Unfortunately, commercial dry cat foods specifically designed for dental health are very rare. Purina does however manufacture a dry cat food sold through veterinarians, Purina Veterinary Diet - Feline DH (Dental Health). This dry cat food contains a larger kibble with a texture that requires the cat to chew before swallowing. The cat’s chewing acts like a toothbrush as particles scrape against the teeth to help remove plaque. Usually, the larger the kibble size, the better the food is for helping clean your cat’s teeth. Any food that your cat has to chew before swallowing is helpful in removing plaque for the surface of the teeth. Therefore, the consumption of a dry food that requires chewing is preferred over a canned food for cats that have issues with plaque and calculus buildup on their teeth.
Monitoring your cat’s teeth is a very important part of caring for your cat. Food bacteria and saliva accumulate and adhere to the tooth surface, forming a soft plaque. If plaque continues, chalk-like materials build up and form a hardened dental calculus on the tooth surface. If left unchecked, plaque and calculus buildup can eventually cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and of the membrane lining the tooth socket (periodontitis).
For some cats, it may be helpful to regularly clean their teeth. This is especially true for cats fed canned diets. Wet food has a tendency to stick to your cat’s teeth and gums due to its soft texture. Gently rub the cat’s teeth with a soft cloth dipped in water or use a toothpaste formulated specifically for cats. A toothbrush made especially for a cat or a child’s toothbrush may also be used. Some cats will allow this, others will resist. Remember to keep dental care sessions short. As a word of caution, do not use toothpaste formulated for humans because cats will ingest the toothpaste and it may cause an upset stomach.
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