If your dog won't tolerate a toothbrush, this is the easy version. AniForte Dental Powder is a fine green powder you sprinkle over their food once a day. No wrestling, no toothpaste, no wounded looks.
It's built around seaweed meal, which makes up 75% of the tub. Seaweed works from the inside out rather than by scrubbing. AniForte's explanation is that it alters the pH of saliva, which makes it harder for plaque to take hold in the first place, and less plaque means less tartar over time. It's the same principle behind most of the seaweed dental powders on the market, and it's why this one goes in the bowl rather than on a brush. AniForte say the ingredients in this blend have been shown to significantly improve oral health in dogs and cats, through reduced plaque and tartar formation.
Where this one differs from the single-ingredient kelp powders is the rest of the tub. Alongside the seaweed there's apple pomace, finely ground parsley leaf, and 5% peppermint leaf. The peppermint is doing two jobs. It gives the powder a fresher smell, which helps with fussy dogs who notice anything new in the bowl, and it's the bit owners tend to credit when breath improves in the first couple of weeks. AniForte develop their supplements in-house with their own vets and biologists, and this one's been in their range long enough to be a bestseller across Europe.
The 80g tub comes with a measuring spoon. Half a spoon, which is one gram, per 10kg of dog, once a day, stirred through wet or dry food. Cats get a quarter spoon. That's the whole routine.
This is a maintenance product, and that's its strength. It works on plaque, the soft daily film, before it has a chance to harden into tartar. Most owners notice breath first, usually within two to three weeks. And if your dog has already had a scale and polish at the vet, a daily powder is exactly what keeps the teeth looking good for longer afterwards.
Why we like it
- 75% seaweed meal, the ingredient doing the actual work, at a proper inclusion rate. AniForte say it's been shown to reduce plaque and tartar formation
- 5% peppermint leaf for fresher breath and better acceptance in the bowl
- Apple pomace and parsley leaf make up the rest, and that's the full list. Nothing artificial
- Sprinkled on food, so it works for dogs who will not have their teeth brushed, and that's most of them
- Measuring spoon included, so the dose is one thing you don't have to guess
- Suits dogs and cats from the same tub
- Developed in-house by AniForte's vets and biologists
How much to give, and how long a tub lasts
Half a measuring spoon (1g) per 10kg of bodyweight, once a day, mixed into food. One level measuring spoon is 2g.
| Your dog | Daily amount | Roughly how long an 80g tub lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Cat | ¼ spoon (0.5g) | About 5 months |
| Up to 5kg | ¼ spoon (0.5g) | About 5 months |
| 10kg | ½ spoon (1g) | About 11 weeks |
| 20kg | 1 spoon (2g) | About 5 to 6 weeks |
| 30kg | 1½ spoons (3g) | About 3 to 4 weeks |
| 40kg+ | 2 spoons (4g) | About 2 to 3 weeks |
If you've a big dog, the 300g tub is the sensible buy. For anything under about 15kg, or for a cat, the 80g will see you through a proper trial period and beyond.
Start with half the dose for the first week if your dog is fussy or has a delicate stomach, then build up.
Before you start: seaweed is naturally rich in iodine, and this powder contains 570 mg/kg. That's fine for a healthy dog at the measured dose. Check with your vet first if your dog has a thyroid condition or is on thyroid medication, if she's pregnant or nursing, or if you're already feeding other kelp or seaweed products, since the iodine adds up. Stick to the spoon rather than eyeballing it.
What to expect, and when
- Weeks 1 to 3: breath is usually the first thing to change. This is where most of the positive reviews come from.
- Weeks 4 to 8: any reduction in soft plaque starts to show, mostly along the gumline on the back teeth.
- Ongoing: it's a maintenance product, not a course. Stop and plaque goes back to forming at its usual rate.
It works best either as prevention from the start, or straight after a professional clean at the vet, where it keeps the teeth looking better for longer.
Composition & specification
Composition: 75% seaweed meal, cut apple pomace, finely ground parsley leaves, 5% fine-cut peppermint leaves
Analytical constituents: Crude protein 6.75%, crude fat 2.24%, crude ash 15.12%, crude fibre 10.39%, residual moisture 14.06%
Naturally contains: Iodine 570 mg/kg
Size: 80g (also available in 300g)
Includes: Measuring spoon (1 level spoon = 2g)
Suitable for: Dogs and cats
Storage: Cool, dry place, out of direct light. Reseal after use.
Feeding: Complementary feed. Fresh water should always be available.
