Do Bully Sticks Clean Teeth? What the Evidence Says

By INVIROX Training Team · Published 2026-11-05 · 9 min read

The short answer

Many bully stick listings say they clean teeth. The honest position is more modest. Chewing on something firm does scrape the surface of the teeth, and that is a real mechanism. But nobody has published a dental trial on bully sticks, and no bully stick has been accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, the body that reviews dental claims for pet products.

That does not make bully sticks bad for teeth. It means the evidence does not support calling them a dental product. A bully stick is a good chew for many dogs. Your dog's dental care still needs to come from brushing, and from vet checks.

How chewing helps teeth: the mechanism

Plaque is a soft film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. If it is not removed, it hardens into tartar, also called calculus, which sits along the gum line. Any surface that rubs against the tooth while a dog chews can wipe away some plaque before it hardens.

There is good evidence that this mechanical effect is real. In a 2016 study in the Australian Veterinary Journal, eight Beagles were given raw bovine bone to chew. The area of their teeth covered in calculus dropped from 42.0% to 12.3% in 12 days, a 70.6% reduction. That is a striking number, but it is a result for raw bone, not for bully sticks, and raw bone carries its own risks to teeth and digestion. It tells us chewing can scrape tartar. It does not tell us how much a bully stick does.

A 2025 review of chewing in dogs in Frontiers in Veterinary Science made a similar point: chewing supports dental health as well as food acquisition and stress coping, but natural chews also carry risks such as obstruction, tooth fracture and stomach upset. The benefit and the risk come from the same thing, which is a firm object being worked by strong jaws.

A bully stick softens as your dog chews it. That is part of why many owners like it, because it is gentler than a bone or antler. It also probably means less scraping action once the outer layer turns soft. Nobody has measured it, so the fair conclusion is a possible small benefit, not a proven one.

Why no bully stick is VOHC-accepted

The Veterinary Oral Health Council reviews data submitted by manufacturers and awards its seal to products that meet its standard for reducing plaque or tartar. It is the closest thing pet owners have to an independent dental check on a chew or a food.

On the VOHC Accepted Products for Dogs list updated in August 2026, no bully stick or pizzle product appears. The edible chews on that list are formulated dental chews, and there is one soft rawhide product. That does not prove bully sticks have no dental effect. It means no bully stick maker has submitted trial data that VOHC accepted.

So if a bag says a bully stick is clinically proven to clean teeth, ask for the study. If the product is not on the VOHC list and there is no published trial, the claim is marketing rather than evidence.

→ Related reading: how bully sticks compare with collagen, yak and other chews

Can bully sticks break teeth? The thumbnail test

Broken teeth are common in dogs. A 2019 Vet Times article on tooth fracture risk put the prevalence of tooth fracture at 20% to 27% of dogs, and board-certified nutritionists writing in Today's Veterinary Practice cite figures up to 26%. Hard chews are one of the usual suspects.

There is no official hardness standard for chews. The same Vet Times article notes that VOHC had no formal recommendations on chew hardness. What vets use instead is a simple expert rule called the thumbnail test:

1. Press your thumbnail firmly into the chew.
2. If it leaves a small dent, the chew has some give.
3. If you cannot make any mark at all, treat it as too hard for safe chewing, especially for a power chewer.

A standard bully stick usually softens quickly in the mouth, which puts it on the gentler side compared with bones and antlers. But not every stick is the same, and the start of a chew session, when the stick is at its driest, is when it is hardest. Test the actual stick you are giving, not the category.

→ Related reading: using a bully stick holder with a power chewer

Why braided, frozen and very thick sticks can be harder

Some popular ways of making a bully stick last longer also make it harder on teeth. Here is how the common formats compare:

Freezing is a common seller tip for making a stick last. It does slow a dog down, but only because the stick has become harder, which moves it in the wrong direction on the thumbnail test. If your dog finishes sticks too fast, a holder and shorter sessions are a better answer than making the stick harder.

Signs of a cracked or broken tooth

Dogs rarely cry over a broken tooth. They change how they eat and chew instead, so the signs are easy to miss:

• Chewing on one side of the mouth, or dropping food.
• Losing interest in chews or toys they used to love.
• A visible chip, a pink or dark spot on the tooth, or a tooth that looks a different color from its neighbors.
• Pawing at the face, rubbing the muzzle on the floor, or drooling more than usual.
• Bad breath that is new or much stronger, or swelling below the eye or along the jaw.
• Flinching or pulling away when you touch one side of the mouth.

A broken tooth can expose the sensitive inner part of the tooth and lead to infection, even if your dog seems to carry on as normal. If you see any of these signs, stop hard chews and book a vet visit. Catching it early usually means simpler treatment.

Pair chewing with brushing

The WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines describe dental disease as the most common condition seen in small animal practice. The AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats put weight on preventive home care alongside professional cleanings. Brushing is the cornerstone of that home care, and no chew replaces it.

Brushing does not have to be a battle. Build it the way you would build any other training routine, in small steps your dog can succeed at:

1. Let your dog lick a little dog toothpaste from your finger. Never use human toothpaste.
2. Lift the lip for a second and reward. Repeat over a few days until your dog is relaxed about it.
3. Rub your finger along the outer surface of the back teeth, then reward.
4. Introduce a soft dog toothbrush or finger brush on a few teeth at a time.
5. Work up to the outer surfaces of all the teeth, aiming for daily brushing.
6. End every session with something your dog loves, such as a short chew.

That last step is where a bully stick fits well. A short, supervised chew after brushing gives your dog a reason to look forward to it, and it gives the chew a useful job without asking it to be something it is not.

→ Related reading: the 7 rules for safe bully stick chewing

A tooth-friendly bully stick routine

If your dog loves bully sticks, there is no need to stop. A few habits keep the benefit and lower the risk:

• Do the thumbnail test on each new bag, and skip frozen or extra-dry sticks.
• Choose a stick your dog cannot fit fully in its mouth, and take away the last piece.
• Keep sessions short and supervised, especially for power chewers.
• Count the stick as food, since an average 6-inch stick held about 88 calories in a 2013 Tufts study.
• Brush daily, and ask your vet to check your dog's teeth at every visit.
• Stop hard chews and see your vet if you notice any sign of a broken tooth.

INVIROX bully sticks are a single ingredient, grass-fed Brazilian beef pizzle with nothing added. We do not claim they clean teeth, because no study has tested that. We think they are a good chew when used with the habits above.