Broken teeth are prone to developing infections and can be painful if left untreated. An Indication of Disease or Injury. Decay is usually below the gum line. Dental health is an important part of your cat’s annual visit, and your veterinarian will use that time to evaluate your cat’s overall health as … Broken teeth are prone to developing infections and can be painful if left untreated. Every day, put a dab on your finger, and let him or her smell and lick it. Some researchers believe that the onset of gingivitis may be caused by a shift in the populations of bacteria in plaque from normal, healthy species, to disease-causing species. Hold your cat’s head steady with one hand and use … Veterinarians will usually make a diagnosis by examining the mouth and teeth, carefully probing any lesions, and examining X-rays of the head and jaw, which require anesthesia. This is one of the reasons it's important to check your cat's mouth often and have routine dental cleanings done. Checking for Dental Problems Lift your cat’s lips. Clinical Signs/Diagnosis Some tooth fractures are not a problem for the cat, but if a break reaches the inner sensitive part of the tooth or occurs below the gum line, it needs to be treated, usually with extraction. Week 3: The cause of tooth resorption is not known. The good news about the earliest phase of gum disease is that it's reversible with proper care. Cats that are infected with FIV or FELV are more likely to develop stomatitis than other cats, and there are certain breeds of cats that are represented more highly as being affected by this condition. Most dental problems happen after the adult teeth have formed. They can lead to bad breath, swollen and bleeding gums, loose teeth, and oral pain, and difficulty eating. The best way to help your cat avoid periodontal disease is by brushing his teeth routinely at home with a small brush and pet toothpaste and having him checked over by a veterinarian regularly. Not only that, but the rest of the soft tissue in the mouth, including the tongue, roof of the mouth, and mucosal tissues can also be affected. Gingivitis is characterized by swelling, redness, discomfort, and, in severe cases, bleeding where the gums and the teeth meet (the gingival margin). To treat feline periodontitis, your veterinarian will recommend removing plaque and mineral buildup by scaling and polishing the teeth while trying to save the teeth wherever possible. Follow this four-week training program to get your cat comfortable with daily brushing. These conditions are caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar between the teeth and the gums. Gingivitis Initially, a bot will ask questions to determine the general nature of your concern. By the time a defect like this shows up, the tooth is already significantly damaged. Here are some of the most common dental and oral problems that occur in cats. Let your cat become familiar with the smell of the toothpaste. It is significantly easier to address and resolve dental issues that are spotted early, compared to dental issues that go unnoticed and are allowed to further develop. In fact, x-rays are usually done when a person is bitten by a young cat to ensure that a tooth tip hasn't been left inside the person. To treat feline tooth resorption, a veterinarian will aim to manage the cat’s pain, prevent the condition from progressing, and restore the function of the tooth or teeth as much as possible. Eventually, plaque will migrate below this point to the subgingival region, where a cat’s immune system may mount a response to these bacteria, resulting in the inflammation that we refer to as gingivitis. In most cases, however, a cat’s loss of one, two, or possibly all of her teeth will occur as the result of tooth resorption, the progressive development of destructive lesions on an animal’s teeth and gum tissue. Typically, cat teeth problems are signaled by bad breath, drooling, pawing the mouth and sometimes sneezing and coughing. Resorptive lesions like these can vary in severity from relatively small defects at the gum line to large defects in the enamel of the tooth crown. In extreme cases, a cat may lose one or more teeth. If the cat’s immune response to these disease-causing bacteria is strong, he or she will develop gingivitis, but it is also possible the cat’s immune system will tolerate the bacteria without any detrimental effects on either. Most cats have some degree of periodontal disease by the time they are two or three years of age. There are dangers to placing an older cat under anesthetic. Diet – an inappropriate diet can increase the chance of dental disease. Place the bristles at a 45 degree angle to the teeth, aiming for the narrow crevice between teeth and gums. 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