Cat teeth cleaning plays an important role in a cat’s dental hygiene. Not cleaning your pet’s teeth can cause irritation and bad breath. It makes your pet feel uncomfortable. You can clean your cat’s teeth at home or have a professional do it.
It is not so expensive. If your cat has poor dental hygiene, plaque and tartar start to build up in your cat’s teeth and gums. It can lead to inflammation of their gums, causing an infection like gingivitis, and it can even damage their internal organs.
A cat with a healthy mouth eats well and lives longer. Poor dental health affects your cat’s appetite and mood. That is why understanding treatment costs and vet recommendations is so important for your cat’s long-term comfort.
What is Cat Teeth Cleaning? Home Vs Professional Care
Cat teeth cleaning means clearing out all the plaque, tartar and bacteria from the cat’s mouth to promote good dental hygiene and reduce the risk of infections. It is done to keep their teeth and mouth clean. A cat’s teeth cleaning can be done at home or by professionals.
At Home Dental Care
You can clean your pet’s teeth by using dental gels. You can offer your cat pet dental care treats to help you clean their teeth easily. Home care dental routines help maintain good dental health. Home dental care should be provided daily, ideally, or you can do few times a week.
Professional Dental Cleaning for Cats
In most cases, a vet gives anesthesia to a cat to perform a detailed dental cleaning. They scale their gumline and polish your cat’s teeth. Vets also check for infections and take X-rays if required. They keep the records for your cats’ dental health, and whenever you visit again, they compare the results for a better understanding. Professional dental care should be scheduled once a year.
Signs Your Cat Needs Teeth Cleaning
While taking care of your cat’s health, look for any signs related to their oral health. Discolouration of your cat’s teeth can be a sign of poor oral hygiene. They may appear yellow or brown. Your cat may have bad breath and swollen, red gums that may cause it discomfort and irritation. It is due to the plaque accumulation in their teeth and gums. Some cat parents also report their cats having changes in their behaviour and pawing their mouths. These signs can be a sign of discomfort for your pet, have a vet visit.
Cleaning a Cat’s Teeth at Home
It is important to brush your cat’s teeth. It helps to maintain good oral hygiene for your cat. Do not use your own toothpaste for your cat; rather, go for a cat toothpaste that is especially designed for cats and is flavoured. That helps cats adapt to brushing easily. It is good to use a soft-bristle toothbrush for your cat.
Slowly tackle your cat with warm cuddles and treats, and prepare it for brushing. Let them taste the toothpaste and become comfortable with it. Then slowly brush teeth and gums. Rinse them through water and give them treats afterwards. Try to keep the dental cleaning session short and calm.
Cat teeth cleaning treats can also be used for plaque removal. These are chewable treats that scrub and polish your cat’s teeth. Before buying a cat tooth cleaning treat, look for the Veterinary Oral Health Council approval. Pick the treats that contain fewer artificial fillers and have a rough texture to scrub your cat’s teeth.
Remember, cat teeth cleaning treats are not an alternative to brushing. It can be used sometimes, but not always, because these treatments do not remove plaque from the lower gumline, where most dental diseases occur.
Teeth Cleaning for Cats Cost: Price Breakdown
The cost of teeth cleaning for cats can vary according to your pet’s needs and requirements. There are some factors that affect the cat’s dental treatment. These are your location and the type of clinic you are choosing for your pet. The type and amount of anesthesia used during a dental procedure, x-rays or additional imaging, the number of extractions done and the pre-screening tests also vary the cost of your pet’s dental care treatment.
The average cost range of basic teeth cleaning is around $150–$350, the cost for cleaning with an X-ray done before is around $300–$700, and the advanced dental care with the extractions costs around $800–$1,500+.
Is It Worth Getting A Cat’s Teeth Cleaned?
Yes, cat teeth cleaning is worth the cost because it has various benefits. It prevents painful infections from occurring, which then lead to expensive surgeries and advanced dental diseases. Clean teeth help to improve the appetite and play a role in your cat’s weight stability. Good dental hygiene makes your pet feel happy and be in a good mood.
How Frequently Do Your Cat’s Teeth Need Cleaning?
If you have a kitten, introduce brushing its teeth early to develop its habit. If you have an adult cat, brush its teeth daily, and for a senior cat, schedule professional dental care treatment every 6 months because senior cats have a high risk of gum disease development.
Ideally, you should clean your cat’s teeth regularly. But if you cannot brush them daily, make sure to clean their teeth three to four times a week.
Vet Tips for Maintaining Your Cat’s Dental Health
Here are some vet tips for maintaining your cat’s dental health.
- Brush your cat’s teeth regularly.
- Use dental gels or water additives for brushing purposes with soft cat toothbrushes.
- Always choose foods that support the oral health of your cat.
- Monitor behavioural changes of your cat, like any discomfort, irritation, mood swings and persistent pawing.
- Schedule a routine dental exam after 6 months for professional dental cleaning.
- Keep up with pet grooming, as oral issues can affect the overall performance and mood of your cat.
- Consider pet nutrition that includes food good for gut health and dental health. Also, include cat teeth cleaning treats in their nutrition.
Daily care and grooming of your cat makes a huge difference in preventing dental diseases.
Common Myths About Cat Teeth Cleaning
People may think cats do not need any dental care, and there is no need for their teeth to be cleaned. But it is, because 70% of the cats develop dental diseases at the age of 3. People think that teeth cleaning treats for cats can replace brushing their teeth regularly. But it is not true. Dental cleaning treatments do not remove plaque or food particles from the lower gumlines and making it more prone to dental disease development.
Some think anesthesia is very dangerous or that it is not required during dental cleaning. Making it clear that modern anesthesia is safe and quite helpful during dental procedures to keep pets in place.
Conclusion
Having a cat as a pet is a very overwhelming experience, and being a good pet parent is very necessary. While you take care of other essentials for your cat, such as its diet and grooming, taking care of its dental health is also important. Good dental health is a combination of good pet nutrition, pet grooming and pet dental care. It enhances the overall appearance and performance of your cat.
For trustworthy, empathetic care for your pet, Park Hills Animal Hospital is your trusted partner for lifelong wellness.
FAQs
Does dental cleaning make cats happy?
Yes, dental cleaning makes cats feel happy and energetic after teeth cleaning. It improves their mood and enhances their overall performance.
Are Cat Teeth Cleaning Treats Safe to Use?
Yes, these threats are safe to you. But it cannot replace brushing teeth. Because it does not clean the mouth completely, some residues may be left behind in the lower gum lines, causing plaque formation.
How Much Time Should You Expect a Cat Dental Cleaning to Take?
It takes around an hour to clean a cat’s teeth properly. The duration of the dental cleaning process may vary, depending on the needs of the pet parent and the dental health condition of the cat.
What Happens if I Do Not Clean My Cat’s Teeth?
If you do not clean your cat’s teeth, it may cause irritation and discomfort. Redness and swelling of gums, plaque accumulation and yellowing of teeth occur, which affect the overall appearance of your cat, making it look bad. These signs may lead to specific dental issues or disease, causing a painful experience for your cat.
What are the Risks of Cat Teeth Cleaning?
There are no such risks or complications of cat teeth cleaning, but in some cases, it can cause anesthetic complications like aspiration, causing pneumonia and low blood pressure, leading to kidney failure. In some cases, nerve irritation can occur that can lead to pawing of the mouth.
