- Veterinary Dental Exam
Your veterinarian will look for plaque and calculus, oral lesions, and signs of gingivitis or stomatitis. If indicated, s/he will clean and scale kitty's teeth - Home Dental Care
See details below. - Annual Veterinary Re-examinations Make it a point to ask your veterinarian to check kitty's teeth at her annual checkup. If your cat has shown any sign of dental disease, increase the oral checkups to at least twice yearly.
- Monthly At-Home Oral Examination
Once your cat has gotten used to a daily toothbrushing, you can add a complete mouth examination at least once a month. See the sidebar for how-to instructions. - Floss!
No kidding. Rope-type chew toys claim to provide a flossing action.
- Brush
Brush daily, if possible, and at least twice-weekly. Special cat-sized toothbrushes are available, also one that slips over your index finger. Experts recommend starting early with kittens and a tuna-juice soaked brush. Specially flavored pet toothpastes help make the brushing a "treat" for your cat. Don't try to do the whole mouth the first day, just one tooth will suffice. Once kitty gets used to the idea, you can add more teeth each day. For detailed instructions, see the "How To" linked in the sidebar. - Rinse
Other products for cats with especially tender mouths, or who already have dental problems include antiseptic dental gels, rinses, and sprays. Although not a substitute for brushing, rinsing also helps protect and clean teeth on days you can't brush. - Chew
Several pharmaceutical companies offer dental chews for cats. Flavored with fish or poultry, these chews offer an abrasive texture, which may help remove food debris and plaque from your cat's teeth. Cat owners who feed raw may offer raw chicken wing tips for the same purpose.
With a regular at-home dental maintenance program, combined with veterinary dental examinations, your cat should be assured of sound dental health for life. This is a very good thing, because cats don't wear dentures.
Photo Credit:
The cat depicted "brushing his teeth" at the top of the page, is Simon, who lives with GalensGranny, a long-time Cats Forum member. Simon is so crazy about the special flavored toothpaste that he chews on his toothbrush every chance he gets.
The Series:
- Part 1: Open Wide, Kitty!
- Part 2: Dental Care Plan for Cats
More Dental Resources:
