Things You'll Need
- Cat toothbrush
- Cat toothpaste
- Gauze
- Tuna fish water
- Cat treats for dental care
- Chlorhexidine oral rinse
Instructions
Examine your cat's teeth on a routine basis. Get your cat in a comfortable position in your lap. With your hand over her muzzle use your thumb and forefinger to lift her top lip so her teeth and gums are exposed. Look for signs of tooth decay or gum disease, which could include bad breath, a yellowish-brownish crust of tartar buildup on the gum line, red and swollen gums, as well as bleeding or pain when you touch her teeth or gums.
Brush your cat's teeth every day, recommends the AAHA. Begin by using the tuna fish water trick and rubbing your finger on your cat's gum line. When your cat is comfortable with the finger massage it is time to use gauze to brush her teeth. Wrap a piece of gauze around your finger and massage her teeth, gum line and gums in a circular motion. Once she is used to this home dental care for cats she can graduate to a cat toothbrush and toothpaste. Both must be made especially for cats, not humans.
Give your cat dental snacks to ward off tartar and plaque. You can find these in your local pet food store. Look for treats that help get plaque and tartar off of cat teeth and gums. Hard kibbles are also good at getting plaque and tartar off your cat's teeth. Wet cat food doesn't do this. It doesn't mean you should switch to hard kibbles only, but have a small dish of them available, even if you use wet canned food.
Rinse your cat's mouth with a chlorhexidine oral rinse made for cats if she currently has problems with bleeding or red and swollen gums. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation on what type of rinse to use. You will need to squirt it inside both of your cat's cheeks and massage the outside to get it on the gums and teeth.