Do I Need to Clean My Cat’s Teeth? Cat Teeth Cleaning is Important.

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Taking regular care of your cat’s dental hygiene is seriously one of the best things you can do for their overall health. Periodontal disease doesn’t just cause your cat oral pain – if it gets bad enough, the disease can also affect other parts of your cat’s body.

Keeping your cat’s teeth clean through diet

Cats in nature keep their teeth relatively clean through diet. Tearing through flesh and chewing on bones absolutely helps to keep your cat’s mouth healthy.

But this effect doesn’t have to be limited to cats in the wild.

Feeding your cat raw meat and bones is one of the best ways to help their teeth stay healthy throughout their life. Whether you choose a raw diet for your cat or just supplement their diet with chicken wings and necks, you can absolutely help prevent periodontal disease through feeding your cat raw.

Does dry kibble clean cats’ teeth?

Note that I haven’t mentioned the teeth-cleaning effects of dry food.

Some people – many people, including veterinarians, in fact – spread the notion that dry kibble scrapes the plaque off of teeth. This is simply not true. There is little correlation between consuming dry food and improved dental health. Simply put, the idea that dry food keeps your cat’s teeth clean is nothing more than a myth.

Brushing your cat’s teeth

People need to brush their teeth to keep them healthy. Cats also benefit from regular brushing. You can find pet toothbrushes online or at a pet store – or just use a baby toothbrush. Choose a toothpaste designed for cats! Because cats cannot spit, human toothpaste is not an okay choice for your cat. Additionally, cat toothpaste has a taste that cats love. My cat thinks of his poultry toothpaste as a tasty treat. Gently brush your cat’s teeth as well as you can.

Coconut oil also works!

Coconut oil contains a high concentration of lauric acid, known for its antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties, which is great for fighting plaque and gingivitis. When coupled with the other natural dental care solutions listed here, coconut oil can help maintain dental health. For natural cat teeth cleaning, the recommended amount is one teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight, administered once daily. You can apply the oil directly to your cat’s teeth and gums, or mix it into their food. The oil has a very low melting point, and you can give it to your cat both in its solid and liquid forms.

Here’s an article all about natural cat teeth cleaning that I think you’ll find helpful: Natural Cat Teeth Cleaning Solutions – Wildernesscat