What is Routine Dental Care for Cats?
Routine dental health care is a blanket term that covers both at-home and in clinic care of cat oral health. Just like people need to brush their teeth every day to keep their teeth healthy, cat owners need to maintain good oral care routines with their pets to ensure that their teeth stay clean and free from disease.
Most commonly, routine dental care takes the form of yearly to bi-yearly veterinary dental cleans. This procedure involves putting your cat under general anesthetic before scrubbing and polishing their teeth to remove plaque build-up. Undergoing this procedure regularly will ensure that dental problems are addressed before they develop into more serious issues.
At home, routine dental care involves brushing your cat’s teeth at least twice a week, but ideally once a day. While difficult, this is a worthwhile task as it helps to maintain your cat’s teeth between cleans and accustoms them to people examining and touching around their mouths. You should only ever use specifically formulated cat toothpaste when cleaning your cat’s teeth.
Four Health Benefits of Routine Dental Care for Cats
Good oral health can add years to your cat’s life and has a host of benefits for your cat’s health. Four of the primary health benefits of routine dental care include:
1. Reduced Plaque and Tartar Build-Up
Undertaking regular veterinary cleans and maintaining a consistent oral care routine like brushing at home will prevent a build-up of tartar and plaque on your cat’s teeth. Tartar and plaque occur when bacteria mixes with saliva, calcifying to form a hard coating on the teeth. Plaque and tartar build-up will eventually result in and worsen conditions like periodontal disease or halitosis (bad breath).
2. Helps Prevent Bad Breath
Keeping plaque and tartar at bay will prevent gum inflammation which, in turn, will keep bad, odor-causing bacteria at bay, helping to keep your cat’s breath fresh and free from foul, rotting smells.
3. Decreases chance of oral infection
When a cat is suffering from periodontal disease, bacteria in the mouth are penetrating the gums and attacking the supportive periodontal ligament of the tooth. Once this occurs, infection has already begun to set in. Keeping the mouth clean and minimizing plaque and tartar growth will prevent a build-up of bacteria in the mouth and gums, thereby preventing conditions like periodontal disease and minimizing the chances of infection taking root.
4. Prevents the onset of more serious health issues
If bad oral health is left unchecked, it can trigger a host of secondary illnesses. If bacteria enter the bloodstream via the mouth, it can cause infections and wreak havoc in the heart, liver, and kidneys. Cats with periodontal disease face a significantly higher risk of developing conditions like kidney failure — taking the time to perform basic oral health routines with your cat can save them from suffering serious, incurable diseases later in life (and it will save you a tonne on veterinary bills).
If you’re concerned about your cat’s oral health, come and visit The Animal Doctors team for a consultation. The Animal Doctors services the entire San Francisco Peninsula, including Atherton, Cupertino, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, Stanford, and Woodside.
