? Dottie...Ongoing mouth issues

Well, it looks like we're not out of the woods yet, as to Dottie's dental issues. Her BG is still good, (she's and holding, so far), but if she starts having to deal with chronic pain again I'm quite sure her sugar is going to rapidly go out of whack.

Dottie has the perverse habit of trying to chew off the old nail sheath covering on her claws. Not a good pastime for a cat with no teeth...her claws get hooked into the soft tissue of her mouth and she ends up with little punctures and scratches that can easily become infected by means of leftover food in between her lips and gums. Anyone had any issues like this with their toothless kitties 'biting their nails'? Did topical bitter chew deterrents like Bitter Orange work, or did it just make your cat extremely unhappy?

I also think part of Dottie's problem this week is reflux. I have been pretty much FDOTB (Face down on the bed) with chronic pain issues this week, myself. And I noticed that Dottie's mouth became painful immediately upon having her routine disturbed, and by my seeming lethargy. To me this smacks of her developing Reflux from anxiety. So I am giving her Pepsid, 1/4 10mg tablet, twice a day, and it seems to help.

How about a mouth rinse to get rid of the pureed food that probably lurks in the crevices of her mouth after feeding? Does anyone among you here, have a preference for a brand of feline mouth wash? I know that Chlorhexidine is used by vets, and that it has an antiseptic quality, and is available in mouth rinses, water additives, and gels. But I have never used it before.

Water additives are probably not going to be much help because Dottie just doesn't drink all that much water any more...she gets it in her pureed food. So the best administration for her would be a gel that I could smear in between her lips and gums, and on her hard palate. This would in turn coat her throat.

Ok any suggestions? Anyone else out there coping with a toothless cat who claws up her mouth while grooming? I need a solution or she'll always be having eruptions. Her anxiety I can cope with..but this claw biting?.....