It is important for you to go to the dentist at least
annually for checkups. This is, however, also important to your
cat! Many people never think about it, but good dental health
can keep your cat happy and disease-free. Whenever your cat goes
to the vet, make sure that dental health is checked and
discussed, and if your cat is acting strangely at all,
especially with eating habits, make sure that dental health
problems are not a concern.
Kittens, like baby humans, have fewer teeth than adult cats.
Each kitten has 26 temporary teeth, which begin to appear at
about three weeks of age. An adult cat will have 30 permanent
teeth—16 on the top and 14 on the bottom. A cat usually begins
getting his or her permanent teeth when he or she is three of
four months old. Some of these teeth have two roots while others
have three.
The most common dental diseases found in cats are resporption
lesions and gum disease (gingivitis). Resorption lesions are
also known as cervical line lesions or neck lesions and often
result in tooth loss. These lesions are difficult to detect, as
they often grow below the gum line. Gum disease is found in over
70% of cats by the age of three. You can tell if your cat has
gum disease by looking for yellow and brown tarter build up
along the gum line and over the tooth, red inflamed gums, and
chronic bad breath.
Oral disease is often an indication of other more serious health
problems. For example, it is common for a cat with feline
leukemia virus (FeLV) to have oral health problems. Dental
conditions are also commonly found with feline immunodeficiency
virus and feline calicivirus. Therefore, if your pet is have
dental problems, you need to see a vet right away about these
conditions to make sure they are symptoms of a much more serious
disease.
Cats can also accidentally break teeth. This can be a result of
a fall, a fight with another cat or other animal, or biting into
something too hard to chew. Usually, the upper canine tooth will
be the tooth fractured. This is the tooth in your cat’s mouth
that looks like a large fang. If this is fractured, your cat may
or may not be in pain. The first symptom of this kind of a
fracture is continuous sneezing.
Overall, oral health is important in all mammals. Cats are
susceptible to a number of dental disease and problems, just
like humans. By taking your cat to the vet often and asking
about oral health, you can make sure that you are providing the
best health care foods and tools for your feline friend.