Tartar in cats – what helps?
If your cat already has a massive buildup of tartar , a trip to the vet is unavoidable. But how can you prevent tartar from forming in cats? Daily dental care and high-quality food contribute significantly to dental health. In today's blog post, we'll explain how you can recognize the first deposits on your cat's teeth and how you can stop them from spreading.
Cause and Symptoms of Tartar in Cats
Similar to humans, the first signs of tartar buildup in cats are hard, rough and brownish deposits on their teeth. This so-called plaque is caused by food residue, harmful bacteria and components of the cat's saliva .
In contrast to tartar, plaque has a much softer structure. This means that plaque (initial deposits) can be removed relatively easily from your cat's teeth. However, if plaque hardens Tartar forms. This is not as easy to remove as plaque.
The symptoms of plaque in cats are varied. They are usually clearly visible due to the yellowish to brown discoloration of your cat's teeth. One-sided chewing can also indicate plaque and, as a result, an existing inflammation. While plaque initially forms at the neck of the tooth , it can spread over the entire tooth over time .
The main cause of plaque is harmful bacteria. They form certain sugars from food residues, primarily carbohydrates . These sugar compounds ensure that the breakdown products are deposited on your cat's teeth in the form of plaque . But that's not all - deposits of this kind are often accompanied by toxins. These cause healthy gum tissue to become inflamed, even to such an extent that the affected tissue dies.
The breakdown products of the harmful bacteria can spread throughout your cat's body via the bloodstream. This can lead to heart, kidney and liver diseases . In older cats in particular, urease (urea)-producing germs play a major role in their general health . If too much urea is produced This is metabolized into ammonia . Ammonia is dangerous because it also has a negative effect on your cat's kidneys. Your cat's kidneys cannot properly process or excrete large amounts of toxins.
If the microbial plaque that forms on your cat's teeth is not removed regularly, tartar will spread uncontrollably. Genetic factors can promote the spread, and your cat's age and the mineral concentration of their saliva can also promote deposits and plaque.
How can you prevent tartar in cats?
Similar to humans, veterinarians also use ultrasound technology to remove tartar professionally. However, since cats in advanced stages cannot undergo the procedure without anesthesia, professional tooth cleaning is associated with considerable effort, risk and expense. It is not uncommon for inflammation and pockets that have already formed in the gums to have to be treated during tooth cleaning. In this case, we are talking about surgery.
But how can you prevent tartar in your cat? Prevention rather than aftercare is the magic word here. With regular dental care, you can effectively prevent deposits and initial plaque and, with regular daily care, even remove them . Our emmi®- pet ultrasonic toothbrush for cats is ideal for daily dental care for your cat . And the sooner you get your cat used to daily oral hygiene, the better.
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