VETSCOPE

The vet pointed out bad breath in the kitten we adopted from a shelter at 6 months. We'd been giving him gum massages using Oratene gel with our fingers once daily, but we forgot after a while since we got busy with adopting a new cat. After two months the smell got worse so we restarted the massaging. It’s been a month since then but it hasn't been very effective. The vet told us that we should get medication to improve his constitution (twice a year, 10 doses a time, $100 per 10 doses ($200 per year)) if the massages won't work. He also told us that if this continues, our cat might lose the ability to eat food at an early age. I'd like to avoid having to use the medications - is there anything we can do other than that? By the way, we feed him dry food, and we don't give him treats very often (1-2 times a month). *Also, I don't know if this helps, but his lower front teeth are crooked. The vet said that it isn't really a problem since he has all six teeth.