A pet’s dental hygiene is an essential process, to prevent bad breath, dental and gum tissue problems. 7 out of 10 cats over the age of 3 suffer from tooth decay or gum disease and this is due to a poor dental hygiene. The cat tartar control plays an important role in preventing teeth and gum problems.
What Is Tartar
Tartar, also known as calculus is a thin brown-yellow layer that may be visible on the cat’s teeth, near the gum tissue.
The tartar is formed in time and is due to lack of brushing or plaque removal. The cat has plaque deposits after meals. If the plaque is not removed, in 2 to 3 days, it will mix with bacteria and the minerals in the saliva and will calcify, forming the tartar.
Tartar deposits can lead to bad breath or halitosis, gum bleeding, infections and abscesses, dental disease, gingivitis and possibly tooth loss. Some breeds are more exposed to dental problems due to their genetics and facial structure.
There are several methods to keep tartar under control and prevent its occurrence: diet, dental chews, chew toys and regular brushing.
Diet for Tartar Control
Chewing on hard textured food can help removing the plaque deposits from the cat’s teeth. There are a lot of diets that can be recommended, you need to find one suitable for your pet.
Chewing on kibble food designed for tartar control is like using a natural toothbrush, as the kibble size is larger and is more resistant than normal kibble food, stimulating the cat to chew more.
The tartar control diets contain a lot of natural fibers, which are cleaners.
If your cat has kidney disease, or he is not allowed dry food for any other reason, you should opt for other means of removing plaque and keeping tartar away.
However, if possible, your vet may recommend a small amount of tartar control food as a snack.
Dental Hygiene
Even if the idea of brushing your cat’s teeth sounds exaggerated, you should know that your cat needs a daily brushing, so as to prevent tartar deposits.
The brushing removes the deposits of plaque that cannot be removed by the special kibble.
Dental Treats
There are a lot of types of chew treats that are also beneficial for the oral health of your pet. Consult your vet about a suitable chew treat. You should also consider getting several types of chew treats for variety. You can get mint or meat flavored chew treats.
The dental treats are important for cats that have a wet diet and cannot switch to a tartar control diet for medical reasons.
Chew Toys
Cats need toys to spend their energy and to engage their mind in an activity. You should consider getting some toys that are also healthy for the cat’s teeth. There are multiple chew toys that were designed to remove plaque and strengthen your cat’s teeth.
For variety’s sake, get different types of chew toys, so that you keep your cat entertained and stimulate him to play more and keep his teeth clean at the same time.