Dental Care for Cats: Mount Pleasant’s Guide

Did you know that after the age of four, 50-90% of cats have developed dental issues? These problems range from causing general discomfort to life-threatening infections. Fortunately, most cat dental diseases can be prevented with appropriate dental care at home and annual professional cleanings. These cleanings are essential, as they remove plaque and tartar buildup. They also allow veterinarians to thoroughly examine your cat's mouth and assess their oral health.

By scheduling regular visits to the veterinarian, you can catch dental diseases early and prevent them from getting worse. The three most common dental issues in cats are gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth resorption.

3 Most Common Dental Problems in Cats

1. Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a condition caused by plaque building up on teeth after meals. Bacteria within the plaque start accumulating beneath the gum line, causing painful inflammation. In cats, this can be identified by red, swollen, and painful gums. Severe cases of gingivitis may require tooth extraction to resolve the inflammation. This condition can also cause further issues such as FeLV, FIV, severe kidney diseases and diabetes.

2. Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that occurs when gingivitis is left untreated. Unlike gingivitis, periodontitis cannot be reversed once it progresses. It causes severe damage to the gums, the ligaments that attach teeth to the gums, and the underlying bone. It can start in cats as young as 1 year old, leading to the loss of tooth support and eventually the tooth itself.

3. Tooth Resorption

Tooth resorption is a common dental issue in cats where their bodies start dissolving their teeth from the inside out. Unlike humans and dogs, cats don't get cavities but instead develop these resorptive lesions. This condition is suspected to be a side effect of periodontitis and other gum diseases. It affects a significant number of cats, with 30-70% showing signs of tooth resorption, making it the leading cause of tooth loss in cats. This painful condition can cause eating difficulties, excessive drooling, and irritability in cats.

What are the Signs of Dental Disease?

Owners need to watch out for certain signs and symptoms to identify dental diseases and give their cats the care they need. Animals have a natural instinct to hide pain, making it difficult to spot these signs from casual observation. The visible symptoms that might indicate a dental condition are:

• Bad breath
• Red and swollen gums
• Tartar build-up
• Bleeding along the gum line
• Excessive drooling
• Pawing at mouth
• Difficulty picking up food and eating
• Changes in behaviour and appetite
• Irritability and aggression when touched near the mouth

To ensure your cat's oral health is at its best, you must provide proper dental care.

Why is Dental Care Important for My Cat?

As a cat owner, you naturally want your feline friend to have a healthy mouth. Below are five reasons why good dental care for cats is so critical to your cat's overall health:

1. Preventing pain and discomfort: Poor dental health can cause pain and inflammation in a cat's mouth, creating significant discomfort in their daily life. Good cat dental care will help to prevent oral pain.
2. Preventing tooth loss: When the structures supporting a cat's teeth become damaged or infected, the teeth can loosen and fall out. Regular dental care will help keep the gums healthy and keep the teeth in place.
3. Preventing bad breath: If your cat's breath has a noticeable smell, it's time for some dental attention. When your cat has a healthy mouth and teeth, bad breath won't be an issue.
4. Preventing organ damage: Bacteria from dental diseases can enter the bloodstream and spread to other organs like the heart, kidneys, and liver. This spread of bacteria, called bacteremia, can damage organs and make cats seriously ill.
5. Preventing worsening dental disease: Many cats develop dental issues early in life, making it challenging to prevent completely. However, good cat dental care can prevent dental disease from becoming severe and causing problems throughout the body.

How Can I Keep My Pet’s Teeth Clean at Home?

The most effective way to carry out proper dental care at home is to brush regularly using pet-approved toothpaste. This reduces the amount of plaque buildup on your pet’s teeth and lowers the chance of contracting gingivitis and other dental diseases. It's important to train cats to accept routine teeth-brushing from a young age and maintain a tri-weekly cleaning regimen.

However, a toothbrush cannot reach beneath the gum line easily, and tartar trapped beneath this gum line is the leading cause of gingivitis and periodontitis. This makes it vital to seek out a qualified veterinarian for a routine professional cleaning.

What Happens During a Professional Dental Cleaning?

Before dental cleaning: Our veterinarian will need to conduct bloodwork on your cat to ensure that they’re healthy enough for anaesthesia. After this examination is done, your cat will be anaesthetised so that our veterinarian can safely begin a thorough check of their teeth. They’ll first detect any abnormalities in the cat’s mouth, then perform a dental probe to look for gum bleeding and periodontal pockets.

During dental cleaning (scaling): Scaling will take place using handheld instruments and ultrasonic scalers. Our vet uses these instruments to remove tartar above and below the gum line. Unlike regular home dental care, these tools can reach areas that are normally too difficult to access and remove hardened tartar.

During dental cleaning (polishing): Once the cleaning is done, we polish the tooth enamel to smoothen out microscopic scratches and grooves, in order to prevent damage and reduce future build-up of plaque.

Is Anaesthesia a Must for Cat's Dental Cleaning?

Yes, anaesthesia is essential for professional dental work on a cat. Unlike humans, who can understand the importance of staying still during dental procedures, cats do not have this awareness. Without anaesthesia, the use of sharp hand instruments and ultrasonic power scalers can cause significant discomfort and stress, making it impossible to perform the procedure safely and effectively. Anaesthesia eliminates pain and anxiety, allowing veterinarians to conduct a thorough oral examination and clean your pet’s teeth effectively and safely.

To prevent injury, infection and tooth fractures, dental work on pets should only be performed by qualified veterinarians.

How Often Should I Bring My Cat for a Professional Dental Cleaning?

For professional dental cleanings, you should bring your cat annually. A variety of factors, including your cat's age, breed, lifestyle, eating habits, and at-home dental care, may affect this frequency. For example, cats with pre-existing dental diseases may be advised to have their teeth professionally cleaned every six months rather than once a year.