Dental hard chew supplements containing antimicrobial actives

1. A dental hard chew supplement for treating tooth and gum health issues in a mammal comprising therapeutically effective amounts of a plurality of antimicrobial active ingredients present in and throughout a hard chew substrate matrix, wherein the hard chew substrate matrix is an edible, digestible matrix comprising an extruded or injection molded mixture of plant starch and the plurality of antimicrobial active ingredients, wherein the plurality of antimicrobial active ingredients comprise curcumin and propolis.

2. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of antimicrobial active ingredients further comprises one or more of: metal particles selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, aluminum, copper, and zinc.

3. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial active ingredient further comprises silver nanoparticles of elemental silver, silver ions, or silver salts in an amount of from about 1 mg/kg body weight of the mammal to about 30 mg/kg body weight of the mammal.

4. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial active ingredient comprises curcumin in an amount of from about 10 mg/kg body weight of the mammal to about 20 mg/kg body weight of the mammal.

5. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial active ingredient comprises propolis in an amount of from about 0.001 mg/kg body weight of the mammal to about 10,000 mg/kg body weight of the mammal.

6. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial active ingredient further comprises silver salts in an amount of from about 0.5 mg/kg body weight of the mammal to about 9 mg/kg of body weight of the mammal.

7. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 further comprising vitamins selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B7, vitamin B9, and vitamin B12, wherein the vitamins are present in an amount from about 0.5% to about 1% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

8. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 further comprising minerals in a therapeutically effective amount selected from the group consisting of zinc, manganese, copper, and molybdenum.

9. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 further comprising a flavoring selected from the group consisting of xylose, ribose, sucrose, mannose, galactose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, molasses, honey, maple syrup, carob, peanuts, garlic, parsley, celery, peppermint, spearmint, anise oil, spearmint oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, wintergreen oil, lemon oil, orange oil, grape oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, apple, strawberry, cherry, pineapple, and chicken liver, wherein the flavoring is included in an amount of from about 0% to about 20% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

10. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 9 , wherein the flavoring is present in an amount of from about 4% to about 6% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

11. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 further comprising omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in therapeutically effective amounts.

12. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the hard chew substrate matrix comprises a carrier base comprising components selected from the group consisting of powders of flour, an emulsifier, a softening agent, and water in a combination and in amounts effective to confer a hard chew substrate matrix.

13. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 12 wherein the powders of flour are selected from the group consisting of soy flour, wheat gluten, pregel wheat flour, wheat feed flour, corn starch, soy protein concentrate, oat, barley, brown rice, dried whey powder, liver powder, carrot powder, cherry powder, pineapple powder, and alfalfa herb powder, wherein the powders of flour are present in an amount from about 1-50% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

14. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the plant starch is selected from the group consisting of cereal and grains or flours obtained upon grinding a cereal selected from the group consisting of corn, oat, wheat, milo, barley, rice, and tuberous foodstuff, wherein the starch is included in the hard chew substrate matrix in an amount of from about 1 to 50% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

15. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 12 wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of lecithin, polyoxyethylated castor oil, polyoxyethylated sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monostearate, ethyl alcohol, glycerol monostearate, polyoxyethyl stearate, an alkylphenol polylglycol ether, an ampholytic surfactant, and an anionic surfactant, wherein the emulsifier is present in an amount ranging from about 0 to 20% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

16. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 12 wherein the water is present in an amount ranging from 0 to 50% w/w of the hard chew substrate matrix.

17. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the hard chew substrate matrix further comprises an animal-source product.

18. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 17 wherein the animal-source product is selected from the group consisting of bull penis, hardened (dried) animal ligament or rawhide, deer antler, cattle horn, fish skin, pig ear, cow hoof, and animal bone.

19. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the hard chew substrate matrix further comprises a non-digestible artificial ingredient selected from the group consisting of rubber, polyurethane, vinyl polymer, nylon polymer, and thermoplastic.

20. The dental hard chew supplement of claim 1 wherein the mammal is selected from the group consisting of canine and feline.