Dental care in the cat 2009. My resource for this article is Dr Sandra Manfra, a board certified veterinary surgeon and a Diplomate of American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC). Dr Manfra is on staff at the College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital at University of Illinois. I have attended lectures and wet labs she has conducted at the American Veterinary Dental Forum. She is an outstanding mentor, lecturer, instructor and one that I consider a friend and inspirer. She mentioned "Dental disease is one of the most common diseases that we see in cats. " If you are able to keep plaque and calculus off the teeth, you can prevent a minor problem from becoming a major oral pathological problem. When cats age a biofilm adheres to the teeth. This organic matrix is transformed into plaque which accumulates on their teeth. As plaque ages and matures eventually it calcifies and becomes calculus which is difficult to remove. Once this progression has tartar / calculus is "cemented" on it cannot be removed with brushing, whishing or dreaming. The first step in recovery of oral health is to have the teeth cleaned by a veterinarian. We need to do this procedure under general anesthesia to do a thorough exam, evaluation, radiographs, subgingival and crown cleaning. After calculus buildup is removed, you brush your cat's teeth to prevent further plaque buildup. This is obviously in a cat that will let you complete this without maiming the brusher.
Ideally one should brush daily to prevent plaque accumulation. If not done daily, then a couple times a week is helpful. If brushed less than once a week calculus formation is laid down quickly and it is not be possible to brush it away. The irritation of rough bacteria ladened calculus will result in periodontal disease starting at the gum line tooth interface. Brushing when started as a kitten will prevent this scenario advancing to severe oral pathology. There are dental diets and treats available with enzymes that help with oral health.
Finger brushes, that fit on your finger and very small toothbrushes, and toothpastes specific for cats are available at most veterinary clinics. Pets swallow a lot of toothpaste because they have not figured out how to effectively spit and rinse dentifrice. The pet toothpastes are formulated so animals can swallow them without any problems. Humantoothpaste can cause gastrointestinal upset in animals. There is an issue of fluoride toxicity in small body mass individuals. You may see clues your cat is having dental problems. There may be a change in eating habits. There may be a reluctance to chew the dry food and eat only soft food either moistened dry or canned food. A cat might chew on one side or show painful chewing. Cats will go up to a food dish as if hungry start to eat, drop the food, run away, or even hiss at the food. If a cat has a decreased appetite and weight loss you certainly want to look at the mouth and teeth. Owners need to lookout for key symptoms such as mouth odor, mouth pawing, abnormal salivation, facial swelling, hemorrhage, sneezing, and bloody nasal discharge. The previous signs would generate a list of rule outs including fractured crowns, carious (cavity) lesions, FORLs, ulceration, foreign bodies, neoplasia, renal failure, feline leukemia, or oral cavity or sinus infections. Chronic inflammation of the oral cavity is likely to occur if nothing is done to remove calculus and plaque buildup on a cat's teeth. Bacteria in plaque contribute to infection, resulting in deep periodontal pockets and attachment loss of gum tissue around the teeth. The infection in the underlying bone causes horizontal bone loss which necessitates an extraction. Imagine your mail box on a wooden post. Running water in the spring may loosen contact at the base. If you can imagine termites chewing at near ground level you can visualize the forces of external and internal erosion. Unless you intervene your monthly check is not going to be delivered high and dry. Teeth and gums need the same type of maintenance or tooth structures wobble over or break down. Extractions will remove pain and irritating tooth parts. Cats are able eat without teeth but usually are limited to canned food, extremely small kibble or need dried food softened with water. We veterinarians like to keep the teeth pain free and functioning as long as possible. There is a syndrome devastating for feline teeth. This dental problem is feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs), which affect up to 60% of cats. A lesion forms on a tooth adjacent to the gingiva. The cause of FORLs has not been determined. The result action is documented as the irritant is present it dissolves through the enamel and will eat into the pulp chamber. This is excruciatingly painful. The immune system stimulates gum growth in an effort to place a biological bandage over the enamel deficit. The tooth becomes weak and eventually breaks off at the root tips. If broken teeth are left untreated, your cat will experience extreme pain with an infection. Extraction is the only option. Restorative procedures and use of dental lasers have to date proved to be of little use. Contact your cat's veterinarian to extract the painful teeth.
Oral neoplasia or oral cancer is a serious problem. There are not many happy endings with cancer in the mouth.
Lymphocytic-plasmacytic gingivitis stomatitis (LPGS): LPGS is a severe oral disease which affects some cats. The cat becomes allergic to plaque around its teeth. The allergic response appears as marked inflammation. Interferon, anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, and extraction of all teeth are current treatment recommendations.
The goal in veterinary dentistry is to give an animal a comfortable mouth. If you believe your cat has a dental problem or needs an oral dental cleaning, call your veterinarian.
For more information about a specific case, consult your veterinarian.