A dental chew is different from every other treat in the jar, because the whole idea depends on it being given every single day. That turns it into a fixture in the diet rather than an occasional extra, and it makes reading the composition worth five minutes rather than none.

The mechanism Purina describe is texture. The stick is soft and spongy rather than hard, which they say lets it flex around a tooth and reach the surfaces a brittle chew skids off, and giving one a day is claimed to help reduce plaque and tartar build-up and support gum health. Analytically it comes out at protein 7%, fat 2.5%, crude ash 5%, crude fibre 1.2%, calcium 0.9% and moisture 14.5%. There are 21 sticks in the pack, and Purina's guide is one a day for a small dog from 7kg to 12kg.

• 21 sticks per pack
• Purina's guide: one stick a day for a small dog from 7kg to 12kg
• Protein 7%, fat 2.5%, crude ash 5%, crude fibre 1.2%
• Calcium 0.9%, moisture 14.5%
• Soft, spongy texture rather than a hard chew
• Purina say to consume within 7 days after opening

Read the composition. The word Chicken is in the name and chicken is 1.1% of what is in it. The list Purina publish opens with cereals — 62% extruded corn flour and 5% wheat flour — then glycerol, minerals, yeasts, meat and animal derivatives, and oils and fats. This is a corn stick with a little chicken in it, and at 7% protein it is not a meaty treat by any reading. Purina also say to supervise your dog while they have one.

Who it's for: owners of small dogs in Purina's 7 to 12kg bracket who want a soft daily chew and are more interested in the routine than the ingredient list.