, Potassium Sorbate (a preservative), Parsley, Dried Fish Solubles, Ground Barley Grass, Freeze Dried Oyster, Zinc Methionine Complex, Selenium Yeast, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B6), Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract.
Our Dogs’ Experience with Smartmouth Chews
OK, Smartmouth had my interest. I loved the list of natural, NON-GMO ingredients with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. I loved the fact that they’re made in the USA, and was excited about the extra benefits that the chews provide in terms of skin, mobility and overall health.
But what would our dogs think?
Every day, Tiki and Barli enjoyed a Smartmouth dental chew. To them, it was just an opportunity to enjoy a tasty chew:
In fact, Tiki and Barli liked the chews SO much that I had to separate them to make sure each had the opportunity to enjoy their chew in peace without the stress of a quick eater (Tiki, I’m looking at you!) coming in to “help” the slower one finish that chew!
And the result?
Both dogs’ teeth look great–and I’m happy that we were able to address multiple issues in a single chew that the dogs loved and looked forward to every day! I felt like a real multi-tasker as I combined dental care with supplementation for skin, coat, joints and mobility in one easy task.
A big paws up for Smartmouth Original Dental Chews!
Smartmouth chews come in three sizes: Petite, Small/Medium (Barli’s size), and Large/Extra Large (Tiki’s size). You can opt for 14-day or 28-day packs on Amazon.
For More Information:
- Visit Smartmouth on Amazon
- Follow The Missing Link on Instagram and Facebook
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