Mild gingivitis in kitten

MI currently have a 3 month old Maine Coon kitten, she was taken to the vet yesterday & he said she has a mild case of gingivitis. She currently eats dry Royal Canin kitten food (cannot get her to touch wet food but working on it). He said the gingivitis was caused from eating dry food as it’s too hard for her teeth & recommended softening it with water. Does this sound correct? Can a cat get gingivitis from eating dry food? I always thought dry food helps prevent gingivitis. Will the gingivitis go away on its own with softening her food? Should I do anything to prevent the gingivitis from getting worse!?

Hello!   Gingivitis is not a diagnosis, but a description of something seen on examination - literally, 'inflammation of the gums.'  Gums are delicate and can become inflamed to different degrees and for many different reasons, from viral infections, tooth decay and trauma at one end of the spectrum, to normal kitten teething at the other.  If your vet thought there was raging viral infection there for example, I'm sure that (s)he'd have told you.  In this case, she has simply suggested softer food. Indeed, you are correct in that dry food (rather than wet food) can help to prevent soft gubbins from getting caught around the teeth, which can thereby help to prevent dental infections (which lead to gingivitis) long-term in cats.  But hard biscuits can also be abrasive on inflamed gums, especially during teething, leading to gingivitis.  In light of this, it sounds as though your vet, in balance, advises that softer food is the way forward right now. In general, owners like fixed rules to follow.  I remember being frustrated with my midwife over choosing nappies for my kids ('Are THESE nappies or THESE nappies better?  Just tell me!')  With kids, of course, it is never straight-forward:  some babies get on better with nappy X and some babies get on better with nappy Y.  Nappies X and Y have different advantages and disadvantages;  it depends on the shape of the bottom.  It is exactly the same with kittens and food.  If a food may be making the mouth more sore at the moment, the vet may suggest that you change it, but that doesn't mean that you were necessarily wrong to get it , or that it wouldn't be a great food for another kitten.  There isn't always a one-size-fits-all approach. I am not in a position, of course, to say what caused the gingivitis in your kittens' case or what is likely to happen in the future.  It might pay to ask your vet how concerned about it they are, and even whether to throw the food away, pass it it on to another kitten owner or keep it (sealed) and try it again in a few weeks.  It may also help to ask for a nurse appointment (nurses often have / take more time to answer husbandry questions like this, and many do free or low-cost kitten appointments) to discuss t00th-care in general. Tooth-brushing can be a better alternative to keep bits of food out of teeth and your nurse may have some suggestions for that.  

Having reread that fine essay,I don't think I answered your question!  Yes;. Softening food with water can help to make it more comfortable to eat in some cases.  It should be drained well afterwards and thrown away if uneaten though.