A molecular iodine pet water additive was evaluated in two double-blind, placebo-controlled and diet-controlled clinical trials, following Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) guidelines. Each 28-day trial involved 25 dogs whose plaque was measured by a trained veterinarian. Treatment was well tolerated by the dogs and resulted in an average plaque reduction of 44%. The molecular iodine product used in the studies earned the VOHC Seal of Acceptance. Other study observations included the elimination ofbad breath in treated dogs, and no changes in thyroid hormones after 28 days.
In contrast, a plaque reduction study involving toothbrushing, published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, showed that brushing was significantly less effective. These study results are compared at right:
The greatest plaque reduction was obtained by the use of molecular iodine. With a 44% reduction of plaque within 28 days, plaque reduction through the use of molecular iodine was significantly greater than the plaque reduction obtained even through daily, veterinarian-supervised brushing.