Cat Dental Care

Oral health and dental disease are one of the most common health problems for pets. Fortunately, many dental problems can be prevented, or the impact of them can be lessened through some preventative care you can do at home. What can start as a small problem can escalate into more serious medical issues, as dental infections can often spread to the kidneys, liver, or heart. A healthy mouth often means a healthy pet!

What is involved in a dental cleaning procedure?

Your pet will need to fast overnight and be brought to the clinic at 8 am on the scheduled day of the dentistry. After they have been anesthetized, a full charting, scaling, and polishing will be performed, and any dental x-rays can be taken if there are suspicious-looking teeth. Broken, loose, or severely exposed teeth may also be extracted at this time. At the end of the day, your pet will get to go home after this outpatient procedure.

What are the signs of dental problems in cats?

A decrease in appetite, dropping off food, drooling, or vocalizing while eating may all be a sign of oral disease. The most commonly noted sign, however, is bad breath.

Are some breeds more susceptible than others?

Brachycephalic breeds are more prone to dental problems often due to overcrowding of the teeth.

What is feline tooth resorption?

Feline tooth resorption (properly called FORLs) is a dissolving of the enamel layer of part of a tooth, leading to exposure of the sensitive pulp cavity. This condition can be painful and potentially also lead to broken tooth roots.