The fact that cleaning your cat’s teeth will improve his dental health is undeniable. The thing is, most cats won’t accept the task easily. At least, without specific training. Like we humans, dental disease or periodontal disease is preventable. Is there a way to keep your cat’s teeth clean without brushing? There is!
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How to keep cats teeth clean without brushing
Here is a list of different cleaning products to help keep your cats teeth clean. Note that they should not serve as an alternative to tooth cleaning or proper dental care. It’s only the next best thing.
Just like ours, cat teeth are susceptible to decay. Your cats mouth is similar to yours in that dental disease is very common. You probably brush your teeth twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, use mouthwash etc. Like you, your cat dental care is important to their health.
One study conducted by the National Library of Medicine found that cats that ate a dry diet (kibble) verses a wet diet (canned food) had less periodontal disease. These cats showed that eating kibble helped with their teeth cleaning.
1. Dental gel for cats
For your cats oral health, dental gel is a more comfortable alternative if brushing your cat’s teeth is a problem. Dental gel for cats contain enzymes that kill germs that cause tartar buildup, tooth decay, gum disease, and irritation. Most commonly, you have to apply the dental gel directly on your cat’s teeth daily, similar to tooth brushing. We found this pet dental gel is tolerated by many of our patients pets. It’s enzymes reduce plaque buildup. It’s easier to use than brushing your pets teeth. Best of all, it has anti-inflammatory enzymes which help to maintain proper oral health. You can buy dental gel for cats here. Please carefully read and follow the instructions of a particular product before using it.
2. Dental cat treats
and sticks for cats can be used regularly to help scrub plaque off your cat’s teeth. Studies show that dental cat treats can reduce the risk of tartar buildup. However, if you choose to rely on treats, make sure your veterinarian checks your pets teeth regularly.
3. Dental wipes
Dental wipes for pets are also a good way to clean your cat’s teeth. We are not sure if using these dental wipes technically counts as “not brushing” however. You have to wrap the wipe around your finger and then move it around your pets mouth as if it were a brush. This still requires some training and takes about the same amount of time as tooth brushing with toothpaste.
4. Dental cat chews
Dental cat chews help scrub off plaque off tooth surfaces and massages your cat’s gums. These are similar to dental chews but are bigger and designed to encourage your cat to chew and gnaw on them. These help reduce dental problems and potentially bad breath. By scraping off plaque, your cat is cleaning their own teeth. Please note that this doesn’t replace a proper dental cleaning for your pets teeth. This is because your cat’s chewing doesn’t evenly clean every tooth surface. It is a good way to help keep their teeth clean and breath a bit fresher.
How do you keep your cat’s teeth healthy?
5. Dental Chew Toys
Chew toys for cats are similar to dental treats in that they are abrasive and can help scrub off plaque. They also massage gums as your cat chews them. Most dental cat toys are filled with catnip to encourage your cat to nibble on them; however, you can also sprinkle some store-bought catnip if your cat does not show any interest in the toy.
6. Drinking water additive
Drinking water additives works like the gel mentioned above, but instead of applying it directly on your cat’s teeth, you pour it into their drinking water. In our opinion, it’s convenient, but works less efficiently than the dental gel does, and you must check if your cat is still drinking the water afterward since they might not like the new taste.
7. Dental cat food
Dental food is pet food that has properties to assist with your cat’s dental health. Studies show that those foods indeed reduce tartar buildup, but they are not able to eliminate it. Similar to the study noted above by the National Library of Medicine, kibble or dry food helps remove plaque as your cat chews the kernels. Talk to your veterinarian about the possibility of using dental cat food as an addition to other measures.
Did this overview of cat dental products give you some inspiration and make you feel less bad for not cleaning your cat’s teeth? Yes, there are some ways how you can keep your cat’s teeth clean without brushing; at the same time, you should be aware that brushing is by far the most effective method to maintain your pet’s dental health.
This article is a part of a series about cat tooth cleaning.
By keeping your cat’s teeth clean and breath fresh, your cat will be happier. And the happier your cat is, the happier you’ll be. And a happy pet is what we all want right?