Ask a Vet with Dr. Sam – A Feline Dental Dilemma

Question: I’m wondering about my cat’s dental health…what are the important things I need to know or do?

Answer: Remember the Cheshire cat? Sitting up in that tree with that sparkly white smile? Wouldn’t you love for your cat’s teeth to be as beautiful as the Cheshire cat’s? With a little time and effort (and cooperation from your cat, of course), it can be possible.

Tooth brushing is the best way to keep tartar from accumulating on your cat’s teeth.

Not every cat will be amenable to tooth brushing, but you can try using a small child’s toothbrush or a finger brush. You should never use human toothpaste, as the fluoride can be harmful, but pet-friendly toothpaste is available in yummy (to cats!) flavors like chicken and malt. You only need to worry about cleaning the outer surface of the teeth and the whole process can take less than a minute, no flossing required! Don’t forget to give kitty a reward for positive reinforcement. Your regular veterinarian would be happy to demonstrate for you.

Dental treats and diets are a good second choice for a cat that won’t allow tooth brushing.

The pet store shelves are full of options that claim to clean teeth and provide fresh breath, so make sure to look for products that have plaque control and the seal of the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). This means that the product was tested and proven to aid in oral health care. For more information, visit vohc.org.

When you bring your cat to the veterinarian every year, his/her teeth should be checked as part of the exam.

It’s very common for cats over the age of three to have enough tartar to require a dental cleaning. Unlike us, for our animal friends, cleaning requires anesthesia in order for the teeth to be properly evaluated. With your cat under anesthesia, dental x-rays will be taken, the tartar will be ultrasonically scaled off the teeth and they will be polished smooth. The teeth will be examined for fractures and tooth resorption, painful, cavity-like lesions that erode the enamel and root of the tooth. Resorptive lesions are a very common finding in feline mouths and require tooth extraction. If your cat gets a dental cleaning, make sure your vet is using dental x-rays! They are very important to make sure that any issues under the surface are detected and that any extractions are done completely, without any roots or tooth fragments left behind.

In addition to tartar and resorptive lesions, there are several more serious oral conditions that can be found in cats’ mouths. Stomatitis is an inflammatory condition that causes the inside of the mouth to become very raw and extremely painful. It often requires all of the teeth to be extracted and sometimes requires lifelong medications or special diets. There are also several types of oral cancer that affect cats; the most common is squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. These are usually very aggressive cancers that are difficult to treat.

Even though they seem minor by comparison, plaque and tartar are made up of bacteria that can lead to infection in other parts of a cat’s body, like the kidneys and heart. Taking care of your cat’s teeth can improve his/her overall health and longevity; you should consider it just as important as feeding and grooming. Be sure to enlist the help and advice of your regular veterinarian to keep your cat smiling as bright as the Cheshire cat.