Your veterinarian is also a veterinary dentist, and now there are board-certified veterinary dentist specialists who have taken additional in-depth training, even advanced dental techniques can be offered for your cat!
Note that some cats seem to be genetically predisposed to dental problems and even with preventive care, may need extra dental attention . Some cats seem to be born with a strong tooth constitution, while others go on to develop multiple holes in the teeth (FORLs) or inflammation of the gums. And cats with chronic retrovirus diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) are known to experience a much higher incidence of dental disease, especially the FIV kitties.
Routine care starts with training your cat to allow tooth brushing, and offering treats or diets that support good dental health by reducing plaque (soft) and tartar (hard) buildup. When you see your veterinarian for routine examinations or for vaccinations, the mouth and oral cavity will be checked for problems such as:
- Gingivitis
- Periodontal disease
- Cat “cavities” (termed feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions [FORLs]
- Broken or extra teeth
- Stomatitis (severe oral cavity inflammation)
- Crooked teeth
- Mouth cancer
In most cases,, a dental X-ray is needed to thoroughly assess the condition of the teeth since some conditions hide below the gum line. As well, only a dental examination done while the cat is anesthetized for routine cleaning will allow the doctor to fully assess pocket depth at the junction of the gum and tooth by probing. These pouches can harbor infections and if deep, indicate loss of tooth attachment.
Dental prophy or professional cleaning, and fluoride treatments may be needed periodically. In addition to this care given at the veterinary facility, other home dental care options will be recommended. These might include:
Tooth brushing equipment
Cats can enjoy the same good tooth health we do with regular care. Special cat toothbrushes or applicators, and cat toothpaste, flavored with tuna or other fun cat flavors are available at the veterinary hospital.
Do not use your own toothpaste for your cats! Some of the detergents and the flavoring agents make many cats react by foaming. We don’t want to discourage the cat from cooperating with tooth brushing! Find your kitty an appropriate cat flavor that your feline enjoys and stick to that one. The most important surface of the teeth to clean is the part facing the cheeks. Cats have very rough tongues, so the inner tooth surfaces next to it get ongoing scrubbing. It is not essential to brush after every meal in this species, but studies show that every other day cleaning provides excellent control of tartar and even twice weekly care is better than no care. The little front teeth, the incisors, are difficult to brush, but a quick rub over the gum junction is helpful.
Dental diets and dental treats
New products are available to help maintain good tooth health. Feeding soft canned cat food may lead to more tartar buildup than feeding hard food which scrubs the tartar off, but soft food provides the advantage of higher water content which protects against urinary tract stones. Special dental treats may help to counteract that effect if a canned food diet if it is selected for feeding.
Rinses or gels
If a cat has ongoing problems with gingivitis, periodontal disease or FORLs, a rinse or gel may be recommended. Some of these contain zinc and vitamin C, others fluoride, or antibacterial solutions. The goal with all of these products is to help slow the progression of the condition.
Dental care is an essential part of your cat’s basic wellness care, so start today to incorporate this type of preventive strategy into your cat’s routine!
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