How should I clean my cats teeth without hurting him?

I know there is cat food especially made for cats to have cleaner teeth. But most of that food doesn't really help. Is there any kind of teeth-cleaning cat food that you prefer? Or is there any other way I can remove plaque from my cat's teeth?

How should I clean my cats teeth without hurting him?
Here are some tips to help you brush your cat's teeth. First some background. Adult cats have 30 teeth, these are comprised of 12 incisors, 4 canines, 10 premolars and 4 molars. Cats teeth were made to tear into raw meat. This chopping of food cleansed the teeth. Because domestic cats usually eat commercially prepared foods, most never have the opportunity to slice up large, tough food objects. As a result their teeth suffer from the accumulation of tartar. The steps involved in getting your cat to accept tooth brushing are similar to the gradual process involved in introducing nail clipping. Here's how you can start.





~ Familiarize kitty. Before you bring in the toothbrush, your cat must be comfortable sitting on your lap while his mouth and lip areas are massaged (be sure you do not poke the sensitive gums with your fingernails).





~ Next, place a dab of cat-toothpaste on your finger and let kitty taste it.





~ The next day place a small amount of cat-toothpaste on a normal toothbrush or the specially designed finger brushes





~The next day, brush one or two teeth in a circular motion. Start with the canines (fangs) and those teeth just behind them. Be sure to brush the adjoining gum line.





~ Increase the number of teeth you brush every couple of days.You need to eventually brush the rear teeth where plaque and tartar accumulate.





~ Stop brushing when you decide to stop, not when kitty wants to stop! If kitty figures out that fussing makes you stop quicker, it will lead to a downward spiral where little brushing is done.





~ Brush for 30 seconds on the outside surfaces. Because cats do not get much tartar on the inside surfaces you do not need to focus there.





~ Stop each session and be sure to praise kitty. A little treat may help out here.
Reply:jack hammer works well.
Reply:Hi there...ideally, the best way to keep cats teeth clean is to brush regularly. Here's an instructional video on how to brush cats teeth by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/...
Reply:They should be fine w/o you doing that. Whiskas has treats that clean cat's teeth. My cats love 'em.





http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?d...
Reply:Best to let a vet do it occasionally ... once I thought I was doing it OK and also using special food and when the cat who was not that old went for a check up her gums were all red and she had to get a lot of teeth pulled ... I felt terrible. I think it is worth it to have the vet check and give recommendations ... some cats need more care for plaque than others.
Reply:burn off the plaque with a butane lighter or a minitorch.... u can get one at the local vet if you r lucky
Reply:My dog hates having her teeth cleaned. I would put pet toothpaste on a finger brush. The brush covers 1/2 of your finger with little rubber bristles to brush the cats teeth and massage to gums. Give it a try! You have got nothing to lose. Paticake
Reply:If ur cat and u have a good relashonship then u should just pick up a tooth brush! no animal likes having their teeth cleaned but if u give her lots of love, she'll come through. If u would really rather not do that I would ask the local petco people wut to do. They have good advice and r not afraid to down a bad product.
Reply:There are hard treats that can be given to them on a daily basis to help remove tartar (same as we humans get) you can even get toothpaste. The best way to remove tartar from your cats teeth is to have your veterinarian do it and unless your cat really freaks out they will not have to be anaesthetized. They won't be happy but it is the most full-proof method, and at the most you only have to have this done once or twice a year.
Reply:Go to the vet and ask about this:





Larger pet stores should sell a finger brush. It's kind of like a 'finger puppet' that you put on your finger, and massage the cat's teeth and gums. They're made of some sort of soft rubber.





You don't want to actually use any kind of brush on a cats teeth since they're smaller, and therefore, thinner, than our teeth. A brush could scratch their teeth and / or gums.





Instead, use the finger brush, wet it with water, and get them used to you massaging their teeth and gums (this is a LOT easier if you teach them as a kitten.) If this doesn't solve the problem, they have cat toothpaste. You're much better off getting this at the vet.
Reply:the best way to do that is to see a vet. they get really down their and can clean and see if their is a problem but u should be able to buy a pet toothbrush at any vet clinic. dont use a regular one
Reply:Q. Should I have my cats teeth cleaned?





Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, D.V.M., says: Cats need a healthy mouth to survive because their eating, drinking, and grooming depends upon it. Dental health is influenced by genetics, diet, and home care. Preventive home care options include tooth brushing, oral rinses and wipes, and specially formulated treats and diets, but more serious conditions such as gingivitis require a visit to your veterinarian. Early signs of gingivitis include mouth odor and a red, raised line at the tooth-gum line. Without proper care, plaque and tartar build on the teeth and bacteria lodge within these substances, which damages the gums. Left untreated, tooth erosion, root infection, and penetration of bacteria into the sinuses or blood stream occur. Studies show that bad teeth are a source of infection that impacts other organs such as the kidneys, especially in geriatric cats.





To ensure a more serious condition does not occur, your cats mouth needs to be examined at least annually by a veterinarian. During this exam your cats gums, teeth, and tongue are evaluated for problems. If gingivitis, plaque, or tartar buildup is evident, the best treatment is a professional cleaning by your veterinarian. This process involves probing and evaluating each tooth, hand scaling, ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and a fluoride treatment while your cat is under general anesthesia. Although some cats may allow superficial scaling of their teeth, anesthesia is needed for a thorough procedure that uses sharp instruments under and around the gums. Diseased teeth are usually extracted. Some cats need annual or semiannual dental cleaning, while others require the procedure only once once or twice in a lifetime.





http://www.catchannel.com/vetlibrary/art...





Some cats have worse teeth than others, and some may need teeth cleaning every few years. Part of owning a cat is being prepared for such expenses.





Tooth-cleaning catfood does not work, it gets mushy when it goes into their mouth. You can get a little cat toothbrush and some enzymatic cat toothpaste, but that will only work on plaque and frankly, many cats will not put up with it.





Tartar is what your cat has, most likely, and once tartar forms, no crunchy food or tooth brushing will get it off. The accumulation of which can lead to irritation of the gums, leading to exposed tooth roots, and eventually possible loss of teeth, and gum infections.





BRUSHING THEIR TEETH AND FEEDING CRUNCHY CAT FOOD DOES NOT CONTROL TARTAR. Only a proper veterinary procedure can remove plaque.