Last updated Sep 9, 2022
A fully grown cat has a total of 30 teeth; two less than us humans. But just like ours, these teeth require dental care. In our case, it is easier to take care of our teeth because we have so many measures such as brushing and flossing.
But for cats, they are at a big disadvantage. Luckily, the cat medical world has recognized this problem and new ways have been formulated to maximize cats’ dental health.One of the easiest ways to ensure that your favorite pet has a healthy smile is through dental maintenance.
With that being said, we went out and researched the entire market for the very best cat toothpaste on the market today.
At A Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Dental Toothpaste for Cats
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Petsmile Professional Pet Toothpaste
- VOHC Seal of Approval
- Doesn’t contain sorbitol
- Proprietary formula breaks down plaque and bacteria
Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Dog & Cat Toothpaste
- Triple-enzyme formula
- Calcium pyrophosphate prevents tartar
- Zinc gluconate has antibacterial properties
Oxyfresh Premium Pet Toothpaste
- Doesn’t contain sorbitol
- Minimal ingredients
- Infused with aloe and chamomile to soothe gums
Oratene Enzymatic Brushless Toothpaste Gel
- Contains enzymes to break down plaque and manage bad breath
- Provides antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral protection
- Designed to relieve dryness, irritation, inflammation, and redness without causing salivation
Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Dog & Cat Toothpaste
- Available in beef, malt, poultry, seafood, and vanilla mint
- Dual-enzyme system inhibits plaque
- Good choice for multi-pet homes, as it’s suitable for both cats and dogs
Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Enzymatic Dental Kit
- Formulated specifically for cats
- Most cats like the taste
- No foaming agents
Why Cat Dental Care Is Important?
Dental cat treats are like gum for cats. They are meals, treats & snacks given to cats on their own or incorporated into their diet to help them maintain good dental hygiene. These treats are made of clinically-tested ingredients and are also flavored to ensure enjoyment.
With the use of dental treats, you don’t have to worry where your cat has been or what it’s eaten. Once you mix it in with its regular diet, it will get rid of all the harmful germs and bacteria that have accumulated in its mouth all day.
Tips To Maintain Good Cat Dental Health
Check -Up
This is the most basic step when it comes to cat health care in general. Take your cat to the vet on a regular basis to ensure that you are up to date on its dental health. Come up with a schedule like, let’s say, every three months.
Healthy Diet
Teeth can also be affected by the type of food you give to your pet. Refrain from giving it same type of food over and over again. Mix it up to ensure that the diet is balanced and gives the cat all the necessary food nutrients.
Solid Foods
Give your cat something hard that they can chew on in order to strengthen their teeth and gums. Generally, the best cat food for dental health is Food such as unprocessed beef and turkey. You can also give it a bone to chew on and play with as a form of teeth exercise.
Bad Breathe Control
We are not the only ones who experience bad breath if we ignore our teeth for quite some time. Even cats have the same problem. If you are close to your cat, you will notice when its breath is not that pleasant and that is when you take action.
Pay Attention
You can prevent a lot of cat diseases by paying close attention to them. Any time your cat has a dental problem, it will show some level of discomfort which can easily be noticed if you stay vigilant.
Check Your Cat for Tartar
Tartar is the hard sticky substance that forms at the gum and on the teeth of cats. Every once in a while, you can check your cat’s teeth to see if there is any tartar buildup and then have it removed accordingly.
Prescription Spray
Your cat may be having a tooth problem or a bad odor that just won’t go away. Go to your vet so that a spray can be prescribed to aid in the situation. It may be a problem that is not visible to the eye and a spray is well-suited to reach all areas, especially the unseen parts.
Antiseptic Gels and Rinses
There are numerous pet stores that have health care products for all kinds of pets, especially cats and dogs. You can easily get gels and rinses that will make your job easier. However, it should be noted that not all gels or rinses have the best taste and convincing your cat to take them may prove to be a bit of a challenge.
All of these products contain Sorbitol which is essentially sugar (sugar alcohol to be exact). Most of them even list Sorbitol as the first ingredient. Isn’t this bad for the cat’s heath? Especially considering that they will be swallowing this and we are supposed to brush their teeth couple times a week at least.
Hi Charlie, good point. It does appear that sorbitol is safe in small quantities, but it’s hard to say how it may affect cats’ health over time. The primary concern with sorbitol is its effect on digestion—it can make food move more quickly through the digestive tract and may cause diarrhea. This doesn’t seem to be something that will build up over time, however, so if your cat seems able to tolerate it in the short-term, avoiding a sorbitol-based toothpaste for this reason doesn’t make much sense. The other concern is that it may cause problems for cats with diabetes. Overall, it’s an ingredient to approach with caution, but we don’t know enough to say whether or not it’s a hazardous inclusion in your cat’s toothpaste.
I would like to know options for cat toothpastes that do not contain sorbitol
Hi Eric, thanks for commenting! I know we went over this by email, but Petsmile is a good option that doesn’t contain sorbitol and which seems to be one of the best-performing options on the market. All the best!
Sorbitol gives my 8 month old kitten diarrhea any time I use these to brush her teeth. Even if I take a break and then only use it one night, she will have loose stools the next day. Any recommendations for good toothpastes without Sorbitol?
Hi Jenn, Petsmile toothpaste doesn’t contain sorbitol: https://www.amazon.com/Petsmile-Professional-Toothpaste-Human-Grade-Ingredients/dp/B0988DB9PP/?tag=wwwallabou001-20
My Kitty, Aubree will NOT use ANY of the toothpastes. So I have been brushing, and following this up with the dental cloth/wipes.
I am also incorporating the powder into her canned/wet food. Any other thoughts on how to give her the optimum in Oral Hygene?
Hi Marilee, besides what you’re already doing, there are a few things you can do to ensure that Aubree has good dental hygiene. One is taking her in for professional cleanings to remove any lingering plaque, and most importantly, tartar. Additionally, you might consider feeding her some raw meaty bones. Compared to wet food, these take more effort to eat and can help to remove dental buildup. Raw feeding is controversial and complex; you won’t want to feed raw if she is immunocompromised, and it’s important to make sure that the bones are fairly small. Remember that cats can safely eat the bones of mice, lizards, chipmunks, and other small prey animals, but larger bones from pork or beef may pose a risk. Again, this is a relatively controversial area, so you may want to consult your veterinarian before incorporating raw bones into her diet. Hope this helps!
Hello, I currently use C.E.T virbac toothpaste for my FIV+ cat. But I recently read that Sodium benzoate, Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous, and
Potassium Thiocyanate are all harmful to cats. And that the two enzymes in it (Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase) are not tested on pets and work well in humans, but could be harmful for cats. I read that sodium benzoate is safe for dogs, but not cats. And dicalcium phosphate anhydrous causes kidney stones and organ issues that could kill a cat. I do not know what to do or what toothpaste to use. Is a natural homemade one better? I am also concerned about the purified water because I heard that is bad for cats. And is the poultry digest safe? I’m unsure what that is.
Hi George, thanks for the comment, and nice work reading up on this. Frankly, I’m not a vet or veterinary nutritionist, and I can’t give definitive answers on all of this. But I will say that while some of these can be harmful in certain quantities or under certain circumstances, I haven’t seen enough evidence to think that the amounts used in common toothpaste products for cats will be harmful. Dicalcium phosphate is one I’ve recently had to address with a veterinarian working on staff at a pet food company, and they say that “dicalcium phosphate supplies calcium and phosphorus, 2 essential minerals, to the food. Extremely high levels of calcium in the blood can lead to calcification of tissues and renal disease, this is seen with vitamin D toxicity because of the mechanisms within the body. Added at an appropriate level to make sure the calcium and phosphorus meet the AAFCO minimum required nutrient levels without exceeding the maximum levels is not going to lead to health issues in an otherwise healthy pet.” They add that “If you google pretty much any mineral ingredient that is used in pet food, you will find warnings because the information is not specific to proper inclusion levels.” Regarding those enzymes, cats produce their own lactoperoxidase, just like humans and other animals do, so that’s promising, but glucose oxidase does remain a mystery. However, the products including these ingredients do appear to have been tested and found both effective and safe, so I wouldn’t be too concerned. Poultry digest should be safe, yes—it’s a product made from hydrolyzed poultry tissue. The proteins are broken down and concentrated for intense flavor.
My vet directed me to the Veterinary Oral Health Council website for recommended products – https://vohc.org/accepted-products/ Wondering what you guys think of these? Will you guys review any of these?
Great question, Jesus! We’ve covered some of the VOHC-approved treats here: https://cats.com/best-dental-cat-treats and one of the prescription dental diets here: https://cats.com/best-foods-for-cats-with-dental-disease. I’m not familiar with the Healthymouth gels and water additives, though, so I’ll see if we can schedule a review!