Many external environmental and internal pathologies cause toothache symptoms in cats, leading to dental disease in cats. Any attentive owner can notice characteristic symptoms of disorders in the pet’s teeth or gums. There is no need to look at the animal’s face for this. For more tips on maintaining your cat’s dental health, visit Pawlicy’s cat dental care tips. The main symptoms of the development of diseases in the oral cavity are:
- Pronounced by rubbing the mouth against furniture and objects when the animal does not show pleasure;
- Occurrence of a foul odor from the mouth;
- Gum hyperemia; Changes in tooth enamel color;
- Exhibition of aggression when the owner tries to look at the face;
- Due to painful sensations, refusal to eat;
- Increased salivation.
Causes of Dental Disease in Cats Veterinary medicine has its classification of dental diseases and varying degrees of severity. Many factors negatively affect the normal physiological development of a cat’s teeth. The main ones are.
- Misalignment of row teeth,
- Eating disorders,
- Diseases of an infectious nature,
- Lack of timely veterinary care in case of injury and development of other pathologies in the cat’s oral cavity,
- Changes in the qualitative composition of saliva and the ratio of beneficial and pathogenic microflora in the animal’s mouth (as a result, there is a risk of developing dangerous diseases).
- Genetic heredity factors (several cat breeds have been identified with a predisposition to dental disease).
Treatment of dental disease
Cats have become the main reason for their development. The veterinarian selects an individual treatment suitable exclusively for a particular animal. If tartar is the cause of the cat’s dental problems, therapy is based on its complete removal. The optimal method of cleaning damaged tissue is selected based on the severity of the degenerative process. At the first stage of tartar formation, it is possible to remove it with the help of special gels or ointments.
Early cases of dental plaque and calculus require anesthesia and removal of the growth using ultrasonic equipment or a chisel. Stained and surface caries are treated by treating the affected tooth with a special sodium fluoride or silver nitrate solution. Providing a pet with a complete filling is problematic; therefore, the diseased tooth is removed in most cases of advanced caries.
Early stages of osteomyelitis can be treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, sulfonamide drugs, and immunomodulatory drugs. More advanced cases of dental osteomyelitis require surgical intervention under local or general anesthesia, dissection of the formed fistula, removal of purulent contents from the cavity, and treatment with unique antibacterial solutions. Spray the cat’s oral cavity with a disinfectant solution.
Periodontitis is treated.
The damaged part of the tooth is treated with iodine-glycerin or a 5% alum solution. The treatment of gingivitis directly depends on the degree of neglect of the pathological process. Diseased animals should be treated and cleaned with medicated gums daily. Antimicrobial and hormone therapy is required in the early stages.
Dental disease in cats
Like humans, cats can have several dental conditions. Cavities, on the other hand, are pretty rare among them. So, we can mention the following verbal problems:
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
One of the most common oral diseases in domestic carnivores is periodontal disease, a concern for cats and dogs. When a cat eats, food residue, saliva, and bacteria from its mouth settle on its teeth and form dental plaque. Without maintenance, this plaque will gradually thicken and harden into tartar.
It will first start at the junction of the teeth and gums. The deepest teeth are affected first. This tartar causes gingivitis (gingivitis), which is caused by the red color along the teeth. Without intervention, this inflammation can progress and thus loosen the affected teeth or even reach the bones and ligaments of the mouth. The consequences can be dire. Not only is this painful for the cat, but the bacteria in the tartar can enter the bloodstream and accumulate in other organs, becoming the focus of secondary infection (heart, kidney, etc.).
Restoration of teeth
Restoration of teeth affected by dental disease in cats involves treating receding teeth. These lesions form holes at the base of the tooth. The causes still need to be better understood. This condition is excruciating, but most cats show little pain. Thus, you may notice feeding difficulties, although some cats generally eat despite the pain, bad breath (halitosis), or hypersalivation. Treatment consists of removing the affected tooth followed by tooth restoration.
How to clean a cat’s teeth
Now that we know what steps to take to get them to let us brush our teeth, we have to say that we need to go from top to bottom. We will always start from the eighth area and go down. Of course, sometimes we won’t be able to follow that step so thoroughly because it will tear us apart as quickly as possible.
We have already mentioned the frequency of brushing, and this can be done a few times a week or daily if you find that your cat is also acting up. If you have been taking care of your oral hygiene all your life and have never had a problem, once a week may be enough
How to clean a cat’s teeth and prevent dental disease in cats?
The best way to prevent gingivitis in cats is to remove plaque build-up through regular tooth brushing (see Figure 1). Only dental gels or toothpaste designed for cats should be used, as human products can be toxic to cats.
