Dentistry

Could you imagine not being able to brush your teeth daily? Just imagine how your cats feel. Without proper dental care, your cat could end up with many health problems. Fortunately, regular and professional care from your veterinarian along with at-home care is readily available and feline-friendly. Plaque is a colorless film that is composed of bacteria, proteins, sugars, blood cells, minerals, and water. It is invisible to the unaided eye, forming continuously on the teeth and gums. Layers of plaque mixed with food particles lead to tartar accumulation. Tartar buildup leads to mouth odor, pain, infection, gingivitis (reddened, inflamed gums) and possible tooth loss due to periodontal disease. All cats are at risk for dental problems. If your cat displays warning signs, such as mouth odor, tartar buildup around the gum line, or bleeding gums, and nothing is done to resolve the problem, then irreversible periodontal disease may result. Regular dental cleanings, scheduled with your veterinarian, will help prevent the onset of this disease. Changing of the diet to a dental diet (i.e. Science Diet Oral Care or Hill’s T/d) will aid in the prevention of gingivitis, plaque and tartar buildup. Brushing your cat’s teeth on a regular basis, and/or the use of CET Oral Care Gel, CET Chews, and other dental care products will also aid in deterring tartar and gingivitis. In more serious cases, where periodontal disease has already occurred, antibiotic treatments on a monthly basis can be used. This will help prevent the reoccurrence of this disease after a dental cleaning is performed.