Just like dental hygiene is important for us humans, so it is for cats! This guide will provide a few tips and tricks for making dental hygiene as easy as possible when treating your feline friend. Unfortunately, with cats, many of them prefer to seek affection on their own terms and are not keen on being restrained at the best of times. For this reason, tooth brushing is out of the question for many of them. However, that doesn’t mean you are out of options for keeping their teeth clean!
How can I keep my cat’s teeth clean?
Tooth brushing
This method is easiest if started early, kittens that get used to having their teeth cleaned are more likely to be tolerant of it as they get older. Unfortunately, this can still be difficult even with the best-behaved cats!
- Even if you can only focus on the front of the mouth, some brushing is better than none! If tooth brushing is something that really stresses out your cat, then do not persist, and instead try a more hands off approach to dental hygiene.
Supplements (e.g. Plaqueoff)
- These can be added to food or water to try and reduce the amount of plaque build-up and the number of bacteria in your cat’s mouth, reducing the likelihood of dental disease.
- This is one good option for cats who really do not enjoy having their teeth brushed.
Antiseptic gels/pastes
- These can be applied directly to the gums and teeth using your finger to reduce the number of bacteria in your cat’s mouth, which can prevent smelly breath and the development of plaque or tartar.
- Many cats are prone to a very marked reaction of the gums to bacteria, resulting in painful swelling and inflammation of the gums, and sometimes this can interfere with eating. Using these gels can help reduce the number of bacteria and make your cat’s gums more comfortable.
Dental treats and biscuits
- These specific types of kibble and treats help to reduce dental tartar and plaque by providing a ‘brushing’ action on the teeth, they are usually larger and crunchier than normal kibble and are the main method of keeping cat’s teeth clean when they are not amenable to tooth brushing.
- Some cats who already have dental disease can see major improvements with dental biscuits, however, if they have sore gums or teeth then they may find them uncomfortable to eat. Having dental disease assessed and treated by your local veterinarian will allow their teeth to be kept nice and clean afterwards with these biscuits.
If you are trying these methods of improving your cat’s dental hygiene and are still struggling, then consulting your local veterinarian is a good idea. They will be able to see if your cat is need of specific dental treatment (for example a scale and polish), and if there are particular teeth affected they may need antibiotic treatment or extraction.
