How many of you can brush your cat’s teeth? How
many of you would attempt to brush them with
heavy-duty oven mitts and some kitty tranquilizer?
Most people would not, yet feline dental disease and
its complications are very common.
The American Veterinary Dental Society states 70%
of pet cats show signs of dental disease by age 3. Signs
of dental disease are bad breath, redness, and swelling
of the gums, changes in eating habits or pawing at the
face or mouth. When eating, food residue called plaque
sticks to teeth and over time, plaque hardens into tartar.
If the tartar is not removed, gingivitis – irritation of the
gums – leads to gum disease which is the most
common cause of feline dental problems and tooth loss.
Gingivitis causes gum recession and pocket formation,
which traps bacteria. Infection weakens the lining of
the socket holding the tooth in place, causing the tooth
to become loose and drop out. Other dental
problems include erosion of teeth, broken teeth, oral
resorptive lesions, and stomatitis.
The extent of dental disease is determined by the type
of food, systemic illnesses, oral inflammation and breed,
and if any oral care or preventatives are used at home.
Some breeds, including the Abyssinian, Persian and
Siamese, are more prone to oral resorptive lesions, in
which teeth are broken down at the gum line and
reabsorbed. Softening food with water and daily
brushing will help manage the resorptive condition.
Stomatitis is inflammation of the entire mouth.
Clinical signs include drooling, extreme pain, loss
of appetite and weight loss. The cat may become
more aggressive, act depressed or withdraw from
normal routines. Treatment for stomatitis includes
oral gels, routine dental cleanings, steroids, antibiotics
or homeopathic remedies. Advanced stomatitis not
relieved by conservative treatments may necessitate
extraction of the cat’s teeth.
Viral infections, such as feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), can make
a cat more prone to dental disease.
Dental care can keep kitty’s pearly whites strong and
healthy for his lifetime. Dental cleaning is a very quick
procedure done under light anesthetic. The teeth are
descaled, usually with an ultrasonic descaler that shoots
sprays of water, vibrating at very high speed, onto
the teeth. This is the same type of ultrasonic cleaning
your dentist uses. The tartar is shaken loose and washed
away. After cleaning, surfaces are polished smooth to
prevent tartar buildup from occurring too quickly. Any
badly infected teeth may need to be extracted.
Light anesthetics administered for dental cleanings are
safe for elderly cats. It is better to have your older cat’s
teeth cleaned annually to prevent infection or worse
health problems, especially if other pre-existing health
diseases are present.
Examine your cat’s mouth for red, irritated gums, tartar
buildup and bad breath. Observe if your cat has changes
in appetite, eating or behavior. Gums should be pink
and firm. The cat should not have bad breath or plaque
buildup on his teeth.
Many vets have plaque and tartar control treats and
water additives to reduce plaque buildup. Be sure to
provide fresh water daily!
Special Note: Not all vets administer antibiotics with
routine dental cleanings. During tartar removal, small
bleeding may occur and provides a portal of entry for
oral bacteria to get into the bloodstream. ASK FOR
THEM! We have had several cats DIE from the
bacteria from dentals. Humans DIE from dentals
from the same cause. ASK FOR ANTIBIOTICS
to give BEFORE the dentals.
Post-dental infection can cause sepsis, systemic
bloodstream infection, or organ infections, such
as hepatitis or pancreatitis.