Dental care for cats

  Another common dental problem is odontoclastic resorptive lesions, which affect up to 60% of cats. I

"Dental disease is one of the most common diseases that we see in cats," says Dr. Sandra Manfra, veterinary surgeon at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital in Urbana. "However, if you can keep plaque and calculus off the teeth, you can help prevent a minor problem from becoming a major problem."

As cats mature, plaque accumulates on their teeth, and eventually, it calcifies and becomes difficult to remove. The first step to helping your cat keep its teeth clean is to have the teeth cleaned by a veterinarian. Once the calculus buildup is removed, you can brush your cat’s teeth to prevent further plaque buildup.

"Ideally, you should brush daily to prevent plaque accumulation.
If you can’t do it daily, then a couple times a week will help. If
you do it less than once a week, then you are going to have
calculus formation that is not possible to just brush away," warns
Dr. Manfra. A result of this could be periodontal disease (see
photo at left); it’s caused by the buildup of plaque and calculus
along the teeth. It is best prevented by starting your cat on a brushing routine as young as
possible.

Special toothbrushes that fit on your finger and special toothpastes specific for cats are available at most veterinary clinics. "Because pets tend to swallow a lot of the toothpaste,
pet toothpastes are formulated so animals can swallow them without any problems. Human toothpaste can cause gastrointestinal upset in animals," cautions Dr. Manfra.

If your cat is having dental problems, you might observe a change in eating habits. "They might not want to chew the dry food and eat only the soft food. They might chew on one side or chew painfully. Some cats will go up to the food dish as if hungry and start to eat, drop the food, run away, or even hiss at the food. And if the cat has a decreased appetite, you certainly want to look at the teeth," says Dr. Manfra. Owners should be on the ookout for key symptoms such as mouth odor, mouth pawing, abnormal salivation, facial swelling, hemorrhage, sneezing, and bloody nasal discharge.

Chronic inflammation of the oral cavity is more likely to occur if nothing is done to remove calculus and plaque buildup on your cat’s teeth. The bacteria in plaque contribute to the infection, resulting in deep pockets around the teeth and infection of the underlying bone, which necessitates an extraction. "Cats can eat without teeth but usually are limited to having canned food or dried food softened with a little water. Ideally, we like to keep the teeth pain-free and functioning as long as possible," says Dr. Manfra.

Another common dental problem is odontoclastic resorptive lesions, which affect up to 60% of cats. In this circumstance, a lesion usually forms on the tooth adjacent to the gingiva. "The tooth becomes weak and eventually the tooth breaks off at the root tips. If broken teeth are left untreated, your cat will experience pain and an infection may develop. Your veterinarian can extract the painful teeth.

"The goal in veterinary dentistry is to give the animal a omfortable mouth," says Dr. Manfra. If you believe your cat has a dental problem or needs a dental cleaning, call your local veterinarian.

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