Dentistry
Prevention & Early Detection Is Key!
During our routine annual wellness exams, your cat receives a thorough oral cavity exam looking for signs of periodontitis, tartar, tooth resorptions, and other evidence of dental disease. Other issues identified may include stomatitis and oral masses.
Full dental exams and dental cleanings under anesthesia are very important to maintain your cats health and well-being. Most importantly, ensure your cats dental procedure includes x-rays. Diseases like early tooth resorption and tooth root abscesses can only be identified with dental x-rays. Our cleanings include dental x-rays, scaling, sub-gingival curettage, and polishing; and periodontal treatment and/or extractions as needed.
Signs of Dental Disease
Masters of disguise our cats tend to show no signs of dental disease, except maybe bad breath. Kitties are adept at adapting to and hiding their discomfort.
In severe cases you may see the following:
- Halitosis (Bad Breath)
- Decreased appetite
- Dropping food or difficulty eating
- Rubbing teeth on objects
- Pawing at the mouth
- Drooling
- Jaw chattering
- Blood in the saliva
- Visually red gums
- Loose or broken teeth
- Decreased grooming
- Weight loss
Proper Dental Hygiene for Your Cat
- Good nutrition
- Annual wellness exams with an oral cavity examination
- Routine at home dental care; brushing and/or use of dental hygiene products
- Routine dental cleanings under anesthesia; typically every year to every other year after age three depending on the patient
Here are products recommended by the Veterinary Oral Health Council.
Veterinarians agree that over 50-75% of cats over three years of age are in need of dental care. The most common reasons are periodontal disease, gingivitis, and Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORLs). Studies demonstrate that 50% of cats over five years of age have FORLs. Ignoring these issues may lead to pain, infection, and bacterial spread from the oral cavity to the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Delaying dental care leads to longer and more costly procedures which include more extractions.
As a wise person once said; “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
