Mental note-do not take advise from painter.
As far as canned vs kibble I have seen just as many dogs with horrible tarter build up from kibble. Perhaps more so than canned. Consider it this way if I were to eat chocolate chip cookies every day do you think those cookies are going to clean my teeth.
Yet, if I were to eat natural organic yogurt every day my teeth would be clean.
I am a health freak (later in life health freak). When I was eating junk I got cavities, tarter and I brushed daily. Now I eat healthy, veggies, yogurt, fish, nuts, seeds and my teeth are beautiful I do not get plaque or morning breath any longer.
The quality of the food that goes into your body is what gives you healthy teeth. Kibble does not clean teeth any better than my favorite chocolate chip cookies. It's the state your body is in. Sugar, poor Carb's etc = dental problems and yes health problems.
There is nothing better than a good raw meaty bone for cleaning teeth. I feed a rotation diet of canned and raw meats/food diet. My dogs have beautiful teeth and a tooth brush has never touched their teeth. My Vets are always so amazed especially since all my dogs are senior citizens.