Does cat toothpaste without physical brushing still have any positive dental benefits?

I've been trying to train my kitten to let me brush her teeth. I got a toothbrush/toothpaste kit from Petsmart (this one). She likes chewing on the toothbrush when there's only water on it, but she seems neutral at best about the toothpaste. I can get her to lick a little bit of it off. I was wondering if that alone has any benefit for her? The toothpaste is enzymatic, does that mean it will help break down plaque? 

We're working up to actual brushing but we're not quite there yet. 

Side question: does anyone know of any brands of cat toothpaste that their cat really enjoys the flavor of? 

Enzymatic toothpaste might improve your kitten's breath a bit and MAYBE do a tiny bit to prevent plaque build up but ultimately toothpaste alone is pretty  useless in comparison with toothbrushing with just water.

You might want to try C.E.T. toothpaste seafood or poultry flavor or get their cat dental kit  (that pointy round toothbrush is SO much easier to use than anything else, believe me, I've tried many others). Cats seem to really enjoy the taste of this toothpaste which makes it easier to get them accustomed to brushing and also serves as a reward. 

Like you at first I also tried to brush my cat's teeth with some kit I got from PetCo/PetSmart, and he would run away from me and the brush, and the toothpaste, it all changed with the C.E.T. kit, it's his favorite treat now and only took me about 2-3 weeks to get him used to brushing, and he is an adult cat.

For now just let your kitten chew on the brush - it will do a whole lot better job in terms of cleaning his teeth than giving him ANY toothpaste.

BananaPrincess said:

 
Side question: does anyone know of any brands of cat toothpaste that their cat really enjoys the flavor of? 

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CET poultry flavored toothpaste http://www.virbacvet.com/products/d...thpaste-for-dogs-and-cats/cet-pet-toothpastes There's a seafood flavored one, too. You can buy CET products and kits from Amazon and pet supply web sites if your vet doesn't sell them.

If you can smear the toothpaste on the teeth that would be helpful. You can gradually work up to gentle brushing. Licking won't really get thet toothpaste onto the teeth.

So a totally random occurrence led to me discovering how to completely brush her teeth with no problems! 

Earlier, she was a little sleepy and I was holding her in my arms like a baby. I was petting her face and decided to see if she would let me look at her teeth. I lifted up her lips and she barely reacted. So I went and got the toothbrush without the toothpaste, just some water, and tried sticking it in there, and she totally let me! She wasn't unhappy one little bit. She let me brush her incisors and her molars, then happily stayed in my arms for more cuddles. 

I guess holding her like that was my ticket to success! I tried to brush her teeth today without picking her up and she didn't let me, but once I had he on her back she couldn't care less. So happy!!

BananaPrincess said:

 
So a totally random occurrence led to me discovering how to completely brush her teeth with no problems! 

Earlier, she was a little sleepy and I was holding her in my arms like a baby. I was petting her face and decided to see if she would let me look at her teeth. I lifted up her lips and she barely reacted. So I went and got the toothbrush without the toothpaste, just some water, and tried sticking it in there, and she totally let me! She wasn't unhappy one little bit. She let me brush her incisors and her molars, then happily stayed in my arms for more cuddles. 

I guess holding her like that was my ticket to success! I tried to brush her teeth today without picking her up and she didn't let me, but once I had he on her back she couldn't care less. So happy!!

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That's great!   In the end, it's all about figuring out what works for you and your cat