When your cat is a kitten they have 26 teeth.
Like humans these are shed and replaced by 30 adult teeth
by the age of six months.
Cats rely on strong, healthy teeth for natural behaviours
like chewing food, catching prey and defending themselves from other cats.
Any weakness, damage or discomfort with their teeth
or oral health in general can have a dramatic effect on their wellbeing.
That's why, as a cat owner, it's important to help your cat
keep their teeth clean and maintain good oral health
so they can have a great quality of life.
Cats are very good at hiding their pain or discomfort.
They are also incredibly adaptable creatures,
so it can be very hard to detect if they have any sort of issue with their teeth.
So keeping up with regular vet checks
where your cat's teeth can be examined is essential.
Obvious signs of tooth problems and dental disease can include
reduced grooming activity, leading to poor condition of your cat's coat,
bad breath,
drooling,
discomfort when eating,
pawing at the mouth,
bleeding gums
or reduced appetite or weight loss.
If you notice your cat experiencing any of these symptoms
you should contact your vet straight away.
Unlike with humans, dental work such as
root canal treatments and crown repair techniques are rarely used.
So if a cat has a problem with a tooth
it is often treated by extraction,
but this does not effect the cat's quality of life.
Dental issues that may require a cat having a tooth extracted include
excessive wearing of the tooth surface,
fractured or broken teeth,
or tooth resorption, a common dental disorder in cats
that causes the tooth's structure to weaken and break down.
Other common cat oral health issues you should be aware of
include gingivitis and periodontal disease.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of cats' gums,
which causes redness and soreness.
If caught early it is treatable.
Your vet may recommend a thorough tooth clean
under a general anaesthetic, antibiotics or an anti-inflammatory medication.
However, if allowed to progress it can lead to receding gums
and even loss of teeth.
So, it's important to keep up with vet checks
in order to catch any signs early on.
Periodontal disease is the inflammation and weakening
of the tissues that surround your cat's teeth.
It causes the development of pockets around the tooth,
which can lead to tooth loss.
This is usually caused by a build-up of bacteria and plaque in the mouth.
Excessive plaque can be caused by
a reduction in the cat's ability to naturally clean their teeth,
perhaps caused by a diet that allows plaque to build up,
inflammation of the gums
or reduced immune defences due to infections or illness.
Feeding your cat a healthy and balanced diet
will help prevent dental problems and health issues in general.
Specially formulated diets can help reduce dental problems.
You can also buy complementary foods that may help
reduce oral health issues.
Diet alone will not control plaque but it helps.
Try and avoid giving your cat milk.
Although most cats find milk tasty, milk contains lactose,
a sugar that can erode tooth enamel, potentially leading to tooth decay.
Also, most cats are lactose intolerant, so giving them cows' milk
can cause other health issues too.
For some advice on how to feed your cat please watch our
'What should I feed my cat?' video.
It is quite common for a vet to recommend
teeth cleaning under anaesthetic as a way of preventing tooth loss.
It's a very simple and routine procedure
and your cat should be in and out
of the vet practice within the day.
Again, it's important to get your cat's teeth checked regularly by your vet
to ensure any issues are caught early.
Even healthy cats should have their teeth checked annually.
Another way of keeping your cat's teeth strong and healthy
is to clean them yourself.
This may not be suitable for all cats
but for a simple guide on how to do this please see our other video.
For more information please visit our website.
There's also lots more videos
on cat care and behaviour on our YouTube channel.