Best food for dental health

tom k.

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I have a 3-year old cat who is very healthy except for her teeth. My vet has told me that she simply has not been blessed with good teeth. He says this is common in many cats.

So, I take her in each year for a cleaning and feed her mostly dry food. I have been feeding her Ekenuba with the "dental defense" formula. I also give her "treats" that claim to fight tartar. But neither does much good.

After her last cleaning a couple months ago she already has a good build up of tartar and her gums are red again. Early gingivitas.

She will not tolerate having her teeth brushed but I do win the fight to apply some vitamin C gel which the vet gave me. I apply it each night.

I wonder if any of you have found any particular type cat food that seems to really keep your cat's teeth clean and tartar free. Or any other advice on the subject. Thanks. Other than this she is very healthy and happy and even now does not act like her teeth bother her. But I afraid that in time they might. Thanks.

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tom k.

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Thank you for replying. She is terrified to go to the vet and it's quite an ordeal to take her in! I do need to ask him if they make any sort of additives that can go into her food or water. Thanks for mentioning that. I am hoping that there is something out there that might help and I am just not aware of it, yet.
 

spacecat

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Tom,

Ask your vet about Maxi Guard Oral Cleansing Gel. My kitty also has bad teeth and my vet has recommended it. According to the directions, you mix it up in a plastic bottle, hold kitty's head still and squeeze a couple of drops into the inside corner of her mouth, against the back teeth and gums. You do this each day, alternating the right and left sides of the mouth. The bottle says "a natural cleansing action will distribute gel to remote areas". My kitty hasn't been using it long enough to tell how well it works, but you might ask your vet, as an alternative (or supplement) to brushing.
 

hissy

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I cheat and give my cats raw chicken wings. When they gnaw on it, the scraping of the bone against enamel cleans their teeth and they love the raw wings. I checked with my vet because I was afraid of bacteria, but he said once a month was fine for them.
 
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tom k.

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I have been using the exact oral cleansing gel you mention since my last visit to the vet. It has not prevented the tartar build up, but I have to say that my cat no longer has the usual "cat breath" that she had prior to her last visit. I don't know if it was the antibiotics that I had to give her prior to her last teeth cleaning, or if the cleansing gel is the reason her breath has stayed fresh.

I have been pretty good about giving it to her every night. She hates it and fights me over it, but I can usually get a few drops in there! She seems to get over it pretty quickly and doesn't hold it against me. But she knows what is getting ready to happy when she sees me pull that bottle from the refrigerator!

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