both of my cats are 1.5 years old. 1 of then had a dental only at 14 months old. 2nd cat now has mild gingivitis. I bought virbac toothpaste, poultry flavor, as recommended by the vet. they tried as a treat and were ok with it, didnt hate it. how many times a week is good? i was thinking 1x a week since both cats teeth arent that bad. do people/cats prefer finger, finger brush or a toothbrush? how much brushing is good enough? like what if they just want to eat it like a treat? or if i rub some some around their teeth and gums and let them do the rest?
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Teeth brushing questions
- Thread starter shebaa
- Start Date
S
Sheeba
brushing itself is best, even without toothpaste. The friction removes most everything, however, if you can get an enzymatic toothpaste, such as Virbac like you're using, as well that that is perfect.
It should be at least within 48 hours as it takes 48 hours for plaque to form.
I use what my cats prefer which is a toothbrush. They don't like the finger brush. On off days I also use a q-tip to rub on their teeth. It does pick up quite a bit. To lessen my environmental impact I ensure it's q-tip brand which is carboard and not plastic in between the ends.
It should be at least within 48 hours as it takes 48 hours for plaque to form.
I use what my cats prefer which is a toothbrush. They don't like the finger brush. On off days I also use a q-tip to rub on their teeth. It does pick up quite a bit. To lessen my environmental impact I ensure it's q-tip brand which is carboard and not plastic in between the ends.
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I do as many days as I can, which amounts to 4 to 5 days a week. My cats prefer the finger brush and I also use the Virbac toothpaste.
I think some brushing is better than no brushing! With three cats that absolutely don't like having their teeth brushed, it's a struggle for me to do all three of them consistently so my rule is that, at the very least, I do once a week. But I like to shoot for three days a week or every other day. My two boys like to try to chew on the toothbrush bristles, so I kind of have a maneuver where I let them do that but then I wiggle the toothbrush in a brushing motion so at least it's doing its job. 
I try to brush my cats' teeths everyday because I refuse to let my cats' go through the stress of dental cleaning (and also the cost of cleaning at the vet...). I have 2 cats and use a 180 finger brush and alternate between Virbac toothpaste and Petsmile toothpaste. I brush their teeth in the evening and for their breakfast, I sprinkle some Plaque Off in their. Plaque Off and Petsmile are recognized by the VOHC (Veterary Oral Health Council) and so far, no teeth problems 
My vet suggested trying a Chux wipe to clean Phoebe’s teeth. Given the horrendous price of cat toothbrushes here, I’m not surprised she didn’t suggest one of them!
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- #8
I ended up buying colgate my first baby and toddler toothbrushes. Still a tad bit big but not too bad. It's a 2 pack for $4 at walmart
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- #9
I also using virbac as recommended by the vet. I've been doing it 2x a week but lately I've been lacking with 1x a week. Can't imagine doing it everyday!I try to brush my cats' teeths everyday because I refuse to let my cats' go through the stress of dental cleaning (and also the cost of cleaning at the vet...). I have 2 cats and use a 180 finger brush and alternate between Virbac toothpaste and Petsmile toothpaste. I brush their teeth in the evening and for their breakfast, I sprinkle some Plaque Off in their. Plaque Off and Petsmile are recognized by the VOHC (Veterary Oral Health Council) and so far, no teeth problems
I might have a look in Aldi or Woolworths, thanks!
Ummmmm I gave up on brushing his teeth but I am now giving him 14 dental greenies a day. 
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Charlie is 10 years old now and I have never done this before so how do I even get her to allow me to do anything?
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I have two boys (5 and 6), I have been brushing their teeth since they were kittens. I brush daily because they like routine (I brush their coats and then their teeth). I mainly use Vrbac with a toothbrush, but recently switched to a piece of sponge which seems less abrasive. Even though I do this faithfully, my youngest (Frankie) was diagnosed with Tooth resorption back in Oct 2021, he had two teeth extracted ($550). Another diagnosis came in Dec 2022, another tooth extracted ($410). I started using Proden, which is VHOC approved, back in March of this year in hopes of preventing this issue. I've also stopped the dry kibble in May 2022, they now eat raw homemade meals.
Frankie just had a dental this month, and although he had some tartar, there were no signs of tooth resorption ($850). Bob had a dental this week and he just had some tartar ($650 bill). Not saying it couldn't happen again, but from what i've read, genetics and food choices could play a role in this condition.
Note: I've added the dental bill cost to show that it's much more expensive NOT to do preventive dental care.
Frankie just had a dental this month, and although he had some tartar, there were no signs of tooth resorption ($850). Bob had a dental this week and he just had some tartar ($650 bill). Not saying it couldn't happen again, but from what i've read, genetics and food choices could play a role in this condition.
Note: I've added the dental bill cost to show that it's much more expensive NOT to do preventive dental care.
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I agree with what others have said about brushing often, so important! After trying many different kinds of toothbrushes over the years, this small CET cat one has worked the best for us. Unfortunately it isn't sold by itself, only as part of a kit. So it's better (if only for one cat) to purchase it with the sample-sized toothpaste rather than full-sized tube, because the brushes need to be replaced more often than the toothpaste does. The style of this brush is great because the bristles are angled forward to create a slim shape that isn't bulky in a cat's small mouth, it's more natural than the boxy shape that happens when bristles are straight up.
Luckily my boy tolerates his teeth getting brushed every day, when he's sleepy he lets me get in there...and he was adopted as an adult, without the advantage of getting used to the process as a kitten. In the beginning he was given boiled chicken/treats after the brushing (which negated the advantage of brushing!) but after time he got used to it without food rewards, only verbal praise : ) It's just a part of our daily routine.
Luckily my boy tolerates his teeth getting brushed every day, when he's sleepy he lets me get in there...and he was adopted as an adult, without the advantage of getting used to the process as a kitten. In the beginning he was given boiled chicken/treats after the brushing (which negated the advantage of brushing!) but after time he got used to it without food rewards, only verbal praise : ) It's just a part of our daily routine.
I brush every day but I forget every day. I'm going to start using my Echo. I just said Alexa reminder 9 pm hope I won't be taking a shower!
Update: I totally forgot about it
It happens!
