Ladies and gentlemen, do you brush your cat's teeth?
In fact, cats need toothpastes, and they may lose their teeth if they don't do it.
In this article
- The importance of brushing your cat's teeth
- method and frequency
- What to do when things go wrong
And so on.
Don't lose your cat's teeth, start today!
The importance of brushing your cat's teeth
It is very important to brush your cat's teeth.
This is because cats are prone to periodontal disease, a disease in which teeth are lost due to destruction and absorption of the tissues that support the teeth (periodontal ligament, alveolar bone, gingiva, cementum, etc.).
About 80% of cats over the age of 2 are said to be susceptible to periodontal disease.
If periodontal disease is left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss, and inflammation can spread to the jaw, cheeks, and other organs throughout the body.
Periodontal disease is primarily caused by periodontopathogenic bacteria in dental plaque. Therefore, good plaque control is very important to prevent periodontal disease.
A cat's dental plaque turns into tartar in an amazing speed of 3 days, so let's remove it during that time.
* It is said that human dental plaque turns into tartar in about 14 days.
In addition, since tartar cannot be removed at home or without anesthesia, be sure to have it removed at a veterinary hospital under anesthesia.
how to brush a cat's teeth
Did you know that brushing your teeth is important to remove plaque?
But when I actually try it, I really hate it... it bites me...
I can't do it! That is often the case.
The key to good tooth brushing is to do it as early as possible from a kitten.
It's a good idea to get them used to it by about 6 months when all of their permanent teeth come in.
However, even as an adult, you can do it without any problems if you learn the right technique. Below are detailed instructions on how to brush your teeth.
Get used to touching around the mouth first
When I suddenly put the toothbrush in my mouth, thinking, "Let's brush my teeth!"
We would be surprised if a foreign object entered our mouth without knowing why...
Also, if you force yourself to do it, you may never let me touch your mouth again.
Therefore, let's get used to "touching around the mouth" first.
Once you get used to it, put your finger in your mouth and move it around.
The important thing here is not to try to do it all at once, and to praise each time you do something.
"I was praised when I touched my mouth!" "I got a snack when I put my finger in my mouth!" ’ will be remembered.
Try using a toothpaste
Once your baby gets used to touching the mouth and putting fingers in it, try using a toothpaste.
Again, don't try to do it all at once, it's okay to do it little by little.
First of all, let's challenge from easy to brush, such as front teeth and canine teeth (pointed teeth).
However, the most easily soiled teeth are the molars of the upper jaw.
Once you get used to it, focus on that part.
Toothpaste sheets are often accidentally ingested, so be careful not to eat them.
Get used to your toothbrush
If you can do it with a toothpaste sheet, it would be nice to finally be able to use a toothbrush.
This is because it is important to brush between the teeth and gums, which can only be done with a toothbrush.
Move your toothbrush at a 45° angle to your teeth.
No force is needed for that. You may bleed, but if it's a small amount, it's fine.
Try to use a toothbrush made for animals or for children.
apply toothpaste
Applying toothpaste not only reduces the friction, but it may also make you like brushing your teeth because of the delicious taste.
There are various flavors such as vanilla flavor, chicken flavor, and bonito flavor, so you should try it.
However, do not use human toothpaste.
Human toothpaste may contain xylitol, which is toxic to cats.
Eating or licking can cause hypoglycemia.
How often do you brush your teeth?
The ideal frequency of toothbrushing is to do it at every meal, just like people do, but this is quite difficult.
Therefore, it would be nice to be able to do it somewhere once a day.
However, as mentioned above, the cat's plaque turns into tartar in about 3 days, so it is okay if you remove it within 3 days.
It would be nice to be able to clean all the teeth in three days, such as "Today only the left side" and "Tomorrow only the front side".
What to do when things go wrong
Because it is difficult to brush a cat's teeth, there are many things that can not be done well even with the method I told you.
In such a case, it is one of the ways to give a snack or gum that has a toothpaste effect.
However, these are effective when chewed, so there is no point in swallowing them whole.
If the dog seems to swallow it whole, the owner should hold it by hand and let it chew.
There are also toothpaste foods like the Hills Prescription Diet t/d.
This is a type of meal in which each grain is made large and chewed to scrape off the dirt on the surface of the teeth.
Since it is a therapeutic food, it may not be suitable for children with chronic diseases, so please consult with your doctor before using it.
It is said that plaque builds up more easily on wet food than on dry food, so if you are feeding your cat with wet food, it would be a good idea to increase the amount of crunchy food.
A food box that prevents moisture and keeps it crispy
is very useful for saving
There are some products that are OK just by licking or dripping, but there are individual differences in the effect, and there is no medical basis.
[Summary] I can't brush my cat's teeth! How often and how to brush your teeth
Mouth care is often done well by doing it from a kitten.
You can do it once every three days, so don't force yourself to do it and get used to it little by little.
If it is really difficult, you can use toothpaste gum or snacks.
In order to extend the healthy life expectancy of your beloved cat, start brushing your teeth today!
Reference material
- Hajime Tsujimoto, Shuichi Koyama, Kiyoshi Okusa, Atsushi Nakamura, Cat Treatment Guide 2020, EDWARD Press, p244-p251