The best dental products you can buy for cats

With a finger brush and poultry-flavored toothpaste, the Enzadent Toothbrush and Toothpaste Kit has everything you need to start brushing your cat's teeth.

One of the most effective ways to decrease plaque and tartar on your cat's teeth is to brush them. The Enzadent Toothbrush and Toothpaste Kit is designed specifically for cats (and dogs) and includes everything you need to get started. One of the advantages this kit offers is that it features a finger brush, which is soft and flexible and easier to control than a traditional toothbrush. There's also less risk of accidentally jabbing your cat since the hard handle of a toothbrush can knock against your cat's teeth or jaw if it struggles.

If your cat is comfortable with having its teeth brushed, you can also use the soft bristles of this finger brush to massage the gums for improved gum health. (This finger brush may be too large for smaller cats, so you may need to purchase a smaller toothbrush for your cat's comfort.)

This kit includes a non-foaming poultry flavored toothpaste designed to appeal to pets. Its triple enzyme formula effectively cleans teeth. Most importantly, your cat can safely swallow this toothpaste, so there's no need to worry about rinsing.

The American Kennel Club included this toothpaste in its ranking of the best dog toothpaste on Amazon, writing, "Multispecies households — this is the dog toothpaste for you. This enzymatic toothpaste from Vetoquinal is not only great for dogs but cats as well."

The Enzadent Toothbrush and Toothpaste Kit has a 3.9 out of 5-star Amazon rating, based on 31 reviews. One customer's cat quickly took to the toothpaste: "My cat immediately took to the smell of the paste and even let me brush his teeth while in my lap. He fussed a bit ... but it cleaned his teeth well. I finally got rid of that cannon breath he's been using to melt my face off."

Pros: Finger brush is easy to handle, poultry-flavored toothpaste is appealing to cats, toothpaste can be safely swallowed

Cons: Finger brush may be too large for smaller cats' mouths

Buy the Enzadent Toothbrush and Toothpaste Kit on Amazon for $9.49

Dentahex Oral Rinse can supplement or serve as an alternative to brushing your cat's teeth and contains ingredients proven to help control tartar and plaque.

If brushing your cat's teeth just isn't working, or if your cat's teeth are in rough shape so that brushing isn't currently possible, Dentahex Oral Rinse can supplement or substitute your teeth-brushing efforts. This rinse is formulated for cats and dogs and is an alternative way to support your cat's dental health. Applying this rinse is low impact, and it's ideal for cats who won't tolerate a toothbrush or who need a little extra care in between brushing. Plus, the minty scent can freshen up your cat's breath.

This rinse is a 0.12% Chlorhexidine solution, which is proven to be effective against plaque. The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) refers to chlorhexidine as being "the most effective anti-plaque antiseptic." Chlorhexidine binds to tooth surfaces and then is gradually released into your cat's mouth. Your cat's tongue and lips will spread the rinse around. According to the AVDC, chlorhexidine "is safe for pets and rarely causes problems." To combat the natural bitterness of chlorhexidine, this rinse also includes 0.00001% Zinc Gluconate, which creates an appealing taste and supports both healthy teeth and gums.

This rinse should be applied to your pet's gumline. I've found that my cats were relatively receptive of this rinse, but I could quickly make a mess if I missed my target. I had more success either applying the rinse to my finger, a toothbrush, or a cotton swab.

Dentahex Oral Rinse has a 4.2 out of 5-star Amazon rating, based on 160 reviews. One customer used this product on her older cat with positive results: "My elderly cat has gingivitis but won't tolerate having his teeth brushed. He is also too old to have his teeth cleaned by the vet because of his age. I put a few drops along the gum line once a day and massage the gums with my finger. On his more stubborn days, I apply it to my finger, then rub it on his gums. It has a minty smell and destroys bad breath … The gum swelling and bad breath have decreased and my cat can eat more comfortably, so I think it is working!"

Pros: Contains chlorhexidine which is proven to combat plaque, easy to apply, can be used to supplement or replace brushing a cat's teeth

Cons: Some cats don't like the bitter taste, easy to make a mess when applying

Buy an 8-ounce bottold of Dentahex Oral Rinse on Amazon for $14.95

Available in four flavors, Feline Greenies Dental Cat Treats clean your cat's teeth as it munches.

My cats go crazy for Feline Greenies Dental Cat Treats. That's good because the treats offer dental benefits too. My vet had recommended these, and I discovered the chicken flavor is my cats' favorite, though the treats are also available in catnip, salmon, and tuna flavors.

The key to these treats is their crunchy texture. They are shaped so that they scrape your cat's teeth as it eats, helping to reduce tartar buildup. They're low-calorie and each treat is fairly small, so you can feed just a few if you're trying to keep your cat's weight down.

Because the treats are small, my large cat seems to inhale them without chewing much, which probably reduces their effectiveness. My smaller cat is much more diligent about her chewing and doesn't seem to have that issue. While I don't think these treats would be sufficient as a standalone option to improve your cat's dental health, they can be easily paired with other products and dental-care efforts.

Feline Greenies Dental Cat Treats have a 4.7 out of 5-star Amazon rating, based on more than 5,000 reviews. One customer wrote that what he thought was a burglar in his home, it was actually his cat trying to get into the box of treats: "He was standing with all four paws, and all 16 of his furry pounds, on top of this box of Greenies, and pounding on the lid, in a (successful) effort to get it to come off. As I watched, he delicately inserted one of his paws into the box and fished out a treat, ate it, started to purr, and dove in after some more."

Pros: Small size is ideal for cats who need weight management, scrapes tartar from cat's teeth as it eats, available in four flavors

Cons: Enthusiastic cats may bolt down the treat without chewing

Buy an 11-ounce container of Feline Greenies Dental Cat Treats on Amazon for $9.99

Petstages Catnip Chew Mice is full of appealing catnip and help to remove tartar and massage your cat's gums as it chews.

Even playtime can offer your cats dental health benefits, thanks to the creative design of the Petstages Catnip Chew Mice cat toy that is filled with catnip, making it extra appealing to cats. The soft body is ideal for chewing. and the netting helps to scrape a cat's teeth, removing tartar and massaging its gums as it plays.

My cats are very enthusiastic about toys in general, and they took to these right away. Each mouse is small and conveniently sized for batting across the floor, but it also has a way of disappearing under the couch or fridge pretty quickly, too. Tip? Buy a couple packages now, because you'll find yourself ordering more pretty quickly. I think I'm up to six of these toys, but at least I can manage to keep a few of them around until I have time to dig out the lost ones. While the catnip is appealing when the toys are new, I "refresh" them occasionally by rolling older toys in loose catnip.

The Petstages Catnip Chew Mice has a 4.3 out of 5-star Amazon rating, based on 374 reviews. This customer wrote:: "Our cat loves these so much. We received them as a gift and she went nuts for them. It is one of the few toys she will play with by herself. She loves to throw them into the air and chase after them, to carry them around the house, and even just chew on the things. At first, I didn't think much of the claim that they were good for dental health when chewed, but she seems to love the feeling of chewing on these things!"

The Petstages Catnip Chew Mice comes in packs of one, two, or four.

Pros: Catnip adds extra appeal, netting scrapes off soft tartar and massages gums during play

Cons: Catnip needs a refresher after a few months, toys are small so they disappear easily

Buy one Petstages Catnip Chew Mice on Amazon for $3.49