Some Factors Predisposing To Dental Disease
Tooth Alignment
Teeth that are positioned abnormally in the mouth are more likely to accumulate plaque and tartar than those which are correctly positioned. This is because when malaligned, the teeth are not cleaned by the natural abrasion that occurs when food is eaten and chewed. Reasons for misalignment include:
- Breed Very short-nosed breeds or variants in breeds almost invariably have abnormally positioned teeth, sometimes severely so. Their jawbones are often too small to accommodate the teeth, resulting in overcrowding and misalignment of teeth.
- In some cats, deciduous teeth can be retained after the permanent teeth have erupted . If the adult tooth does not push the deciduous tooth out when it erupts, the adult tooth may grow at an abnormal angle, resulting in permanent misalignment.
- Trauma or congenital abnormalities Sometimes the jaw of a cat may have an abnormal shape either because the cat has a congenital abnormality , or perhaps as a result of trauma . These can also cause tooth misalignment.
Diet
Some special diets are available from your vet that are specifically aimed to help prevent plaque and tartar formation. These diets are designed with kibble/biscuit or with special chunks in the wet food that increase tooth penetration and provide a more abrasive action against the tooth to reduce tartar accumulation.
Infectious disease
Can A Cat With A Bad Tooth Eat
She was in a bit of pain after the removal, but by the next day she was eating just fine. So it seems if a cat isnt eating because of a bad tooth/abscess in their mouth, get it removed as soon as possible. If it is really bad there is no point waiting for antibiotics. She is doing so much better especially since she was otherwise healthy.
Treatment Of Retained Deciduous Teeth In Cats
If your veterinarian diagnoses your kitten as having one or more retained deciduous teeth, the vet will need to pull the deciduous teeth as soon as possible. This will occur while your cat is under general anesthesia. Pulling these teeth will allow the permanent adult teeth to utilize the full socket and grow into proper position.
Adult cats with retained deciduous teeth will likely need to be treated by a veterinary specialist in dentistry and orthodontics. Extraction of teeth, especially when the patient is an adult animal and the teeth are the canine teeth, can be a very delicate and precise procedure that requires training and experience.
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What Is Retained Deciduous Teeth
Retained deciduous teeth occur when the roots of certain deciduous teeth, usually the canines, incisors, or premolars, do not resorb fully or at all. This results in adult teeth that must share their sockets with deciduous teeth, causing the adult teeth to grow in behind, in front of, or beside the deciduous teeth. These adult teeth often grow in at abnormal angles and positions, resulting in malocclusion, which can be one or a number of teeth misalignments. Retained deciduous teeth can also cause crowding, malformed jaws, early loss of adult teeth, pain, and numerous other dental health problems. It is extremely important that a kittens teeth be examined by a veterinarian, especially if it appears to you that the cats deciduous teeth have been retained. An adult cat that appears to have retained one or more deciduous teeth must also be immediately examined by a veterinarian.
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Fractured Teeth In Cats
Along with feline periodontal disease, broken or cracked teeth are a common dental problem in pet cats. The crown of the tooth comprises three separate parts: enamel, dentin, and pulp.
The tooth enamel forms a hard outer layer, protecting the other structures within the tooth. Dentin lies directly beneath the enamel tooth shell and consists of tubules with nerve endings that radiate outward from the tooth pulp.
The pulp itself is a highly sensitive area of living tissue, which contains nerves and blood vessels. Various types of trauma can damage the tooth: clashing teeth with another cat during play, gnawing on very hard bones or rocks, continually chewing on toys, and chewing at the bars of a kennel are all common causes of tooth damage.
If the outer enamel is cracked and the sensitive pulp exposed, your cat will suffer extreme pain, and urgent veterinary treatment will be required. It may be difficult for owners to recognize that their cat has broken a tooth.
Sometimes purple, gray, or pink staining on the tooth surface will indicate that the tooth pulp has bled, causing the dentin to become stained.
Black spots on the surface of the affected tooth indicate that the pulp is actually dying. Your cat may appear miserable and sensitive around his mouth, and he may show reluctance to eat or have difficulty chewing his food.
There are two primary treatment options for tooth fractures: extraction and root canal treatment.
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Tooth Root Abscesses In Cats
A tooth root abscess is a severe infection around the base of a tooth root, usually after damage or trauma to the tooth has occurred. Bacteria enter the injury site, attacking the tissue and causing inflammation and pain.
Tooth root abscesses can also occur as a complication of feline periodontal disease. Your cat may struggle to eat and may begin tipping his head to one side in an attempt to avoid the pain caused by the abscess.
As the abscess grows, facial swelling may appear, often around the eye, depending on the proximity of the tooth roots.
If your cat will allow you to look inside his mouth, you may see swelling or a red, angry-looking area of the gum.
A vet will prescribe antibiotics to control the infection, together with analgesics and/or anti-inflammatory drugs to make your cat more comfortable.
Treatment will involve either root canal therapy or extraction of the affected tooth root if the surrounding structures are too severely damaged to be saved.
Dentalife Dental Cat Treats
Our Dentalife dental cat treats can be given daily as part of your cats tooth care routine. With delicious flavours like salmon and chicken, these treats have been scientifically designed for a thorough clean, thanks to the crunchy and porous texture.
As an added benefit, our dental cat treats can even prevent plaque and tartar build up as they can clean even the hard to reach back teeth which are most prone to developing these problems.
Start your cat on a daily oral care routine with Dentalife® cat treats the crunch that cleans!
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What Happens During Teething
Buried in the bone of the jaws, beneath the baby teeth, adult teeth, known as tooth buds, are forming. As the adult teeth develop, they begin to move through the bone and erupt through the gums. Ideally, the baby tooth associated with that permanent tooth falls out. You may even find these hollow shells of the baby teeth on the floor or in your kittens bedding, but more often than not the teeth will fall out while the kitten is eating and they will swallow them with the rest of their food.
The teething process can be a time of discomfort and your kitten may drool, be reluctant to eat at times, and may be irritable due to a tender mouth. Almost all kittens will have the urge to chew when they are teething. It is important that you do what you can to direct your kittens chewing towards acceptable objects. Avoid giving your kitten hard objects that could damage their teeth.
“The teething process can be a time of discomfort and your kitten may drool, be reluctant to eat at times, and may be irritable due to a tender mouth.”
You may also notice a characteristic breath odor , which is associated with teething. This odor is normal and will last as long as the kitten is teething.
Sometimes however, the permanent tooth erupts alongside the baby tooth. When the baby tooth is still present at the time that a permanent tooth has begun to erupt, it is referred to as a persistent deciduous tooth.
What’s The Difference Between Kitten Teeth And Cat Teeth
Kitten teeth, also known as deciduous, milk, baby, or primary teeth, are the first, temporary set of teeth that every kitten has. These teeth are extremely small and sharp, with short, thin roots and a thin coating of enamel. If you care to count, your kitten should have 26 deciduous teeth. These deciduous teeth are just placeholders until the permanent adult teeth come in, so they don’t require much care.
Your cat will have her adult teeth for the rest of her life, so it is important to take care of them! Daily brushing with a cat-safe toothpaste is the gold standard for feline dental care, plus professional dental cleanings under anesthesia on a regular basis. Dental diets and treats can also help for some cats.
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How To Tell A Cats Age By Her Teeth
Posted byAmira| Sep 28, 2017 |Guides
Hi there!
Im Amira, founder and editor at Cattention.
This website is dedicated to share useful but entertaining information and help You understand Your cats actions, behavior and needs.
Welcome to my Cat World!
Unless you know the exact date your cat was born, determining how old she is can be quite difficult. However, knowing her age is an important factor in the decisions about the care she needs. Therefore, if you dont know when your cat was born, you should estimate her age.
While the estimation can seem like a daunting job, the easiest and most reliable way to tell the age of a cat is by looking at her teeth as cats develop their teeth at different growth stages. As such, the number and type of teeth your cat has will depend on her specific age.
So, if you are wondering how old your cat is, you should be able to get a good idea of her age by observing the presence, development, number, and characteristics of her teeth. And for this, you need to know how to examine your cats mouth and what you should see inside: how many and what types of teeth she should have.
So, lets start this article about these important tips and facts followed by the exact answer about how to tell a cats age by her teeth.
Cat Dental Care Products
The simple truth is that some cats find it tough to get along with tooth brushing, however hard you try. Rather than continue to cause your cat stress, talk to your vet about other products you can use, such as oral hygiene gels. These contain enzymes that inhibit the bacteria that are responsible for plaque formation. You can give these gels to your cat directly or mix them with their food.
Cat dental chews are also available, as well as special dry food diets that contain fibre that scrapes the surface of your cats teeth as they chew. Some cats enjoy playing with chew toys, and these can help reduce the build-up of plaque but dont rely on them the best dental care is giving your cat a healthy balanced diet and regular tooth brushing.
Its a good idea to introduce home cat dental care to keep your cats mouth as happy and healthy as possible throughout their life. With patience and persistence most cats will learn to tolerate some level of tooth cleaning, whether its brushing their teeth or hygiene gels.
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What Can Be Done To Fix Broken Teeth
Most fractured teeth need to be treated in order to return to pain free function. Treatment may include root canal therapy, vital pulp therapy, or extraction. Ignoring the problem is not a good option as the tooth will become sensitive and painful.
Root canal therapy involves removal of the diseased pulp tissue inside the tooth. As with people, an X-ray of the tooth evaluates the surrounding bone and confirms that the root is intact. Instruments are used to clean, disinfect, and fill the root canal to prevent future bacterial contamination and save the tooth. Long-term results of root canal treatment are generally excellent.
Vital pulp therapy may be performed on recently fractured teeth in younger cats . This treatment keeps the tooth alive. In vital pulp therapy, a layer of the pulp is removed in order to remove surface bacteria and inflamed tissue. A medicated dressing is placed on the newly exposed pulp to allow healing. A protective barrier of dental composite is placed on top of the dressing. Teeth treated with vital pulp therapy may require future root canal treatment.
Removal of broken teeth is another option however, many veterinarians try to avoid extraction of fractured, but otherwise healthy teeth. For the large canine and chewing teeth in cats the removal procedure involves oral surgery, comparable to removing impacted wisdom teeth in human patients.
Dental Disease And Tooth Loss In Adult Cats
While cats do not develop cavities like humans do, this does not make them exempt from dental disease and tooth loss.
In fact, dental disease is such a common feline ailment that approximately two-thirds of cats over 3 years of age have some degree of dental disease. Of course, not all tooth loss is caused by dental disease, and not all dental disease results in tooth loss.
As with humans, cats accumulate bacterial plaque on the surface of their teeth. If the plaque is not removed quickly, it becomes mineralized to form tartar and calculus.
If dental disease is caught at an early stage, a thorough dental scaling and polishing may be able to save most of your cats teeth.
However, if gingivitis is allowed to persist untreated, then irreversible damage to the bone and ligaments that support the tooth will lead to excessive tooth mobility and eventual tooth loss.
If you notice that your adult cat is missing a tooth, or you find a cat tooth around your house, please seek veterinary care, as this is a major sign of painful dental disease.
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What Happens To A Cats Teeth When It Falls
Canine teeth often fracture when cats jump down from heights. When they land on their feet, the head may hit the landing surface striking the canine teeth. The tips of these canine teeth often fracture from the impact. Some teeth do not fracture and become discolored . Discolored teeth are usually non-vital or are dying.
When Do Kittens Start Teething
The first stage of teething is when your kitten gets her deciduous teeth in between two to six weeks of age. The eruption of the baby teeth is usually pretty uneventful, though you may notice the kittens doing some extra chewing on toys .
The main event for teething is when the adult teeth come in. This generally starts around three months of age, with all of the adult teeth in place by six or seven months.
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How To Tell The Age Of An Adult Cat By Her Teeth
While it is relatively easy to determine a kittens age by her teeth, it can be difficult to tell the age of an older cat that has crossed the cute kitten stage. One thing you can be sure of: once your cat has all her permanent teeth in, she is definitely older than 7 months.
However, from this time onwards, you should pay more attention to the color and condition of your cats teeth, rather than the amount.
Look for yellow spots on your cats teeth. As most cats get older, they have more and more tartar accumulation on the surfaces of their teeth.
- From the ages of 6 to 7 months up to a year, your cats teeth should be white, healthy and clean without any sign of tartar accumulation.
- The first time you can expect to see slight yellow tartar buildup is at about 1 to 2 years of age.
- Between 3 and 5 years, the tartar has spread more and your cat will have increased yellowing on her teeth.
- The yellow tartar will be easily visible by the time your cat is between 5 to 10 years old.
- , your cat will have an extreme amount of tartar buildup on all her teeth and she may have lost some teeth as well.
Check your cats teeth for signs of wear down. As cats age increases, their teeth will wear down and lose their points appearing quite dull.
Note: While this guide can give you a rough estimation of an adult cats age, it is not completely reliable because tartar buildup is affected by the cats diet as well as the frequency and the appropriateness of the cats dental care.
Baby Teeth In Kittens Overview
Now lets take an overview of baby teeth in kittens.
Just like humans, kittens are born without teeth. The first teeth are about to appear when your cat is 2 weeks old. These teeth are a little bit translucent, look like tiny milk stones. Thats why they are also called milk teeth.
At the four weeks of age, your kitten would have fangs growing in, and two weeks later, we should notice her premolars that appear. The teeth growing process completes when your cat has 26 ones altogether, and they are all deciduous teeth, which will drop out for adult teeth.
Oh, dont think that milk teeth are soft and vulnerable they can even irritate the nursing cat mother, thus beginning the weaning process. In this process, kittens will stop nursing and get started with solid food.
But how about foster kittens? These cats have to grow up without their mother, so they need supplementary nutrition in another way . No matter how they are fed, this is time to stop it and help your cat to get started to self-feeding.
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