Is dry cat food really the best way to keep my cat's teeth healthy?

There are many different opinions about pet food, even in the veterinary community. I think it is fine to offer canned and dry food to cats. Most people will leave dry food out and will offer the canned food once to twice a day but don’t leave that out as it will spoil. If the cats are heavy, look for low-calorie foods. Dry food isn’t that good for the teeth unless it is a special dental formula. These formulas have kibble that will not break until the tooth is fully engaged into the kibble. Otherwise kibble only helps to keep the tips of the teeth clean and not the gumline. Kibble is however not bad for the kidneys. Canned food is better for the kidneys because of the water content but if kidney disease does develop, cats will need a special diet for kidney disease. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions about Moe and Mac.

Great question! Royal Canin has a dry food that is for cats with sensitive teeth, and I will put a link below for it. As for differences between brands, yes there are ones. Cheaper foods will not have as good quality ingredients as the most expensive brands of food, making the price lower. In addition, certain brands of food like Royal Canin and Hill's Science Diet have veterinary nutritionists on staff to ensure the food is formulated to meet the needs of the cat; not all cat food brands have this. Friskies is not one of the supermarket brands I recommend, I personally prefer Purina. Higher quality brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. Best of luck, I hope this all helps! https://www.chewy.com/royal-canin-oral-care-dry-cat-food/dp/29863

Hello and thank you for your questions about Molly. Unfortunately there are no dental diets that are labeled as natural. That does not mean that these diets are bad however. The kibble of these diets are formulated to remain intact until the tooth is fully buried in the kibble. This is unique and will help to scrub oof tartar and massage the gum tissue which creates better oral health. Normal cat kibble will break apart as soon as the tooth begins to push into the kible. It does not maintain its form to create a scrubbing action or promote gum health. These diets have been shown to improve oral health and the cats who eat them. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Personally I haven’t had luck brushing cats teeth. Yes giving hard food and dental treats can help prevent plaque and tartar buildup. Most cats will still need a dental cleaning at some point in their life. Just like people some cats don’t build tartar and others are more prone to dental disease. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bananas,

Great question! The Veterinary Oral Health Council is a group of veterinary dentists that investigates and reviews products that are marketed for dental care in pets. You can find a list of the products for cats that have received their seal of approval here: http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_cats.html

I wouldn't worry about dry food being left out unless it's not being finished in a couple of days. Your vet may carry Virbac Dental treats or Greenies for cats, either one of those should help keep her teeth clean and be a tasty treat.

Given the symptoms described, gum inflammation ([gingivitis](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/gingivitis-and-stomatitis)) or other [dental disease](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/dental-disease-1/) may be the underlying cause(s). Both are very common in cats and may cause pain, especially when eating hard/dry food. Any[ treatment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-ways-to-treat-dental-disease-in-pets) will depend on the diagnosis but may include a [dental cleaning](https://www.petcoach.co/article/your-pets-dental-cleaning-what-to-expect), extractions, antibiotics, pain management and brushing her teeth at home. Consider a second opinion with a veterinary dentist if necessary. A dental cleaning and extractions (if necessary) will likely resolve the issue. To treat severe gingivitis, the last resort is total teeth extraction, which solves the problem for most cats. [Cats can eat without teeth](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-things-every-cat-owner-should-know-about-dental-care/) and the appetite may actually increase due to there being no more pain. If your cat eats wet food without any problem, I would probably advise to just keep her on wet food as a full mouth extraction is a major surgical procedure.