without some or even all of their teeth and live a long and healthy life. If gingivitis is not controlled, it can progress to periodontitis, a condition that eventually cannot be reversed. Like us, cats can develop periodontal disease (gum disease, a condition that weakens the structures that support the teeth), as well as severe oral inflammation called gingivostomatitis and oral cancer. In some cases, cats with gingivitis will show a preference for soft foods. In these cases, your veterinarian may consider amputating the crown of the tooth (the part visible above the gum line). 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. Given that gingivitis leads to periodontitis, most cats with periodontitis will show signs of gingivitis (redness, swelling, bleeding along the gingiva at the base of the teeth), and may also be reluctant or unwilling to eat, drool, turn their heads to the side when chewing, and develop halitosis. Your cat’s teeth are made for shearing and tearing through their prey like a jungle cat. Obviously, the responsibility for our four-legged kids includes regular … If properly cared for, a cat’s permanent teeth should last their entire life. If your cat can swallow food without chewing, so much the better. The Feral cats along with their wild siblings need their teeth to hunt and fight but domestics cats can get used to it. This means that cats with dental pain should primarily be fed … The sugar-eating bacteria that cause caries thrives on the pits and divots typically found in occlusal tables, which are meant for grinding food. If your cat is diagnosed with dental issues that require extraction, don’t be too distressed. Gingivitis Both Dr. Reiter and Dr. Carmichael tout the benefits of daily tooth brushing for cats, as it prevents the buildup of bacteria that cause many dental issues. Tooth resorption can be very painful, so affected cats may be reluctant or unwilling to eat, may drool, turn their heads to the side while eating, and may be irritable. These organisms eat away at the enamel and, eventually, cause your cat’s teeth to disintegrate over time. In cases of feline gingivitis that are due to systemic or infectious underlying diseases, it is important to address the primary disease in order to manage the gingivitis. In fact, unless cat owners perform regular teeth cleaning at home, periodontal disease and other conditions may progress regardless of the care provided by veterinarians. He gave us antibiotics to administer twice per day which we have been doing. 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. Regardless of the treatment, careful follow-up and monitoring are important. Thomas: Ultimately, the guardian decided to have the vet treat her cat’s dental disease with an anesthetized cleaning and extraction of teeth … While a cat’s teeth look quite different from a human’s pearly whites, both humans and cats are diphyodont animals. Dr. Reiter adds that some cats use their incisors to chew on their claws and remove loose pieces of their nails, as well as “scratch” itches. This inflammation is usually the result of a process that begins with the buildup of plaque, a film that harbors bacteria, on the teeth. If a vet diagnoses tooth resorption, he or she will likely recommend the extraction of the tooth. Cats love this formula! 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