Cat dental care is important because they have teeth just like us, and they can't brush their own teeth. They can get a lot of the same disease processes that people can. It's important that we inspect their teeth yearly and see if there are any signs of discomfort or any disease that needs to be addressed.
What are the signs of cat dental disease?
The most common sign of cat dental disease is actually no sign at all. Dogs and cats are notoriously stoic and very tough when it comes to any signs of discomfort from dental disease. Unfortunately, they don't tell us when they're uncomfortable.
Some signs that you might see if disease is becoming really advanced are significantly bad breath, dropping food while they're eating, excessive drooling, and potentially swelling of the face if there's a tooth abscess or something like that. Unfortunately, if we're seeing those signs, then the cat has probably been in significant dental pain for quite some time.
What are the common dental diseases in cats?
There are a few common diseases that we see in cats as their disease progresses. The most common is plaque that has hardened into tartar on the teeth. That's any kind of brown discoloration or anything that you see on the tooth. It can cause inflammation of the gum, which then progresses into periodontal disease, affecting the gum, the attachments of the tooth, and it can also result in some bone loss. If we see a tooth that's mobile or wiggly, then we know there's periodontal disease in that area and there's been some inflammation there for quite some time.
Something else we see commonly in kitty cats is what we call resorptive lesions of the teeth. It's more specific to cats and is estimated to affect about 50% of cats, so it is very common. The body starts to resorb or get rid of the tooth; the actual hard crown part of the tooth can be one way that it happens. This disease process is painful, but again, the cats won't tell us even if it is painful. The body starts to degrade the tooth and then lays down a bright pink fleshy sensitive tissue in that area. If we see those during the wellness exam, we can say that's probably a resorptive lesion. That tooth is very diseased and really needs to be extracted or treated to ensure comfort for that patient.
One thing that cats don't get are cavities. They are not reported to ever have cavities. They're rare in dogs and not reported in cats. Another thing we can see periodically in cats is some kind of abscess on the side of their face. Usually, you'll see swelling. All of a sudden you wake up and half of your kitty's face is swollen, usually from a tooth root abscess from periodontal disease that's been brewing for quite some time. Sometimes, we can see fractures of teeth as well, most commonly the long canine teeth in the front. If that is what we call a complicated or enamel dentin fracture, meaning that the pulp or the inside part of the tooth is exposed, then that tooth either needs to have a root canal or it really needs to be extracted to prevent problems in the future.
What are the risks of not treating dental diseases in cats?
The risks of not treating these diseases include potentially undetected pain because, as we said, cats don't really tell us when they're in pain. Your cat may have dental pain that is unknown to you. That's really the risk of not treating them or at least having the vet examine and see if they see any signs of discomfort.
How often should cats have dental checkups and what is a COHAT?
As humans, we're supposed to go to the dentist twice a year, every six months. We do basically the same process here during what we call a COHAT, or a complete oral health assessment and treatment that we do on dogs and cats. This entails the pet being put under anesthesia. If you have apprehension about your pet going under anesthesia, please talk to your veterinarian about it. We can explain the safety of the situation, possible risks, and what we do to mitigate any potential anesthetic complications.
What happens during a COHAT for my cat?
Other things we do during COHATs are full-mouth dental x-rays because we can see the crown or the visual part of the tooth in the mouth, but it's really important that we look at the root also in kitty cats because of those resorptive lesions. We will scale and polish the teeth to make sure there's no tartar left on the teeth.
We do a dental examination, probing around each tooth to find any significant pocketing or gingival recession. If indicated or medically necessary, we will do extractions if needed. If the tooth is diseased beyond what can be repaired, saved, or reversed, then it's best extracted to prevent discomfort. Some milder grades of dental disease can be reversed with professional cleaning and scaling. However, if it's progressed too far or there's too much bone loss or fracture, those teeth are best removed.
What can owners do at home to care for their cat's teeth?
There are things you can do at home to help your cat's dental health. There is a website I like to reference called the Veterinary Oral Health Council or VOHC.org. There's a list of feline-friendly dental products that have been tested to prove their effectiveness.
This list includes diets specific for dental disease or prevention of dental disease and plaque and tartar. It also includes edible chew treats, water additives, and things that can be added to the food. It provides a nice list of things that owners can explore to see what their cat might be amenable to.
How can owners brush their cat's teeth?
The best thing that can be done at home to prevent dental disease is brushing your cat's teeth, which I know sounds crazy and most people say that's impossible because it's a cat. It is possible. It takes some patience and training on the cat's end, and it doesn't need to be done every day or for two minutes every day. I usually tell people 30 seconds three times a week is enough to make a difference and help prevent disease in cats.
Even if you are the most diligent toothbrusher, your cat will probably still benefit from a professional COHAT in their lifetime. The gold standard is recommended yearly. However, if you can do some dental care, we may be able to extend that at home.
Because cats don't get cavities, when you're brushing their teeth, you can include some of their favorite snacks as motivation. We have small toothbrushes here that can fit in a cat's mouth better. There are also fingertip toothbrushes that can be a little bit softer in a cat's mouth. We recommend using smaller things that fit better and veterinary-specific toothpaste as well because human toothpaste is not meant to be swallowed, and kitty cats don't know that. We recommend a veterinary-specific enzymatic toothpaste.
Cat Dental Care at DePorre Veterinary Hospital
If you’re ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our veterinary services, we’d love to hear from you. Call (248) 609-1625 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your pet.