Cat Dental Care
Dental health is a critical aspect of your pet’s overall health. Dental disease is painful and can lead to other health issues such as kidney disease, heart disease and bacterial infections.
What is involved in a dental cleaning procedure?
A dental cleaning always begins with an initial awake oral exam. This allows our veterinarians to assess the mouth and teeth to get an overall idea of your cat’s dental health. Once under anesthesia, a complete oral exam and x-ray are performed to identify any problems beneath the gum-line. This will be done if we are worried about a certain tooth.
Common painful problems that can be identified with dental radiographs are broken teeth and roots, periodontal disease, dead teeth, abscess and infected teeth. We perform a full cleaning under the gum-line where periodontal disease lurks. We then complete a professional scaling and polishing of the crown or visible part of the teeth. Lastly, if no extractions are needed, we polish all teeth to make a smooth surface, which helps to discourage plaque and tartar build-up.
What are the signs of dental problems in cats?
Some signs of dental problems in cats would be an unwillingness to eat, bad breath, pawing at their face, chattering teeth and excessive drooling.
Are some feline breeds more susceptible than others?
Persian and Himalayans are prone to dental issues due to the construction of their face and the shape of their mouths.
What is feline tooth resorption?
Feline tooth resorption is when the dentin of the tooth erodes, which can happen to the crown of the tooth, the root or both. The damage is irreversible. Treatment involves extracting the tooth. If the roots are damaged and cannot be extracted, we must amputate the crown.
