Feline Dental Disease

Cats and dogs seldom develop tooth cavities, as do humans. However the dog and cat are not without a major dental problem!

In fact, the most common dental problem that we find in cats is considered far worse than cavities! It is called “periodontal disease”.

This disease affects the gums and other tissues around the teeth, instead of the teeth themselves.

About 75% of all dental problems serious enough to be seen by a veterinarian, (and almost all teeth lost), are the result of periodontal disease.

It is the cause of 95% of all cases of “bad breath”.

In advanced cases, it results in infected, foul-smelling, loosened teeth; with a massive, unsightly accumulation of tartar.

Often there is a loss of appetite due to painful gums.

Even signs such as diarrhea, vomiting and irritability may be the result of this disease.

Food material, bacteria, and saliva accumulate and adhere to the tooth surface, forming a soft “plaque”. This material can be easily removed at this point.

However, if buildup is allowed to continue, it becomes hard and “chalk-like” from its mineral content. This tartar buildup causes erosion of the gums, with subsequent inflammation and infection of the tooth socket.

The teeth then become loose, and may even fall out. The gums become reddened, swollen, and bleed easily. The animal often salivates excessively from the associated pain.

The buildup of this material allows bacteria to constantly grow in the infected mouth tissue. These bacteria may enter the bloodstream through the bleeding gums; and cause such problems as heart valve infections (endocarditis) and kidney infections (nephritis).

This condition becomes very painful for your cat, as well as causing it to be unpleasant to be around due to the bad mouth odor.

Rapid buildup of tartar is primarily due to the acidity of the saliva--not what your cat eats! The more acid the saliva (‘spit’)--the quicker the buildup of plaque.

Symptoms Of Dental Disease:

Symptoms your cat may exhibit if he/she if suffering from dental disease include:

• Excess salivation
• Difficulty chewing
• Chewing on one side of the mouth while avoiding the other side
• Foul odor to the mouth (i.e. bad breath)
• Bleeding from the gums
• Swollen or reddened gums
• Loose teeth
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability
• Diarrhea and/or vomiting in some cases

Diagnosis Of Dental Disease:

Diagnosis of dental disease will involve a physical examination for your cat. Your cat's veterinarian will carefully examine your cat's mouth.

Be aware that your cat's veterinarian may not be able to fully examine your cat's mouth until your cat is sedated. However, your cat's veterinarian may advise a routine blood screen for your cat before sedation/anesthesia in order to evaluate your cat's overall physical condition and make certain that sedation/anesthesia is safe for your cat.

While dental radiography (x-rays of your cat's teeth) is not yet common-place, it is starting to be more frequently used. Your cat's veterinarian may or may not advise dental radiography as a means of diagnosis.

Treatment Of Dental Disease:

Treatment of dental disease will vary depending on the extent of the damage.

In some cases, a dental prophy (cleaning) may be all that is necessary and will clean all the tartar off of your cat's teeth and polish them.

In other cases, it may be necessary to extract diseased teeth.

Specialized dental procedures to salvage diseased teeth, such as root canals, are starting to become more available within the veterinary field but are still not common-place. If you prefer to attempt these types of salvage procedures rather than having your cat's veterinarian extract any diseased teeth, speak to your cat's veterinarian before proceeding with the dental treatment. In many cases, referral to a dental specialist may be required in these situations. Even so, there is no guarantee that your cat's teeth will be capable of salvage, even by a dental specialist.

Prevention Of Dental Disease:

Follow these tips for good oral hygiene:

1. Feed at least some hard food, which will provide a cleaning action. There are a number of special diets available to improve and/or maintain dental health. Speak to your cat's veterinarian for recommendations.
2. Have your cat's teeth examined by the veterinarian at least once every year for tartar buildup.  cats vary considerably in the amount of tartar that accumulates. Your veterinarian will let you know if your cat needs to have a dental prophylaxis performed to clean the tartar off of his/her teeth.
3. Use a cat dentifrice on a regular basis. cat tooth brushing kits are available, in addition to other types of products (Greenies, Nylabones, etc) which can be provided to your cat.
4. Newer products, such as Oravet, can be used to provide a protective coating over your cat's teeth and your cat's veterinarian may recommend these for your cat as well.