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Options to Keep Your Cat's Dental Health in Order

30 December 2015 by Sophie Knight

As our cats are loyal and valued members of the family, it's important that we keep their teeth in great, clean condition. With the lifespan of domestic cats increasing with better care and attention, we need to put effort into keeping their teeth healthy for longer now than in the past. Dental bacteria can travel through the bloodstream, reaching other organs and creating serious and life threatening issues for your cat in addition to causing general discomfort when eating and bad breath.

Here are some things you can do to keep your cat's teeth healthy as long as possible.

Brush Their Teeth

Some owners find it possible to gentle lift their cat's lips and brush their gums and teeth with a soft brush and feline toothpaste. This isn't possible for all cats, so as an owner you need to use your judgment to decide whether this will be a useful option. Feline toothpaste can be purchased from a pet store or directly from the dentist.

Even if you can brush your cat's teeth at home, you still need to schedule a once-a-year checkup for a scale and clean at the pet dentist if you want to make sure your cat's teeth stay in great condition. The dentist lightly sedates the cat so that they can remove any plaque and buildup from the teeth, as well as checking for other dental issues so that early treatments can be initiated.

Monitor Their Diet

In the wild, cats eat raw meat and have a very high protein: carbohydrate ratio. In modern domesticated cat diets, there tends to be a higher amount of carbohydrates, which can stick to the teeth. Feeding your cat a high protein diet can help to minimise dental issues. Equally ensuring they have enough water is important, especially given Australia's high temperatures, as dry mouths can provide a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. 

Give Them Dental Treats

There are several brands of tasty dental treats on the market, which taste great and encourage saliva flow in the mouth from chewing, as well as providing a light abrasive action to the teeth. These can be purchased from pet stores or directly from your pet dentist.

By minimising the amount of dental decay and bacteria in your cat's mouth, not only will they have better smelling, fresher breath, but they will also be much more comfortable when going about their day-to-day life.

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