Tricks for Keeping Your Cat’s Teeth and Gums Healthy
Every pet owner is responsible for keeping their fur babies healthy, and that includes dental hygiene. While brushing your pet’s teeth may sound odd, it’s one of several ways to keep up with its oral health. Follow these tricks for keeping your cat’s teeth and gums healthy.
Brush Regularly
Just like people, cats benefit from daily brushing to remove plaque and harmful bacteria. They can also get gingivitis, which is a painful inflammation of the gums.
To prevent this and other health problems, brush your cat’s teeth every day with a special toothbrush. It can be much easier if you use a fish-flavored toothpaste made for cats.
Getting Used to Brushing
Adult cats may strongly resist having someone prodding and poking around their mouths, so it’s a good idea to get your cat used to the process as young as possible. You can also help it understand what’s going on by rewarding it with treats afterward and using a soothing tone of voice to talk to it while you brush.
Dental Treats
If your cat absolutely refuses to let you brush its teeth, there are other things you can try. Some pet food brands make special treats designed to help remove plaque and other kinds of buildup from your cat’s teeth and gums. Using these treats as directed can be a good backup plan if brushing isn’t working.
Food and Water Additives
If you’d like to go the extra mile to help keep your cat’s teeth and gums healthy, look for pet products you can add to its food or water. Some of these products help with bad breath, while others add a bit of toothpaste-like grit right into your cat’s wet food. Try these products in small amounts and never use them other than specified on the label.
Healthy Teeth and Gums
If your cat needs to see a vet for dental problems, don’t worry. Caring for a pet after a dental procedure is relatively easy—you’ll just need to follow your vet’s instructions and hold off on using other dental products for a while. Once your vet gives the all-clear, you can go back to your usual dental hygiene routine.
