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Introduction
Last night, I tried to brush my golden retriever’s teeth, and he ran under the couch, hid there for an hour, and refused to come out, even when I held up his favorite training treats. For months, this had been our routine. Every time I pulled out the dog toothbrush, he’d run and hide, and I’d end up chasing him around the house, trying to get his teeth clean, which was impossible. I needed a more gentle alternative, something that didn’t involve a scary toothbrush. Which is why I decided to do this unfiltered HICC PET dental wipes review, after testing these coconut oil wipes to see if they could finally fix our dental care chaos. (Yes, my dog sees a toothbrush and runs faster than he does from the vacuum, he’s that scared of it.)
I was so sick of it. I knew I needed to clean his teeth, right? Puppies need dental care, to prevent tartar and bad breath, but he hated the toothbrush so much, I couldn’t do it. I tried all kinds of other things, dental chews, water additives, nothing worked. His breath was still bad, and I was worried he was getting plaque buildup. I was this close to just paying for a professional dental cleaning at the vet, which is so expensive, until a friend in my puppy group told me to try these HICC PET dental wipes. She said they were perfect for dogs that hate toothbrushes, so I figured I’d give them a shot. I was skeptical, obviously, but I had nothing left to lose.
HICC PET dental wipes review: What Are These Finger Wipes, Anyway?
These are the HICC PET Teeth Cleaning Wipes, the 50 count pack, those finger wipes that are an alternative to toothbrushes and toothpaste, so you don’t have to use that scary hard toothbrush that your dog hates. They’re soft finger wipes, right? You put them on your finger, and you just wipe your dog’s teeth and gums, no mess, no hard brush, no fighting.
They have that uniquely patented organic coconut oil fermented technology, which is perfect for dogs with sensitive teeth, gums, and enamel. They’re alcohol free, no parabens, no fragrances, so they’re gentle, even for puppies with sensitive mouths. And they’re safe if your dog licks them, right? Even if they ingest it, it’s totally safe, no weird stuff that will hurt them.
They have a mint scent, too, to help get rid of bad breath, to freshen your dog’s breath. They’re soft and flexible, so you can wipe the hard to reach areas of your dog’s teeth, the back ones, that are hard to get to with a toothbrush, even if your dog won’t open his mouth all the way. They work for dogs, cats, rabbits, any pet, really, so if you have multiple pets, you can use them for all of them. They’re perfect for daily use, after meals, or even when you’re traveling, to keep up with your pet’s dental care routine, no matter where you are.
My 2-Week Test: Finger in the Mouth, No Brush
I got the wipes in the mail, and I opened the pack, and the first thing I noticed? They smelled like mint, and coconut, a little bit. It was a nice smell, not too strong. I put one on my finger, and called Milo over. And he looked at me, and he backed up. (I swear, he still thought I was gonna try to brush his teeth, so he was already hiding, even though there was no toothbrush. He’s so suspicious.) I managed to get him to sit, and I lifted his lip, and wiped his teeth, just like the instructions said. And he licked my hand, right after. And then he looked at me, like I’d just put something weird in his mouth. Like, he was confused, he didn’t hate it, but he was like, what was that?
I used them every day, for two weeks. At first, he was still a little bit wary, he’d pull his head away when I tried to put my finger in his mouth. But after a couple days, he got used to it. He realized it wasn’t the toothbrush, it didn’t hurt, and he got treats after, so he was fine. I noticed that after the first day, his breath was way better. Normally, he had that weird dog breath, that yeasty smell, but after I used the wipe, it was gone, fresh mint, for the whole day.
I wiped his teeth, and I noticed that there was a little bit of gunk on the wipe, after. Like, the plaque and stuff that was on his teeth, it came off on the wipe. I could see it, right there on the wipe. That was wild, I didn’t expect that. I didn’t have to scrub, I just wiped, and it came off.
But wait, I noticed something. The wipes are a little bit small, right? And my dog is a golden retriever, he has big teeth, so I had to use two wipes sometimes, to get all of his teeth. And he still didn’t love having my finger in his mouth, at first. He’d pull away, I had to hold his head still, it was still a little bit of a fight, not as bad as the toothbrush, but still, he wasn’t super excited about it. (I swear, he licked the first wipe, and then looked at me like, “is this food? Why are you putting your finger in my mouth?” It was funny.)
After two weeks, I noticed that his breath was way better, his teeth looked cleaner, no more yellow plaque on the front of his teeth. It seemed like it worked way better than anything else I’d tried before, even if it was still a little bit of a fight at first.
What I Like and What I Don’t Like
Nothing is perfect, right? I’m not here to sugarcoat anything, so let’s break it down:
What I Liked
- It’s way easier than a toothbrush. My dog doesn’t hate it as much as he hates the toothbrush, so I can actually get his teeth clean, no more chasing him around the house.
- The formula is safe and gentle. It’s alcohol free, no parabens, no weird ingredients, it’s made with coconut oil, so it’s gentle on his sensitive gums, and it’s safe if he licks it, no problem.
- It works great for bad breath. It got rid of that weird dog breath, his breath stayed fresh all day, which was a huge win, I didn’t have to smell that bad breath when he came to cuddle me.
- It’s easy to use, no mess. I don’t have to deal with toothpaste, or the toothbrush, I just put the wipe on my finger, wipe his teeth, and that’s it. It’s perfect for travel, too, I can bring them with me when we go on trips.
What I Don’t Like
- My dog was still a little wary of it at first. He still pulled his head away when I tried to put my finger in his mouth, it was still a little bit of a fight, not as bad as the toothbrush, but still, he wasn’t super excited about it.
- The wipes are a little bit small. For my big golden retriever, I had to use two wipes sometimes, to get all of his teeth, which means the pack doesn’t last as long as I thought it would.
- It doesn’t work on super bad tartar. It’s good for daily maintenance, but if you already have a lot of tartar buildup, it’s not gonna fix that, you still need to go to the vet.
Are These Wipes Worth It?
If you have a dog that hates toothbrushes, like mine, and you need an easy way to do daily dental care, this is 100% worth it. It’s perfect for people who want to maintain their dog’s oral health, keep their breath fresh, without fighting them with a toothbrush. It’s also great if you travel a lot, because it’s easy to bring with you, no mess, no toothpaste to pack.
But if your dog already has severe tartar buildup, or bad dental issues? This isn’t for you. This is just for daily maintenance, to prevent plaque and bad breath, it’s not gonna fix existing severe tartar, you still need to go to the vet for that. And if your dog already loves brushing his teeth, and you don’t have any issues with it? You don’t need this, it’s for people who struggle with the toothbrush.
If you want to give it a try, you can check it out here: [buy link: HICC PET Dental Wipes] (affiliate link)
Common Questions
Can I use these wipes for my cat as well as my dog?
Yes, the formula is safe for cats, rabbits, and other small pets, so you can use them for all of your furry family members without any issues.
Is it okay if my dog licks the wipes after I use them?
Absolutely, the formula is non-toxic and safe for ingestion, so even if your dog licks the wipes right after you wipe his teeth, there’s no harm done.
How often should I use these dental wipes on my dog?
I used them once a day, right after his meals, which worked perfectly for daily maintenance of his oral health, and that’s what the instructions recommend too.
Final Thoughts
I went into this whole thing thinking this was just another overhyped pet product that wouldn’t work. I’d wasted so much money on other dental products that didn’t help, so I was skeptical. But after using it for two weeks, I was shocked. It didn’t fix all of our dental issues, but it made cleaning his teeth so much easier, no more chasing him around the house, no more hiding under the couch, and his breath is way better. It’s such a small thing, but it made such a big difference for us.
Does your dog hate brushing his teeth too? Do you struggle to get him to let you clean his teeth? Have you tried these dental wipes before? Let me know in the comments.
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A Quick Disclaimer
I’m not a vet or professional trainer. Just my personal experience. Every dog is different, so what worked for my dog might not work for yours. This is just my own experience testing the product, and it shouldn’t replace professional veterinary advice if you have concerns about your dog’s dental health.