Feline Dental Health

How to Avoid Cat Dental Problems

When you think of all the illnesses that you need to protect your cat against, one of the last ones that comes to mind is dental problems. Believe it or not dental problems can make life unbearable for your cat. A cat with sore cavity ridden teeth will find it to painful to eat; the change in their diet due to their dental problems can wreak havoc on their other systems. Along with the painful eating, dental problems left uncared for can lead to heart, liver and kidney disease.

Your cat can not get take care of her teeth all by herself; it is your responsibility to see that your cat gets the proper preventive care that they need. What are the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do before you go to bed at night?

More than likely you answered brush your teeth. If it is something that you do for your personal health then your cat needs it too. You should begin brushing your kitten's teeth right away. You can buy feline toothpaste. Ingredients in human toothpaste can be harmful for your kitten so it is very important never to use your toothpaste on your kitten.

Remember that this is a new experience for you and your kitten both. Get the kitten use to brushing her teeth with your finger first (never try to force a feline toothbrush into their mouth at first you may break some teeth. It is important that you brush your kitten's teeth at least three times a week.

If you have an older cat that has never been introduced to the tooth brushing process there is a good chance that they will not take to it if you try to start it now. Tooth brushing is just like any other trick, you will have far more success they earlier that you get started. If you don't see any problems with your adult cat's teeth, call around to your local pet boutiques, a lot of them are starting to offer scraping services. They will clean away any built up tarter on your cat's teeth.

50 percent of cats over three years of age have some kind of dental problems. In order to make sure that your cats dental problems don't turn serious or even deadly; take the time to set up and appointment with your vet. Similar technology that human dentist used are now being used by vets.

Vets can now clean your cat's teeth using a rotary scalar. A scalar cleans the surfaces and just below the gums where most feline cavities occur. After the cleaning that cat's teeth are polished and seal, these steps help to prevent the onset of any dental diseases. Depending on how serious the problem is your vet may suggest surgery in order to repair any problems.

It is easier to understand the importance of proper dental care if you have ever seen a cat that can not eat solid food. There is nothing more pathetic and sad than having to sit back and watch the cat that you love waste away to nothing because they can't eat because of all the pain they are feeling. It is never too late to get your cat back on track with their dental health. Do not be afraid or ashamed to take your cat to the vet. That is what they are there for. You want your cat to be a part of your family for many years to come, do not over look the small health risks that can shorten your cat's lifespan.