cat teeth!!

[catlover32648]

Hey pet talk!!! I was wondering do you have to brush cat teeth everyday?? cus I have 8 of my own and Its really hard, to do it daily.. & by when do they start getting yelloww??? & what does it cause??? I really need to know thiss!!!

[Catty1]

You might be able to space out the brushing a bit more by using good dental food.

OR, get Hill's Dental dry food and some MediTreats, and use those as treats (no other treats allowed, that is).

They will really help keeping the teeth clean.

I have had my one cat three years and the other two years, and no cleanings needed yet (and I don't brush their teeth either).

Ask your vet about this, too.

[Catlady711]

If you can just brush them once a week it will make a big difference, even if you only get the outsides of the back teeth.

Yellowing and build up is from tartar which is basically food and bacteria stuck to the enamal of the tooth. If tartar is left on there for a long time the bacteria get into the gums then into the blood stream causing not only mouth problems but can also cause liver, kidney and heart problems too. It's important to have them cleaned when your vet recommends it.

Crunchy food and treats do help keep the tartar from forming but only a vet done dental cleaning will really remove it properly once its formed, as it is very hard stuff and extends just under the gumline. The pet has to have anesthetic and the vet uses special ultrasonic scalers to remove the tartar then examines the gum line more closely.

How often a pet needs a dental cleaning has some to do with the food and ALOT to do with genetics. All my cats eat the same foods/treats, but one had a denistry done at ONE year and 3 years old and another didn't need one until she was 12 years old.