I need tips on keeping tarter from building up

[candie]

I worry about my cat. It seems she got tarter build up on one of her back teeth I been brushing but it's not working.
I even give her dental treats.
She is going to see vet Tuesday and as long gums arent red they dont need to be removed?
I fear expensive problems and need to know what else is ways to prevent this from happening again after I deal with this?
She eats wet food mostly to keep UTI away and I give her 2 treats after meal for tarter control

 

[neely]

I understand your worry since I have had two cats with FORL. You might find this list of accepted products by the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) helpful:
http://www.vohc.org/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Cats.pdf

 

[candie]

I have been giving her greenies. Do you think there is a finger brush ?

 

[LTS3]

Pet stores sell finger brushes Here's one sold on Chewy.com:

PET REPUBLIQUE Dog & Cat Finger Toothbrush, 3 count - Chewy.com

Buy Pet Republique Dog & Cat Finger Toothbrush, 3 count at Chewy.com. FREE shipping and the BEST customer service!

www.chewy.com

A cotton swab would also work to reach the back teeth. The ones typically sold in pharmacies might not be long enough. You can buy cotton swabs with longer sticks (6 inches or 12 inches) online.

 

[candie]

Awesome guess I will wait and see after I see my vet bill and hope it's minor

 

[Azazel]

If you’re up for it and your cat will chew them, raw chicken gizzards are wonderful for keeping teeth clean. They are also really cheap to get from a butcher. You can cut a small piece (not too small that they don’t have to chew it) and see if your cat will chew it. I don’t really think the greenies do anything. In the wild cats keep their teeth clean by tearing raw meat and bones. The gizzards are nice and chewy and cats have to work their jaws to tear through them. Roughly half a gizzard a day (depending on the size) is a good treat!

This being said, if your cat already has tartar build up and early gingivitis then you should also probably get a teeth cleaning. Talk with your vet about that.

 

[lisahe]

Our vet recommends toothbrushing (we use CET brushes and toothpaste) and/or using a probiotic specifically targeting the mouth (Entero trubenefits). We only brush our cats' teeth but it has been very helpful!

 

[molly92]

Seconding the raw gizzard recommendation! I had such difficulty with teeth brushing, and greenies sometimes aren't great for sensitive stomachs in addition to not being that effective or healthy, honestly. I go in with a couple of other people in my area on an order from Hare Today (they have duck and turkey too, for variety) and my cat loves them. It did take her a few tries to figure out what to do with them the first time, but she is also not very bright and she got the idea soon enough. We went from needing to probably schedule a dental cleaning in 6 months to great teeth at the next vet visit.

 

[candie]

I don't know how I feel about raw. But I hope to use a finger brush and cat toothpaste.
I guess I will see what vet says Tuesday.
I hope it's nothing but tarter to take care of

 

[lisahe]

I don't know how I feel about raw. But I hope to use a finger brush and cat toothpaste.
I guess I will see what vet says Tuesday.
I hope it's nothing but tarter to take care of

To add to what I posted above, our cats highly recommend a dental hygiene kit, this one on chewy. They both really dislike the finger brush -- which our vet says is what many/most of her clients prefer! -- but love the little brushes that come in these kits.

 

[candie]

Vetoquinol Enzadent Dual-Ended Toothbrush for Dogs & Cats - Chewy.com

this is the toothbrush I got. And it didn't work or either I can't get my cat to behave when I use it

 

[LTS3]

Try a smaller toothbrush. CET has a mini cat toothbrush that works great. See https://thecatsite.com/threads/treats-and-feed-brands.407285/#post-5077419 for a picture and the exact dental kit that has it.

 

[Azazel]

One of my cats will only tolerate a q-tip

 

[lisahe]

Vetoquinol Enzadent Dual-Ended Toothbrush for Dogs & Cats - Chewy.com

this is the toothbrush I got. And it didn't work or either I can't get my cat to behave when I use it

I agree with LTS3 that it looks big. We use the CET ones that I and LTS3 linked to in previous posts.

Also (I know this will sound crazy) did you go through the methodology in the Cornell "Brushing Your Cat's Teeth" videos? Our vet recommended this and it really worked for us. It's here: Brushing Your Cat's Teeth | Partners in Animal Health

Going slowly really helps. If your cat (like ours) is interested in the toothbrush from the start, you can go faster but they recommend a month.

 

[candie]

She keeps fighting me it's hard but I don't like to keep doing dental cleaning . she is a fighter a stubborn one

 

[lisahe]

She keeps fighting me it's hard but I don't like to keep doing dental cleaning . she is a fighter a stubborn one

Did you check out the videos I linked to above? Almost all of us needed to work up to actual dental cleaning.

 

[candie]

Yeah but I wonder how they do it easily . looks easy but depends on my cat. When my cat had to have eye drops to her eyes my vet showed me how but I think when a stranger holds her she stays still but me she is hard to handle