What is the best way to treat gingivitis and dental health?

I had my cat to the vet today for her annual checkup; she is three years old and in very good health.  However, we seem to have an issue with gingivitis.  Last year, she needed to have her teeth cleaned because of plaque/tartar on them and some mild gingivitis.  I started the process of trying to brush them, but that is something she is definitely is not fond of.  So at the recommendation of a local, boutique pet store, I started giving her the supplement called PlaqueOff.  After looking at the reviews from numerous websites, the majority of people found it quite helpful.  Anyway, back to my cat’s situation, she did not necessarily have a buildup of plaque/tartar today, but mainly redness of the gum from gingivitis.  She is fed can cat food with a small amount of dry included, for her morning and evening meals.  Both foods are grain free.  The vet said the gingivitis is primarily caused by the bacteria and some of the food particles getting up under the gums.  Brushing is the first choice of action for this problem.  He then recommended some of the specialty foods for dental health, but none of these are grain free.  Additionally, they are all dry foods which my cat is not going to eat as the primary food.  He has suggested I use the wipes in her mouth as an alternative to brushing.  Supposedly these also have enzymes which help break down the bacteria that cause gingivitis and maybe the wipes will help remove the food under the gums.  Also, I have seen recommendations for using Biotene Veterinarian Maintenance Oral Gel.  What have you found successful in dealing with this issue?  I really hate having her put under every year for teeth cleaning.  In the interim, I can maybe try to start reintroducing the brushing again

It is horrible when your cat needs regular health care routines that they do not like.  Trying to persevere can end up as one long battle and them not trusting you with anything.  Gingivitis can end up seriously damaging health though, and dental surgery expensive as well as all the risks of surgery for any reason.  It is well worth trying other ways to get her to accept some form of enzyme dental cleaning product:  that way they help significantly even if you don't brush.

If your cat didn't like brushing it is unlikely she will take to the rubbing with wipes.  My experience with wipes here was they were not nearly as effective as enzyme toothpaste.  I was using the wipes before I took Mouse to the vet with his mouth ulcers and they didn't make any difference to his red gums. It was once I started twice daily enzyme toothpaste plus dental prescription diet that things improved.  Mouse was very sick at that point and gums were much more damaged than your cat - it is worth you trying the toothpaste on its own to see if it makes the difference.  If not and she is still having problems you still have the option of adding the diet in.

If you can find a paste that your cat likes the taste of you can introduce it as a treat she will lick off your finger.  If she will let you away with it you can smear a little on her lips after she has licked a little so she will spread the paste more evenly about her mouth.  You might occasionally manage to smear it around her gums a little using your finger - it is less harsh than a brush so she might tolerate it occasionally - don't try this until you have won her trust with licking it off you first though.   I still use this method with Mouse now, and it is now nearly 4 years we have had a dental routine.

See if your vet has any samples of the paste - mine did and I got a little sachet first to introduce Mouse and know he would take it before having to fork out the money for a full tube.  There are quite a few different brands out there but from the reviews as long as it is an enzyme one it seems to work well.  

Good luck finding one she likes.    

I suggest having the cat's teeth cleaned by the vet first and then start regular dental care at home to minimize future cleanings.

Brushing is best beause the scrubbing action of the brush removes plaque and food particles. Here's a video on how tp brush teeth: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet-owners/cat-teeth

Daily toothbrushing is best but short of that, one or twice a week would still be helpful.

CET makes a poultry flavored toothpaste that many cats like. There's also a seafood flavored one and a few that only dogs would like. You can get a starter kit from the vet or from Amazon.com and other online places.

CET makes other dental products like rinses and and dental chews that you could try in addition to the brushing.

Don't bother with water additives. Cats don't drink enough water from a bowl for a wate additive to have any effect on the teeth and gums. Plus the water has to be dumped every day and more water additive has to be added to the fresh water. Kind of a waste of both water and additive, IMO.

Our young cats have also had more gingivitis and tartar than cats their age should have. Beyond starting with a full cleaning and then getting them used to brushing -- which they accept because they think of CET's seafood toothpaste as a treat -- we had them tested for the Bartonella bacterium. They both tested positive so were given courses of antibiotics. Our vet told us she's seen great improvements in many cats' mouths after antibiotic treatment for Bartonella.

Seven or eight months have passed since the antibiotics and the cats just went in last week to have their blood drawn for their followup Bartonella blood test. Even without the test results, the vet was very happy with their mouths: I don't know if it was the antibiotics or the brushing or both, but the vet said that if they stay like this, they can probably avoid cleanings. I should also mention that our cats are Siamese mixes and our vet says they have a tendency toward mouth and tooth problems.

The Bartonella theory seems controversial but I trust our vet a lot -- she's a cat specialist with a combination of great experience and intuition -- and am pleased that the cats' mouths look better. It's also kind of fun to give them their toothpaste every night because they really do enjoy it and look forward to it!

Thanks for the replies.  I did get a C.E.T. toothpaste kit last year from the vet.  Of course, that is why I know she is not fond of a brush, not that it can’t be done.  After viewing the video on brushing a cat’s teeth, maybe I didn’t work up to it long enough.  I will try the steps in the video.  Anyway, with her gums being somewhat irritated, it may very well be best that I wait until after she has had a cleaning so her gums will heal and won’t be so tender before working up to brushing.  I did start the process last year with just inserting a Qtip into her mouth which wasn’t too bad.  In my search, I came across Oratene Veterinarian Antiseptic Oral Gel (Formerly known as Biotene Veterinarian Antiseptic Oral Gel)    https://www.vetdepot.com/oratene-veterinarian-antiseptic-oral-gel-1-oz.html.  Has anybody had any experience with this?  I thought maybe I could put it on a Qtip and apply to her gums over the next few weeks to help heal them, that’s assuming this product really is legit.  I will purchase the C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Cats and give them a try; I wasn’t aware of them last year.  When she goes back in for a follow up check on her gums, I will raise the question about the Bartonella bacterium possibility to her vet.

As a side note on the tooth brushing video where it says to put some tooth paste on her upper canine, my Bella has no upper canines, just my luck! :-)  They never emerged and x-rays from last year to see if they were possibly impacted showed there was no evidence they ever existed.  Her oral exam also revealed she is missing one lower tooth also.  I adopted her from the animal shelter at four months of age, so know there was no trauma causing the missing teeth.  However, she and her brothers were very malnourished and sick when they came into foster care and were fostered two months before they were healthy enough for adoption.  I hope she isn't genetically predisposed to oral issues.

I have a cat with bad gingivits too.  He is scheduled for an appointment on Friday and then I will be scheduling his dental cleaning.  He is way over due.  He also hates to have his teeth brushed.  I have tried so many different brushes and foam tipped applicators.  I have the CET toothpaste and had to purchase a few to find one he liked.  I have found the best method that works for my cat and myself is to use a wash cloth (dry) with some of the toothpaste on it.  I try to massage it into the gums and on his teeth the best I can.  I can wrap the wash cloth around my finger which also helps if he tries to bite or scratch me.  I found a youtube video on this method and it does work for us.

I thought I would share with all what I am going to try with respect to brushing Bella’s teeth.  Though I was working at brushing her teeth last year, I found my biggest problem was being able to pull her mouth (lips) back to get to her teeth.  It also does not help that she is a very petite kitty with a small mouth, making it harder to access the teeth (and the fact that she is not a lap cat either!).  As I noted in an earlier reply on this issue, I am able to slide a Qtip into the sides of her mouth without a lot of fuss.  So I was trying to come up with alternatives to the CET brush where I could just slide a tool into her mouth that has some abrasion.  I started researching the interdental brushes people use to get in between their teeth for plaque removal and found these brushes made by TePe.  I think this will work perfectly once I work up to getting her to enjoy the toothpaste.  They just arrived today; I purchased the extra soft brush so she won’t find it irritating to her gums and will better accept it in her mouth.  This is the 1.1mm size (the largest size in the extra soft version) which I assume refers to the wire size because the brush bristles measure about 7mm across.  I have attached a picture showing its size in comparison to the CET brush and a Qtip.  They also come with one handle as shown in the picture to make it easy to use.  The brush is very soft, but should work well for the cat since it is used for plaque removal for people.  This might be an option for others to use, especially if your cat accepts the finger with a wipe being placed in its mouth.  The tooth paste should arrive in a few days.  I hope I will be able to provide a success story in a few weeks on this brush and that her gingivitis will be improved when she goes back for a dental check!!

I use these interdental brushes my self and stupidly never occurred to me to try with Mouse.  They are very easy to handle with the little finger grip right next to the tiny brush.  The thing to be careful of is probably that the wire end to the brush could be sore if your cat moves or struggles as it is not protected in any way.  Great size for getting in to a cat's mouth though.  I may just try this this evening.  They are designed for running in and out between teeth so bend when you put sideways pressure on the wire but for light brushing it will be interesting to see how it works.

I never thought of using the clear holder as a handle, I've always just used it to cover the brush after use but it does give some added length to the handle.

You don't need to brush very hard. A gentle swab of the brush against the teeth is enough.

I have plastic dental pick things that I use to poke the food out from in beween my Aby's premolars.

Good point about the wire end.  I checked the end of these brushes and the wire end is really smooth.  However, I will take one of my jewelry pliers and bend the tip over to make sure there will be no issues.  LTS3 - I agree with not needing much pressure.  Just having something that provides a little friction will probably do wonders; however, I am glad I purchased the extra soft brushes to help ensure her gums don't get damaged.

I also brush Angel's teeth. His first cleaning a few years ago, he had to have two extractions. One on each side, right in the middle of the bottom sides. The, even after brushing, but only once a week, as originally told, a couple of years later, during his cleaning, he needed another one on the bottom left. After that I try to brush his teeth 2-3xs a week, but know I could still do better. I found an enzyme toothpaste that he really likes.

It's malt flavor, & comes in a kit. I have only found it at Pet Supermarket.  (I've tried others, & he doesn't like them, so stick w/ this one).  The kit is around $12.00. I don't use the finger cap, as it's just too big for a cats mouth.

They don't sell the toothpaste separate, so you get a new brush every time. I just use the finger cap as a cover so to speak for his toothbrush. I keep it standing up in a jar w/ his toothpaste. 

Oh, I also call it his "brush, brush treat" I let him lick a little from the brush first, so he knows it's coming. I also recently got the idea to add a couple of drops of colloidal silver to the brush before the toothpaste, in hopes it will help w/ a little pickness he has around his top left teeth, inside.

 I also made a video of me brushing Angel's teeth a few weeks ago, thinking maybe it could be helpful to someone. It only took one minute & 14 seconds to brush his teeth.

 I just uploaded it to photobucket, so I could post it.  

Here is the kit

     
Here is the video, best I could do by myself. I set him up on the washer, because it's a good hight. I make sure he is laying on his side, so feet aren't under him, for a get away. 

It's also important to let them finish any licking in between, so theres not a struggle getting in. 

http://s1255.photobucket.com/user/kelly8-69/media/VID_20150718_224856090_zpscs92np6e.mp4.html

Thanks for the purraise Lisa. I'm glad it's helpful!  

Angels mommy said:

 
Thanks for the purraise Lisa. I'm glad it's helpful!  

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The video is great! I love seeing how you brush Angel's teeth: it's very different from how I brush our cats' teeth. I may try some of your methods... Angel looks like a total angel for the brushing, so I wonder if you get better results because you alternate more than I do between brushing and giving him toothpaste as a treat. Thanks again!

That is a great video you provided along with your tips for brushing.  Your cat seems so comfortable and relaxed with the process---alas, I can only hope!!!

LisaHE said:

 
The video is great! I love seeing how you brush Angel's teeth: it's very different from how I brush our cats' teeth. I may try some of your methods... Angel looks like a total angel for the brushing, so I wonder if you get better results because you alternate more than I do between brushing and giving him toothpaste as a treat. Thanks again!

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brenda1 said:

 
That is a great video you provided along with your tips for brushing.  Your cat seems so comfortable and relaxed with the process---alas, I can only hope!!!

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Thanks you guys!!  I'm really glad it is helpful. I only wish I could have a better angle w/ the camera, but just had to prop it up.  I really do think letting them finish any licking they have to do & swallowing, makes a big difference. Then, they aren't struggling w/ you, because their trying to do that, & your trying to get the brush in at the same time.  It's also nice because it does show, & remind us all that it really only takes a  couple of minutes or less. I think patients, & positive reinforcement makes all the difference.   

mickNsnicks2mom  
"i'm soooo glad you were able to make this video of your Angel's teeth brushing! great video!"

Thanks!  Since we talked about it in our last pm, I thought it would be a good idea. Thanks for the encouragement, & purraise!  

You probably already saw, @Angels mommy, that I posted a link to your post with the video on another thread. I'm getting more real brushing in now that I've started brushing a little more like how you do, so thank you again!

Your welcome!!