Professional teeth cleaning for a cat?

I adopted my cat when she was 3 (she's alomost 4 now) and regular teeth cleaning with a toothbrush is impossible since she has never had it done before. The vet suggested getting her teeth professinaly cleaned once a year. Has anyone had this done? Benefits? Costs?

Professional teeth cleaning for a cat?
There are definite benefits to dental prophies (as they are called). Their intention are to *prevent* problems, however seldom are they used in this manner. Usually dentals are performed only after problems exist. Thanks for being responsible and considering having a dental performed on your cat before it becomes a problem.





Some cats are more prone to dental disease. Perhaps your vet has identified this problem in your cat. Some estimates show that 85% of all dogs and cats over the age of 2 years have periodontal disease. This is a condition that affects the supporting tissues of the teeth. Bacterial plaque is the initial cause of periodontitis and can lead to teeth loss and problems with your cat's heart, liver and kidneys.





I highly doubt that plaque can be effectively removed when the cat is awake, as suggested by another response. Sometimes calculus is quite difficult to remove and requires special tools. There are occasions where it could scrape off quite easily, as with a fingernail, but there is no way to effectively remove plaque below the gum line, nor polish the teeth unless you have a patient that wants to hold still.





Good luck and get a second opinion from another vet if you are unsure if the need really exists in your pet. Ask questions if you "shop around" and find a cheaper price for a dental elsewhere (there can be huge variation). Some vets can perform a sort of barrier to help prevent future plaque adherence to the teeth. We do not do this at our clinic, so I don't know much about it.
Reply:Meow!!!
Reply:I've never done it before, and I ended up having pets with heart problems because I didn't have it done.
Reply:Why do you need to clean cat's teeth? Unless you plan to frenchkiss your cat, i don't think you should clean its teeth. lol. It's really unnecessary to do this.
Reply:petco $10.00-$15.00
Reply:Yes I have done it. Bad teeth can lead to heart problems in people as well as pets.
Reply:You might want to talk to another vet. I paid to get my cat's teeth cleaned twice, but I moved and took him to another vet. This vet showed me that it was easy to pop the plaque (tartar) off Henry's teeth with nothing more than his fingernail. No anesthesia for Henry, less cost for me, and cleaner teeth for my cat. This vet did this as part of a regular checkup for Henry when I took him in for yearly shots.





Getting the cat's teeth cleaned is extra $$ for the vet. Unless it has gingivitis or decayed teeth, I would see if you could find a vet that isn't so eager to put a cat under for a procedure he could do in no time.
Reply:the benifits are, you maintain the bacteria in their mouths, they can get a lot of health problems with bad teeth. A dental doesnt cost much as long as it is routine and she doesnt need extractions (teeth pulled) and that costs about $200.