An evolution: Addressing oral health via the microbiome

This is the second article of a two-part series exploring the evolution of pet oral health products. Find the first part of this series here.

Oral health supplements, treats, toppers and more are experiencing an evolution, moving away from solely relying on mechanical abrasion to improving the oral microbiome as means to enhance oral health in dogs and cats. From tapping several innovative ingredients to creating their own technologies, pet brands are introducing a new generation of oral health products — all shifting the oral microbiome.

Continue reading to dig into the science behind some of these products from Pet Honesty, Ark Naturals, Swedencare and TEEF for Life. 

 

A multi-pronged approach

For pet supplement brand Pet Honesty, the approach is multi-pronged, leveraging the capabilities of a range of functional ingredients. Dental care has emerged as a significant focus for Pet Honesty, which launched several Dental care products over the past few years, ranging from Dental Treat Sticks and Fresh Breath Dental Powder for dogs, to Dental Bites and Dental Powder for cats. 

“We see this as a huge unmet need for dogs and cats,” explained Greg Reinhart, Ph.D., vice president of Research & Development at Pet Honesty. “Data suggests that 70% of cats two years and older have poor oral health, and 80% of dogs three years and older have poor oral health. That’s a tremendous problem that needs to be addressed.”

Within its products, Pet Honesty combines natural herbal ingredients with scientifically backed ingredients to support several areas of oral health. For example, the company’s Fresh Breath Dental Powder for cats contains:

• Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (SAPP) that attaches to calcium in plaque, making it easier to remove and reducing its formation into tartar
• Kelp, specifically Ascophyllum Nodosum, that helps break down plaque biofilm and the calcium that sticks to it
• L. plantarum, a next-generation postbiotic that can help change the microbiome and reduces plaque biofilm formation
• Decaffeinated green tea that contains catechins, a group of antioxidants to help reduce plaque formation 

The result is a supplement that not just targets plaque and tartar, but also the oral microbiome. 

“We’ve got a kelp component that reduces plaque; phosphorus compounds that bind calcium and reduces tartar formation; a next-generation postbiotic ingredient that alters the microbiome, reducing plaque formation; and decaffeinated green tea extract, which has antimicrobial compounds that reduce inflammation and plaque formation. It’s all quite a powerful package,” Reinhart said. “It’s a four-fold approach, and for most of our products, we add all these things together, so it’s not just a singular active. It’s surround sound… it’s a comprehensive package.”

For Ark Naturals, the pet supplement brand under Antelope Pets, the key to oral health is ingredients that offer both dental and entire body benefits.

“Ultimately, the goal with Ark is to support health on the inside out by providing oral health products and improving the oral microbiome so that we’re generating an overall healthier pet,” shared Katie Lilly, chief marketing officer of Antelope Pets. “… As we’ve expanded our product lines over time, we’re really focusing on not only how we can improve your pet’s microbiome currently, but how we can actually look at the oral microbiome and prevent future problems.”

Ark Naturals offers an extensive range of oral health care products. Offerings for dogs include Brushless Toothpaste chews, Protection+ chews, Fortify chews and Breath Bursts; and offerings for cats include the brand’s Kiss Me-ow line that includes Lickable Dental Treats and Dental Chews. One of Ark’s primary actives it uses is astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant that is found in algae. This chemical is responsible for the pink/red color found in salmon. 

“Astaxanthin is a non-GMO antioxidant derived from red algae that is six thousand times more powerful than vitamin C. It’s one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature,” Lilly explained. “When you ingest astaxanthin, it works in the mouth but then also keeps working throughout your entire body.”

This ingredient works by enhancing the antibody Immunoglobulin A (IgA) in the pet’s saliva, creating a protective barrier on teeth and serving as a defense against pathogens. According to a clinical trial performed on Ark’s Protection+ Brushless Toothpaste Fortified Dental Chews, the chews lead to a 15% reduction in plaque and 78% reduction in tartar. 

“From the clinical trial results, when we added astaxanthin, we saw not just a reduction in plaque and tartar buildup, we saw a shift in the microbiome within the pet’s mouth,” Lilly revealed. “We also saw a huge shift in the bacteria composition within the saliva from the mouth of the pet. The good bacteria, that helps support their overall gut health and overall oral health, dramatically increased versus the negative bacteria… so, we saw using astaxanthin meant we were rebalancing the oral microbiome to — in theory and over time — reduce the need for additional veterinary care related to oral health.

In addition to astaxanthin, Protection+ Brushless Toothpaste Chews also contain a toothpaste center to help clean teeth and cinnamon, clove and vanilla to help freshen breath. The brand also uses sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) in its cat dental treats in conjunction with taurine, to not only support oral health, but total body health.

 

Creating new technologies

In addition to using already-established ingredients to influence the microbiome, some brands are creating their own ingredient technologies. 

For example, Swedencare uses its ProDen PlaqueOff technology. ProDen PlaqueOff is made of sea kelp Ascophyllum Nodosum, which is harvested from the cold waters of northern Scandinavia. The discovery of the ingredient dates back to the 1970s, when Swedish dentist and researcher Sune Wikner connected the algae to improvements in human oral health. Swedencare takes the kelp and refines it through a proprietary process, resulting in A.N. ProDen, a bioavailable, functional oral health solution. 

“This unique ingredient has been scientifically proven to work around the clock by targeting the underlying bacterial imbalance in the mouth — without disrupting the beneficial bacteria that support both oral and digestive health,” revealed Ericka Butler, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Swedencare USA. 

According to Butler, studies on the ingredient have shown that it disrupts the process that leads to the formation of plaque and tartar buildup. 

“A.N. ProDen® not only helps reduce existing plaque and tartar but, more importantly, works preventively to slow the formation of new deposits,” she said. “This makes it a holistic, long-term solution that goes beyond mechanical abrasion, helping pets maintain healthier teeth and gums in a more natural and sustainable way.”

TEEF for Life uses its parent company’s patented ingredient technology, called Selective Microbial Metabolism Regulation Technology (SMMRT)™, to stop harmful bacteria from consuming sugars and carbohydrates to instead consume proteins and animo acids, thereby shifting the oral microbiome.

TEEF is the companion animal-focused brand of Primal Health, a subsidiary of Primal Therapies, a biotechnology company focused on microbiome health innovations. Microbiologist Emily Stein, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Primal Therapies, developed SMMRT after her grandmother faced severe health issues after having teeth extractions in an effort to help her maintain her oral health for the rest of her life.

“Her unique approach was to treat microbes more like an unruly team rather than an enemy,” said Lindsey Campbell, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Primal Health. “So, she used a combination of nutrients to naturally steer them away from eating carbohydrates and sugars out of a pet’s diet, which causes them to produce acid, plaque, odor, etc. Stein stopped that process and then, through prebiotics, makes the microbes eat proteins and amino acids instead.”

According to Campbell, SMRRT works through the “carrot and stick method,” tricking bad bacteria. These bacteria are hyper-focused on consuming carbohydrates and sugars, which leads to oral health issues. SMMRT uses a postbiotic (a cyclized fermented soluble fiber) that mirrors a sugar molecule, and prebiotics vitamin B6 and L-arginine.

“The soluble fiber works as a sugar decoy molecule,” she explained. “But since it’s already been fermented (a postbiotic), the bacteria try to consume it but can’t, which then blocks their ability to consume any other nutrients in their environment. The bacteria don’t know how to let go of that molecule, giving good bacteria a competitive advantage in the oral microbiome. Then the good bacteria are supercharged with two prebiotics — vitamin B6 and L-arginine — those kick in the ability of the good bacteria to eat the other things we want them to, proteins and animo acids.

“So, you naturally grow the good guys and you’re changing what they’re producing in the mouth,” Campbell added. “Making mouths less smelly, less inflamed and it’s just overall better for you. It’s less destructive. It’s like a keto diet for bacteria.”

Using this technology, TEEF uses two formulations: Protektin42, optimized for dogs, and Protektin30, optimized for cats. Protektin42 contains the core patented technology, fermented soluble fiber, L-arginine and vitamin B6, but adds baking soda for extra help to neutralize acids. Protektin30 also contains the same core technology but replaces the baking soda with a Chlorella derivative, which targets fungal toxins associated with stomatitis in felines. Through these ingredients, the company offers dental powder kits for cats and dogs, as well as protein-based lickable treat powders/toppers. 

Studies on Protektin42 have shown a decrease in Porphyromonas spp., a harmful, gum disease-associated bacteria, and an increase of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a beneficial, probiotic bacteria, in dogs. Additionally, a study on TEEF’s treat powders found that dogs and cats experienced a reduction in plaque biofilm, a decrease in harmful subgingival anaerobic bacteria and an increase in aerobic, beneficial bacteria. 

 

An evolution to watch

This evolution of working with the oral microbiome — instead of against — is continuing to push the boundaries in pet oral health care products, as well as ingredient technologies that seek out the root cause of poor oral health. 

“… The future of pet oral health lies in biotics that target the root cause — the unwanted microbes causing dental issues in the first place,” said Adrain Kerester of Kingdom.

“Pet parents are really looking for an easy-to-use, effective solution to poor oral health. With this category getting the attention that it has and the momentum of the products in this space, I think there’s going to be new options coming to the surface, if you will,” Reinhart said. “I’m familiar with a lot of really high-tech companies that are doing some pretty fascinating work in this area. Postbiotics are a next-generation ingredient, and I think there’s going to be more and more ingredients like that at the forefront.”

Kingdom created its Superculture^® Pet Oral ingredient specifically with this in mind. The postbiotic goes after unwanted microbes in the mouth, seeking to prevent further oral health issues.

“Traditional pet oral care relies on abrasion to scrape away plaque after it forms, whereas the future of pet oral health lies in biotics that target the root cause — the unwanted microbes causing dental issues in the first place,” shared Adrian Kerester, vice president of go-to-market strategy and growth at Kingdom. “With three clinical trials validating its efficacy, Superculture^® Pet Oral exemplifies this shift. It delivers proven results without mechanical action, and under short contact times. This evolution from surface-level solutions to addressing oral health at its root will make effective oral care more accessible for all pets.” 

While mechanical abrasion is valuable and the above-mentioned products are designed to be used in conjunction with regular veterinary dental cleanings (not as a replacement), focusing on the biochemical is key to further advancing oral health in cats and dogs. ADM recognized this with its PRIOME® Oral Care ingredient solution, which uses a novel postbiotic. Sophie Nixon, Ph.D., head of R&D Clinical Research for Pet & Animal Wellbeing at the company expects to see increased interest in biotics and other functional ingredients, as well as a focus on ease of use for pet owners.

“Future products will be designed with real-world use in mind: easy for owners to give consistently, safe for long-term use, and backed by solid clinical research in pets,” she said. “This combination of science, practicality and holistic wellbeing is where I see the biggest opportunities for innovation.”

Changing labels is something TEEF for Life sees, especially as consumers continue to seek out natural ingredients for their pets.

“So many more pet parents are becoming more aware of the value in clean label ingredients. They don’t want their pets consuming anything that has antiseptics, unnecessary fillers or highly processed carbohydrates,” Campbell shared. “So, I think clean label ingredients and functional ingredient products are just going to keep on trending up.”

For Antelope and Ark Naturals, the company is witnessing a rise from the cat space.

“I see an increasing concern about cats’ oral health care,” Lilly said. “That’s a huge opportunity that’s going to continue to grow. Cat parents are getting more and more cognizant of overall oral health care for their cats.”

While research on oral microbiomes in pets is imperative to better understand how specific bacteria work and influence mouth health, so is research on new ingredients and new oral health supplements. Consumers are eyeing ingredient labels and claims, becoming more critical of these new ingredients and supplements, with many seeking out validated, scientific evidence to ensure claimed benefits are actually real.

“The pet oral health market is shifting toward products that prioritize clinical validation and proven efficacy over simply masking issues at a surface-level,” Kerester detailed. “As pet parents demand measurable results, brands are seeking ingredients that enable differentiated claims and superior product performance…. The industry’s future will be defined by ingredients backed by rigorous scientific validation, allowing brands to create products that genuinely outperform existing solutions rather than simply offering incremental improvements.” 

This is the second article of a two-part series exploring the evolution of pet oral health products. Find the first part of this series here.

Read more about product development, ingredients and formulation.