teeth hygene

Question
Hi, i have a shih tzu, female, which weighs 8 lbs, one year old.  Is there anything that the dog can chew (ie denta stix) which may help to keep her teeth clean or are these products useless. i brush her teeth but am looking for something to aid in keeping tartre buildup.

Answer
Hi Bruce,
Shih tzu's have very difficult mouths to keep track of but you are doing the right thing by brushing them frequently. That is by far the best thing to do. Those items you mention are fine occasionally but they can add weight on your dog if you feed them too many so ok once a month or so.
Other than that the absolute best thing is a raw bone- natures toothbrush. Not cooked! Those splinter and do not digest but raw ones don't splinter and really scrape the tartar off - especially the back ones.
Lamb or beef shank bones are good - just have a butcher cut them into 1-2 inch pieces. Most do well with the marrow but some don't. Just keep an eye out.
She will love you for it!