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| 05 February 2012
Feline dental care really is very important. As with any disease syndrome, prevention is always better than cure - and that is particularly so for dental disease. Just as withi us, if plaque and bacteria are allowed to build up around the gum line, this quickly leads to gingivitis (swollen/inflammed gums). When the gums are swollen, this in turn leads to a breakdown of the ligament that secures each tooth to the jaw bone. With time this leads to loose and broken teeth!
The key with dental care in cats is ongoing mechanical action at the point where the tooth an gum meet. This helps slow the build up of plaque and settles gingivitis down as well. The key to doing this is the actual mechanical action and in turn, the best products are those that replicate this most accurately.
Just with humans, tooth brushing is the very best way to minimize the amount plaque building up around the base of the tooth and is also the best way to help settle gingivitis. This is a little tricky in cats but not impossible. There are plenty of products on the market for this. Here are a few examples:
You can buy finger brushes that help make things slightly easier:
Pet Dental Finger Brush
The tooth pastes are generallyflavored to make things easier:
CET Poultry Toothpaste, 70 gm
You can also buy pre-made kits!
Petrodex Cat Dental Care Kit, Malt Toothpas...
The next best option for dealing to feline dental care are chews and biscuits. This is obviously a lot easier for most cat owners and doesn't involve time, labor or the risk of being bitten! There are many brands available, however I generally recommend the premium product Hill's T/D. I actually use this on my own cats. That get it as well as their regular biscuits, but it is a complete diet as well. The biscuits are larger than the average cat kibble and don't break easily. As a result the bisuit rubs on the tooth at the junction of the gum having a similar effect to brushing!
Hills T/D Dental Health Cat Food 8.5 lb
Here are a couple of other brands my clients have used:
CET Chews for Cats 30ct Poultry
Petrodex Cat Dental Treats, 50ct
Other options include an oral rinse that helps settle gingivitis. This needs to be applied topically:
CET Chlorhexadine Rinse 12% , 8 Ounce
There are other products that have an enzymatic effet on plaque and tartar that you can add to food and water. These aren't anywhere near as good as the chews or brushing, but are an option for cats that won't tolerate them! Here is an example of a product several of my clients are currently trying that you add to water:
CET Aqua Dent Water Additive 500ML
You should also ensure your Vet checks your cat's mouth at each annual exam and I actually recommend a 6 monthly check. Many clinics will have a dental care nurse who can do these exams and give recommendations. Even with daily brushing gingivitis and dental disease will always occur eventually at least to a small degree. In these instances we recommend descale and poilshing under an anesthetic!
Dr Edwards
www.onlinepetdr.com
