Preventing tartar, gingivitis & co

Dental care for cats

Dental health is also an important issue for cats. After all, healthy teeth make a significant contribution to the well-being of our furry friends.

How many teeth does a cat have?

The dentition of an adult cat has 30 teeth: 16 in the upper jaw and 14 in the lower jaw. To be more precise:

12 incisors
4 canine teeth
10 molars
4 rear molars

The 4 rear molars only appear with the change of teeth between the third and sixth month of life. This is why kittens only have 26 milk teeth.

Why dental care for cats?

Cats can also develop problems with their teeth over the years . Typical dental conditions include plaque, tartar, gingivitis and a form of feline caries (FORL). This still little researched, mysterious autoimmune disease literally dissolves cats' teeth.

Holistic health starts in the mouth

However, inflammation in the oral cavity is not only dangerous for the teeth . Bacteria from centres of inflammation reach the entire body via the bloodstream and can trigger random inflammations everywhere and lead to problems.

Recognising dental problems in cats

Regular dental check-ups should be a matter of course for cat owners. Because only those who keep checking can recognise changes quickly and take action. Some indications speak in favour of dental health problems:

Bad breath
Reddened gums
Hard plaque, especially on the molars
Brownish discolouration of the teeth
Poor or no intake of (dry) food
Drooling and increased salivation
Bloody saliva

If you notice one or more of these signs, it is strongly recommended that you consult a vet at .

Interesting facts about tartar

A few interesting facts about tartar in cats:

What is it?	Effect of
Milk	Cats that drink a lot of milk have an increased risk of tartar formation.
Mice	Cats that eat mice are less likely to suffer from tartar build-up. The reason for this is the mechanical cleaning of the teeth when chewing up the small prey.
Genetics	Genetics also plays a role in tartar that should not be underestimated. Narrow-headed or short-headed breeds with closely spaced teeth tend to have more problems with tartar. Food debris is more likely to stick to teeth with misaligned or closely spaced teeth , which then favours the formation of tartar.

Recognising tartar in cats

What does tartar look like and how do you recognise it?

Tartar is hard, yellowish to brown discoloured deposits on the cat's teeth, which usually protrude to the gums and cause inflammation there. In fact, tartar affects many cats, usually from the age of around 3 years. This is also due to the fact that they drink relatively little and that theirsaliva is very rich in minerals.

How does tartar form?

Tartar is caused by food residues that stick to the cat's teeth and in the spaces between the teeth. This forms plaque, which hardens over time due to minerals in the saliva and thus forms the dreaded tartar. This in turn triggers inflammation of the gums and gum recession , which in the worst case can lead to tooth loss .

WHAT TO DO ABOUT TARTAR?

Removal

Tartar must be removed without fail. Once the deposits have formed , the only thing that can help is a visit to the vet .

Anaesthetic

The removal of tartar is usually carried out under anaesthetic. The is safe for everyone involved and painless for the cat.

Ultrasound

The teeth are cleaned with ultrasound and existing gum pockets, in which food residues can repeatedly get caught, are removed .

Preventing dental problems in cats

There are now a whole range of measures that cat owners can take to keep their cats' teeth and gums healthy.

Dry food: One way to do this is to give your cat dry food. By chewing the hard kibble, the teeth are cleaned mechanically. However, the prerequisite for this is that the cat actually chews the kibble. There are feline specimens that do not chew the dry food much or at all and simply swallow it. These cats do not achieve the desired effect and need other support.
Anti-plaque products: A simple but effective method of preventing dental plaque is to use special products, usually in powder form such as PERRO Plaque Control, which is simply added to the food and can reduce the formation of dental plaque and tartar.
Solutions that are added to the drinking water also have a similar effect, for example
Dental care crisps: They work in a similar way to chewing bones for dogs and their consistency ensures longer lasting chewing pleasure and thus clean the teeth. Due to their delicious flavour and reward character, cats are happy to accept the snacks, such as the bogadent PLAQUE-STOP CHIPS.
Toothbrushes and anti-plaque fingers: The most effective method, just like for us humans, is to brush our teeth daily . However, this needs to be practised and some cats simply don't like it. However, if you can make it palatable to your little kitten, you can start the daily dental routine with the practical set consisting of toothpaste and anti-plaque finger, for example.

Cat dental care