• February is a National Pet Dental Health Month and a good time to get into a regular dental routine with your pets.
•Cats show some signs of periodontal disease by the age of three. It is the most common condition affecting pets, but it is 100% preventable.
February is National Pet Dental Health Month and in honour a turn to get into a good and regular dental routine with your pets if you don't have one.
Unlike wild cats which keep their teeth and gums healthy by chewing on bones and grass, domesticated felines need our help to achieve dental hygiene.
Aside from fresher breath, good dental care will have your cat not only happy but healthy as well. Cats usually start showing some signs of periodontal disease by the age of three.
Periodontal disease is among the most common conditions that affect pets, they often go undiagnosed and can lead to loss of teeth and damage internal organs. However, this is 100 per cent preventable.
Our feline friends need to have their teeth brushed using a pet-approved toothpaste and toothbrush and their gums examined daily to prevent plaque buildup and gingivitis.
Facts about cat teeth:
- They're razor-sharp as they're designed to eat meat.
- Kittens shed 26 baby teeth and have 30 permanent teeth as adults.
- Cats use their front incisors to groom themselves.
- Cats don’t get cavities due to the shape of their teeth and their diet,
It's best to indoctrinate brushing teeth while they're still kittens so that they get used to it as they grow up.
You can do this by letting them get comfortable with opening their mouth and having their teeth brushed with soft objects before introducing the toothbrush first.
Start by rubbing something tasty like canned tuna, on your cat’s gums using a cotton swab.
Once they've gotten comfortable with that switch to using a gauze with a pet-approved toothpaste, then slowly introduce a bristle toothbrush.
Another way to help wash away harmful plaque and bacteria is ensuring you offer them fresh drinking water especially after meals.
You can incorporate dental chews and toys as well. However, these aren't meant to replace daily brushing they're just a great tool to help remove plaque from your pet's teeth.
Note: When shopping ensure the toys and chews are made for cats and are not too hard.
Immediately take your pet to the vet if it has horrible stinky breath, bleeding gums or noticeable gum/teeth discomfort.
Also, ensure you schedule annual veterinarian visits for your feline pet to have them fully examined.