How Healthy AreYour Cat's Teeth?

Dental care for cats is important in order to ensure that your feline pet maintains a clean bill of health among other things.Their teeth also need to be taken care of because neglecting their teeth can lead to a lot of other problems concerning their general health.

For example, if your cat has periodontal pain, it might not eat well and experience general poor health due to a lack of the proper nutrients in the body. That’s why dental care for your cat is vital.

Most cat owners don’t know, that cats can suffer from a wide range of dental conditions if they are not properly cared for. That is why it is your responsibility to make sure that your cat follows a regimen of good dental hygiene. I realize that this sounds like a lot of work, but it will serve you and your cat well in the long run.

One of the main problems cats experience with their teeth is plaque. Just like humans, some cats, just like us humans also have tartar buildup in their teeth called plaque. This is due to the many types of food that cats eat of which some of the substances accumulate in their teeth that lead to tartar buildup. If the accumulation of plaque continues unchecked, it may lead to gum problems and eventually the loss of your cat’s teeth.

Just like people, not all cats will have the same experience with plaque. There appear to be some cats who are more prone to tartar buildup while others seem to do well even with minor dental care. Plaque is a hard, whitish-yellow deposit that gradually develops on teeth.

Generally, the plaque starts in the exterior face of the upper teeth. If left to accumulate, plaque will cause gum problems in cats. This can be seen in reddened gum lines which can indicate that the plaque is already causing some pain.

In order to prevent the build-up of plaque in your cat’s teeth, teeth cleaning may be suggested more frequently. The cats are usually put under general anesthesia by Veterinarians to have their teeth cleaned. But this service can come at a considerable cost. Having your cat’s teeth cleaned at home may be the next best thing to do.

It might be hard to clean your cat’s teeth at home because they do not usually like to have their teeth cleaned. In order to do this, you might need to wrap your cat in a bath towel before attempting to clean their teeth.

A child-size toothbrush works well when cleaning their teeth. You should also use edible toothpaste available in pet stores to make the task easier for you. Sometimes cats can get used to tooth brushing when done on a regular basis.

Sometimes when you try to check your cat’s teeth, you might find that it has smelly breath. This can be caused when a young cat is teething which takes place around six months of age, around they start losing their baby teeth which are then replaced with permanent ones.