Won’t my cat’s teeth suffer if s/he’s not eating dry food? Doesn’t dry food help clean a cat’s teeth?The short answers are – no, and no. Quite the opposite in fact. Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins summarizes it beautifully in her book, noting that even though most cats today eat dry food, the number of patients that veterinarians treat for serious dental and periodontal disease is tremendous.
Dry food, with its high-carbohydrate load mixes with saliva in the mouth to form a yucky, sticky paste that adheres to the gums and teeth much more than wet food. She notes that dry foods, if anything, may even promote plaque and tartar formation – the precursors to gum disease and enamel erosion. And that opens the door to expensive dental cleanings, downstream health issues, and stress and pain for your cat.