The Ultimate Guide to Cat Teeth Brushing
Feb 14,2025 | puaintapets
Dental care is an essential part of keeping your cat healthy. Just like humans, cats are susceptible to dental diseases like gum disease and tooth decay, which can lead to pain, infections, and other health problems. One of the most effective ways to maintain your cat's oral health is by brushing their teeth regularly.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of brushing your cat’s teeth, share why it’s important, and offer tips to make the experience easier for both you and your feline companion.
Why Brushing Your Cat's Teeth is Important
Brushing your cat's teeth is important in a number of ways, including the following:
1. Oral health
- Prevention of plaque and calculus
The cat's mouth is an environment full of various microorganisms, plaque is a collection of different bacteria, they are tightly attached to the tooth surface, if not cleaned in time will accumulate more and more, the more serious, and then form dental calculus. Brushing can effectively remove plaque and food debris and reduce the formation of calculus.
- Prevent Gum Disease
Without brushing for a long time, plaque and calculus will stimulate the gums, leading to inflammation, bleeding, shrinkage and other problems, and in serious cases, it may also develop into periodontitis, stomatitis and other diseases, which will affect your cat's eating and oral health.
Related: What if my pet has a gum disease?
- Keep breath fresh
Cats will have a lot of food residue left in their mouths after eating food, and if they don't like to drink water, they are prone to bad breath. Brushing can effectively remove food residues and bacteria in the mouth and keep the breath fresh.
2. Physical health
- Preventing digestive diseases
Food such as cat food and canned food will enter the digestive system after being chewed by the teeth. If bacteria grow in the mouth, they will also travel all the way down with the food, triggering digestive diseases such as chronic esophageal ulcers and gastrointestinal flora imbalance.
- Reducing the risk of systemic infections
Bacteria in the mouth may enter the bloodstream through wounds and travel to various body organs, triggering diseases such as endocarditis, nephritis, arthritis, etc., affecting the cat's lifespan.
3. Quality of life
- Enhancing your cat's comfort
A cat with a healthy mouth will not feel pain or discomfort when eating, and will be able to enjoy food better, improving the quality of life.
- Enhance your cat's immunity
Oral health helps to maintain a healthy state of the whole body and strengthens the cat's immunity, making it more resistant to disease.
Signs of Dental Problems in Cats
Regular brushing can prevent many dental issues, but it’s important to watch for signs that something might be wrong with your cat’s teeth. These include:
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Drooling
- Red or swollen gums
- Difficulty eating or chewing
- Loose teeth or teeth that are discolored
- Behavioral changes like pawing at the mouth or reluctance to play or eat
If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to take your cat to the vet for a professional dental check-up.
How to Brush Your Cat's Teeth?
1.Pre-preparation
- Choose the right tools
Choose a pet-specific toothbrush and toothpaste, with a small brush head and soft bristles, and toothpaste that is swallowable by cats and fluoride-free.
- Let your cat get used to the brushing tools
Before formal brushing, let the cat smell the toothbrush and toothpaste, then gently touch the cat's teeth and gums with the toothbrush to let the cat gradually get used to the feeling.
2.Brushing steps
- Immobilize your cat
Place your cat on a stable surface, such as a table or sink, and wrap your cat's body in a towel or blanket, exposing only its head to prevent it from struggling and escaping.
- Cleaning the outside of the teeth
With one hand, open the cat's mouth from the side, with the other hand, dip the toothbrush into an appropriate amount of toothpaste and place it on the cat's teeth at a 45-degree angle, gently brushing the teeth and gums in the order of back to front, outside to inside. Every tooth surface should be brushed, especially the junction of teeth and gums.
- Cleaning the inside of the teeth
If you need to clean the inside of the teeth, you can gently prop open your cat's mouth with your fingers and extend the toothbrush to the inside of the teeth for cleaning.
- Cleaning the mouth
After brushing the teeth, rinse your cat's mouth with water or a special oral cleaning solution for pets to remove any residual toothpaste.
3.Precautions
- Brushing Frequency
It is recommended to brush your cat's teeth daily or at least 2-3 times a week to keep the mouth clean.
- Reward your cat
During the tooth brushing process, if the cat performs well, appropriate rewards such as snacks or praise can be given to enhance the cat's acceptance of tooth brushing.
- Pay attention to observation
During the tooth brushing process, pay attention to observe the cat's reaction. If the cat appears to be in discomfort or resistant, stop brushing immediately and consult the veterinarian for advice.
If the cat does not cooperate with brushing, or if the owner finds it more convenient to use dental cleaning powder, dental cleaning powder is also an option. Teeth cleaning powder is relatively simple to use and can be sprinkled directly on your cat's food, allowing your cat to naturally clean its teeth as it eats. Teeth cleaning powders are also usually more natural in their composition and less irritating to your cat's teeth and gums.
Advantages of Dental Cleaning Powder for Cats
There are the following advantages of using dental cleaning powder for cats:
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Cleaning the oral cavity
Dental cleaning powder can effectively remove stains and calculus on the surface of the cat's teeth and reduce the formation of plaque, thus keeping the mouth clean and preventing oral diseases.
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Easy to operate
Compared with brushing, the operation of using dental cleaning powder is more simple and convenient. Simply sprinkle the powder on the cat's food and let the cat clean its teeth naturally during the eating process, without the need for the cat to open its mouth as in the case of brushing, and without worrying about the damage that may be caused to the cat's gums during brushing.
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Natural Ingredients
Many teeth cleaning powders are made with natural ingredients that are less irritating to your cat's teeth and gums and are gentler for cats to use, especially for those who are uncomfortable with brushing or have sensitive mouths.
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Continuous action
The active ingredients in the teeth cleaning powder can continue to work in the cat's mouth, 24 hours of continuous secretion of effective substances through saliva to protect oral health, and can maintain a clean and healthy state of the mouth for a long time.
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Improvement of breath
The powder can effectively reduce the growth of bacteria in the cat's mouth, thus improving the cat's breath and keeping the cat's mouth fresh.
FAQs
Is toothpaste safe for cats?
The safety of toothpaste for cats depends on the ingredients in the toothpaste and how it is used. Pet-specific toothpastes are usually safe for cats because they are made with food-grade ingredients and do not contain fluoride, xylitol, foaming agents, and other ingredients that are harmful to cats. These toothpastes also come in cat-friendly flavors such as chicken, beef or catnip to increase acceptance.
However, human toothpaste is not suitable for cats because it may contain ingredients that are toxic to cats, such as fluoride and xylitol. Cats may swallow toothpaste while brushing and these ingredients may build up in the cat's body and cause health problems.
My cat hates having its teeth brushed. What can I do?
If your cat is resistant, go back to the step of getting them used to the process more slowly. You can also try different flavors of toothpaste or a different type of toothbrush. Additionally, make the experience as short and positive as possible.
Is it necessary to brush my cat's teeth if they eat dry food?
It is necessary to brush your cat's teeth even if they eat dry food.
Although dry food is relatively hard compared to wet food, and may provide some friction to the teeth during the cat's chewing process, this friction is very limited and cannot thoroughly clean the surface of the teeth and teeth in the food debris, plaque and calculus.
The structure of the cat's mouth is special, with tightly arranged teeth and small gaps, food residues can easily be left in the gaps and gum grooves, which can harbor bacteria and cause oral diseases.
If teeth are not brushed for a long time, cats may suffer from oral diseases such as dental calculus, periodontitis, bad breath, etc. These diseases not only affect the cat's oral health, but also trigger other systemic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, etc., which seriously affects the cat's quality of life and longevity.
Conclusion
Brushing your cat’s teeth may seem challenging at first, but with patience and consistency, it can become a rewarding part of your cat’s routine. By following the right steps and using the proper tools, you can help prevent dental diseases and keep your cat’s smile healthy and bright. Remember, it’s never too late to start, so make dental care a priority to ensure your cat enjoys a long and healthy life.
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