Introduction

A dental home care program should be carried out. Daily care is ideal, but even twice weekly brushing of the teeth and gum has proven beneficial. Although dental care is most easily accomplished in kittens about the time the permanent teeth appear, it can be introduced gradually in older cats as well.

Brushing Your Cat's Teeth

The brushing procedure should initially be kept simple and should be followed with a pleasant reward. For example, brushing only one or two teeth with water, and then gradually including more teeth, and finally adding a veterinary dentifrice to the regimen at a later time is a good progression for training. Avoid the use of human toothpastes. Select one of the tuna or other pet-friendly flavors instead. The foaming action of the human paste detergents can cause an upset stomach and if swallowed daily can lead to stomach and gut irritation.

Ideally, a soft infant toothbrush or a brush designed specifically for use in pets should be used. If this is refused, a soft cloth wrapped around the index finger can be used to clean the teeth and gums. Finger brushes (i.e. pediatric rubber fingers with small brushes built-in at the tip, available from your veterinarian) are especially effective.

Your veterinarian can also demonstrate the correct method of brushing so that your fingers are safer and brushing is most effective. Note that inner surfaces of the teeth that sit next to the tongue in cats do not need careful brushing because of their naturally abrasive tongue. Your veterinarian may also recommend use of a mouthwash or rinse.

While both baking soda paste and hydrogen peroxide/water mixtures have been advocated in the past as suitable dentifrices, currently available commercial products are preferred, especially those that include chlorhexidine or stannous fluoride. These are available from your veterinarian as a liquid or toothpaste.