Teeth in general Dental diseases in cats

It may sound strange at first, but cats can suffer from dental disease just like humans. That's why it's important to pay attention to your cat's teeth right from the start. The most common dental diseases will be presented today.

Caries

Unfortunately, not all cat food is completely sugar-free. It can happen that supposedly good food is harmful to the teeth. Tooth decay usually occurs where the cat cannot provide adequate dental care on its own due to hard food. In contrast to dogs, feeding bones is not recommended here. But hard food should still be an integral part of the overall feeding plan.

Plaque

Not every cat owner comes up with the idea of ​​brushing their cat's teeth every day, and that's a good thing. Nevertheless, you should check them regularly, preferably in a playful way - even with outdoor animals, if possible. If plaque is found on the teeth that cannot be removed by simply rubbing, you should first try to remove the plaque with hard food or hard treats. If this doesn't work and it spreads, you should seek advice from a veterinarian or animal health practitioner on how the plaque can be counteracted.

Inflammation of the gums

It is usually a feeding problem or the result of plaque that is not removed but can spread. The bacteria that inevitably accumulate in plaque cause inflammation of the gums. It can be clearly recognized by the strong red color and possible bleeding.

Tartar

Tartar is a common problem in cats. The older they get, the more the tartar seems to settle in them. If tartar forms, we are dealing with an imbalance in the acid-base balance in the mouth area. The problem with tartar is that it robs the tooth of minerals. As the tartar grows, the tooth becomes more and more porous until it eventually breaks. In such a case, the diet should generally be changed in order to bring the acid-base balance in the mouth area back into the optimal range.

Broken tooth

Cats are very playful animals who sometimes want to catch something hard or when trying to do so they bump into something hard, which can result in a tooth breaking off. How treatment needs to be done is up to the veterinarian. He can best assess whether the tooth can remain and “only” the nerve is killed or whether the entire remaining tooth needs to be extracted. What is important is that it can be integrated into the animal's bite.

Avulsed tooth

This mainly occurs with so-called outdoor animals. Territorial battles, which cannot be avoided, can result in such a violent fight that a tooth is torn out or severely displaced in the jaw. This is a case for the experienced veterinarian about cats and their teeth. Whether a crooked, loose tooth can be saved can only be diagnosed individually. If in doubt, the tooth must go.