What are general recommendations for cleaning cats teeth?

4 YO indoor cat, the vet said she wants to do a detailed cleaning (w/anesthesia, and that there's at least 1 cavity. But she only briefly looked in the mouth. I had another cat have it done at 11 YO, but I would think 4 is kind of young to be showing gingivitis, etc. I almost think the vet just needs the cash, as harsh as that sounds. They talked me into a LOT of procedures for my other cat and ultimately said 'Oh he's fine'


Your suggestions about the teeth of the younger one? We just started brushing her teeth.

What are general recommendations for cleaning cats teeth?
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 (not tartar) 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.





If you think your vet is BSing you, take your cat to another vet. Just go for a checkup and mention that you want the vet to look at the teeth, but don't say why.





Please go forward with the removal of the tartar as soon as possible. I suspect your vet is correct - vets may insist on many extra procedures, some of which may not be ultra important, but a vet would not lie to you about such a condition. There are enough animals that your vet sees with serious conditions; he doesn't have to make them up.





For the record: BRUSHING THEIR TEETH AND FEEDING CRUNCHY CAT FOOD DOES NOT CONTROL TARTAR. Only a proper veterinary procedure can remove plaque.
Reply:you probably just need an enzyme toothpaste those work well and are generally recommended by vets they usually come in packs with a small toothbrush and a finger cap like what they use for babies. The toothpaste is usually flavoured too so they like it. Mine likes the malt-flavoured one and i use the finger cap without a problem.


alternating with wet and dry food helps with their teeth as well because too much wet food usually leads to dental problems.
Reply:IF YOU GIVE YOUR KITTY TREATS LIKE I DO IT'S BEST TO GIVE THEM THE CRUNCHY ONES AS OPPOSED TO THE DOFT ONES ALTHOUGH I DO TEND TO GIVE MINE THOSE ONCE IN AWHILE. tHE CRUNCHY ONES HAVE SOME WITH TARTAR CONTOL. BRUSHING IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA!! gOOD lUCK
Reply:It's not necessarily early to have problems with your teeth at that age. A lot depends on genetics and food and other things. A lot can be determined if you smell her breath. If it stinks, her teeth probably need to be taken better care of.





That your vet seems to be a bit overzealous when it comes to expensive treatment sounds a bit suspicious, though, and you might want to look into switching to another vet.





As for keeping her teeth clean, you can either brush them regularly with a cat-intended toothpaste (they even come in liver flavour O.o), and a special pet brush (how big your cat is determines how big a brush you can comfortably use on her). Other than that, there's a substance called "Plaque Off" that you pour a little of in her food (canned) every day, and one jar lasts approximately a year (if used for one cat). It keeps her teeth reasonably healthy, and also eliminates most of the bad breath. While this doesn't treat already formed tartar or plaque, it helps prevent it, and hopefully keeps your cat from having to go to the vet to take care of it (which isn't too nice for either your wallet or your cat).





Good luck =)
Reply:what kind food does the cat eat?? If she eats wet food maybe she just needs harder food to keep her teeth cleaner? We feed our cats dental treats also and have not had any problems with tarter.
Reply:Brushing her teeth will help, but if she's got a cavity, it needs to be taken care of.





Tartar, from what I understand from my dentist and from my vet, comes from the saliva glands. If they produce more of that something that creates tartar, you'll have to get your teeth (or your animals teeth) cleaned more. I get my teeth cleaned once a year, my husband gets his done every 6 months.





Keeping your pets mouth clean and disease free not only helps with bad breath, but gingivitis can lead to other problems too, like heart problems.





4 YO is young, but it's not a kitten. If you've never gotten his teeth cleaned professionally before, it's probably about the right time to do it. Brushing yourself isn't going to get the build up of tartar off, that will have to be done with the correct tools at the doctors office. Once they are cleaned and scaled, then brushing may help keep the tartar and gingivitis at bay.





Hope this helps.

Broken Teeth