I brush my dogs' teeth with a brush, but my puppy is an avid chewer so he has a couple of Nylabones that help to keep his teeth clean between brushings.
If you get a toothpaste that tastes yummy (I use Virbac poultry flavor) they don't mind it too much. The nice thing about Virbac is that it's an enzymatic cleaner as well, so if you don't do a super good job brushing, it still helps get their teeth clean. According to ALL of my dogs (and my cats) it's super yummy and they'll argue over whose turn it is to get their teeth brushed.
Please do not (ever ever ever) use human toothpaste or baking soda or baking powder as part of your pet’s oral hygiene. I know you said you don’t use or wouldn’t use, but it bears repeating: please do not.
I can’t/shouldn’t make specific recommendations for your pet since I am not your animal’s vet, but I use an enzymatic toothpaste for my dogs and a “finger” toothbrush. They love the poultry flavor.
Toothpaste: https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-Control-Enzymatic-Toothpaste-Poultry/dp/B00RZDXA7K/
“Finger” toothbrush: https://www.amazon.com/Jasper-Toothbrush-Ergonomic-Surround-Bristles/dp/B098PF4NPQ/
Also, as a general care note, please don’t use human toothbrushes on your pets. It’s much too easy to over brush and damage the animal’s gums. Use a “finger” toothbrush or forgo a toothbrush entirely and just use your finger (you can simply spread an enzymatic toothpaste on its teeth with your finger and the enzymes go to work).
Lastly, the main thing you can do is to make sure your pet doesn’t eat terrible food high in carbs and sugar. Carbs and sugar cause tarter, which starts tooth decay. A good diet is the foundation for all the rest.
Yes, very worthwhile, it will save you a ton of money in the long run. Most of the dentistry specialists recommend CET enzymatic toothpaste. Poppy recommends poultry flavor. I brush her teeth every night after I do mine, most pick up on it pretty quickly and tolerate it well if you start small and work your way up. With dogs, they stress doing the buccal side, they say the dogs do okay cleaning the lingual side with the tongue. I like these finger toothbrushes because they're a nice size for normal American finger. I've gotten some from Amazon before that are I believe we're made for tiny people with tiny hands 🙅🏼♀️
Virbac CET Enzymatic Toothpaste| Eliminates Bad Breath by Removing Plaque and Tartar Buildup | Best Pet Dental Care Toothpaste https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RZDXA7K/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Z364DMYYZTRWY2KDTBC2
I'm a little late to this thread, but I use the poultry flavor of this stuff, and my dogs like the flavor. https://www.amazon.com/Virbac-C-E-T-Enzymatic-Toothpaste-Vanilla-Mint/dp/B00RZDXA7K