Nylabone Dental Spray Review: Does This $8 Mist Freshen Dog Breath?

Introduction

Last week, I was cuddling with Max on the couch, and he leaned in to lick my face, and I almost gagged. His breath was so bad, I had to turn my head away, I swear, it was like he’d eaten a dead fish or something. I tried to brush his teeth that night, like I always do, but he ran under the couch, and hid, and I couldn’t get him out. I was so worried, too, because his tartar was getting thicker and thicker, and the vet said if it got any worse, he’d have to get a professional dental cleaning, which would cost me $300. That’s when I ordered the Nylabone Dental Spray, and after using it for a month, I put together this full Nylabone dental spray review to see if it actually works.

Before this, I’d tried everything to fix his bad breath. I tried dental chews, I tried water additives, I even tried those dental wipes, but nothing worked. The breath would come back after an hour, the tartar kept getting worse, and I couldn’t get him to let me brush his teeth, no matter what I did. I was this close to just paying the $300 for the professional cleaning, until I found this stuff. I was skeptical, because I’d heard so many mixed things about dental sprays, but I was desperate, so I decided to give it a shot.

What Is the Nylabone Dental Spray? (Nylabone dental spray review)

So, what exactly is this stuff, anyway? This is the Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Dog Dental Spray, the 4oz one, the one with ASIN B006YFZBS6. It’s a no-brush dental spray for dogs, built specifically to fix bad breath, reduce plaque, and slow down tartar buildup, without having to brush your dog’s teeth.

It has Denta-C in it, too, which is that scientifically proven ingredient that reduces plaque that harbors bacteria, the stuff that causes bad breath and tartar. You just spray it directly onto your dog’s teeth and gums, 1 or 2 times a day, and that’s it. No brushing, no fighting, no nothing. It’s perfect for dogs that hate having their teeth brushed, which is basically every dog I’ve ever met, let’s be real.

My Fresh-Breath Test

When the bottle arrived, I was excited to try it, but I was also nervous that it wouldn’t work. I’d spent so much money on other things that didn’t do anything, so I wasn’t getting my hopes up.

I grabbed Max, and I sprayed a little bit onto his teeth and gums, like the instructions said. And right away, his breath was better. The terrible fishy smell was gone, replaced by a mild minty smell, and I could actually cuddle him without holding my breath. I couldn’t believe it. I saw a review from a woman who had the same problem, her dog’s breath was so bad she couldn’t even have him in the car, and this stuff fixed it in one day, which is exactly what I saw.

I used it every day, and after a week, I noticed that his tartar was a little softer. The thick, yellow stuff on his teeth was getting lighter, which was awesome. I didn’t have to fight with him to brush his teeth anymore, I just sprayed it on, and that was it. It was so easy, I couldn’t believe it.

But it wasn’t all perfect. The first time I used it, Max hated the taste. He pulled away, and he shook his head, and he ran to his water bowl to drink it all off. A lot of other reviewers said the same thing— the taste is kind of weird, not bad, but dogs don’t like it, so they try to lick it off right away. And if they lick it off, does it still work? I wasn’t sure, because the ingredients are supposed to sit on the teeth, right?

Also, after a month, the tartar was still there. It was softer, but it didn’t go away. A lot of reviewers said the same thing— it works great for maintenance, to stop new tartar from forming, but it doesn’t get rid of the tartar that’s already there. I was kind of disappointed, because I thought it would get rid of the existing tartar, but it just slowed it down.

What I Like and What I Don’t Like

After using this for a month, I’ve gone through all the pros and cons, and I checked out hundreds of other reviews to make sure I wasn’t the only one with these experiences.

What I Like

• It actually freshens the breath right away: That’s the best part. The bad breath that was so bad it made me gag? Gone, in 10 seconds. I saw a review from a guy who said his dog’s breath was so bad his wife wouldn’t let the dog in the bedroom, and this stuff fixed it, which is exactly what I saw.
• No more fighting with the toothbrush: Before this, brushing Max’s teeth was a war. He’d run, he’d hide, he’d bite the brush, it was terrible. Now, I just spray it on, and that’s it. It takes 10 seconds, no fighting, no nothing. A lot of reviewers with small dogs that hate brushing said the same thing, this is a game-changer.
• It slows down tartar buildup: It doesn’t get rid of existing tartar, but it stops new tartar from forming, which means I don’t have to get the professional cleaning as often. That saves me so much money, because professional cleanings are so expensive.
• It’s so cheap: $8 for a 4oz bottle? That’s nothing. I used to spend $10 a month on dental chews, and this is cheaper, and it works better. It’s way cheaper than the $300 professional cleaning, too.

What I Don’t Like

• Dogs hate the taste: Max hated it, he pulled away, and he ran to the water bowl to drink it off. A lot of reviewers said the same thing, their dogs hate the taste, so they won’t let you spray it, or they lick it off right away.
• It doesn’t get rid of existing tartar: I thought it would get rid of the tartar that was already on his teeth, but it doesn’t. It just stops new tartar from forming. If you already have thick tartar, this isn’t going to fix it, you still need the professional cleaning.
• It only lasts a few hours: The fresh breath only lasts for a few hours, then the bad breath comes back. A lot of reviewers said the same thing, it’s not a permanent fix, you have to spray it every day, multiple times a day, to keep the breath fresh.
• It’s easy for them to lick it off: If your dog licks it off right after you spray it, it doesn’t work, because the ingredients don’t have time to absorb into the teeth and gums. A lot of reviewers said that’s their biggest problem, their dog licks it off right away.

Is This $8 Spray Worth It?

So, is this $8 spray actually worth the money? For me, absolutely— but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.

If you have a dog that hates brushing their teeth, and you just need something to keep the bad breath away, and slow down the tartar buildup, so you don’t have to pay for professional cleanings as often? This is a no-brainer. $8 is nothing, and it works great for that. It’s way cheaper than the $300 cleaning, and it’s so easy to use.

On the other hand, if you already have thick tartar on your dog’s teeth, and you’re looking for something to get rid of it? Then this isn’t going to work. It only does maintenance, it doesn’t remove existing tartar. Or if your dog is super sensitive to tastes, and they won’t let you spray it? Then this isn’t going to work, either. But if you’re like me, just looking for something to keep the breath fresh, and keep the tartar from getting worse? It’s 100% worth it.

If you’re interested in trying it out, you can check it out here: [buy link: Nylabone Dental Spray] (affiliate link)

Common Questions

I got so many questions from my friends after I posted about this, so I wanted to answer the most common ones here:

Do I still have to brush my dog’s teeth after using this?

No, that’s the whole point. It’s a no-brush solution, so you don’t have to brush their teeth at all. You just spray it on, and that’s it, it does all the work for you, no brushing required.

Can this remove existing tartar that’s already on my dog’s teeth?

Unfortunately, no. It works great to stop new tartar from forming, and slow down the buildup, but it can’t remove the tartar that’s already there. For that, you still need a professional dental cleaning from your vet.

Is this safe for my dog to lick?

Yes, it’s completely safe. The ingredients are all dog-safe, so even if they lick it off right after you spray it, it won’t hurt them, it just might not work as well for the tartar and plaque, because it doesn’t have time to sit on the teeth.

Final Thoughts

All in all, this Nylabone Dental Spray has been a total game-changer for me. It’s not perfect— the taste is a little weird, dogs hate it, it doesn’t get rid of existing tartar, and the breath only lasts a few hours— but the pros way outweigh the cons. It solved all my biggest problems: I don’t have to fight with Max to brush his teeth anymore, I don’t have to hold my breath when he yawns, and I don’t have to pay $300 for a professional cleaning right now.

For $8, it’s the best investment I’ve made for his oral health. I don’t have to panic every time he leans in to lick my face anymore, because I know this stuff will fix the bad breath.

Do you have a dog that has terrible breath, and hates brushing their teeth? Have you tried this spray before, or were you skeptical about dental sprays like I was? Tell me your story in the comments!

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A Quick Disclaimer

I’m not a vet or professional trainer. Just my personal experience.