dental health

Teeth Grinding in Cats

Feline Health| 4 Comments

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While teeth grinding may be more commonly associated with humans, it also occurs in cats, and it’s not all that unusual. The medical term for teeth grinding is bruxism. In humans, it can be caused by stress, anxiety, a sleep disorder, or missing or misaligned teeth. In cats, the most common reason is pain – sometimes, severe pain. It is most often related to dental issues, but can also be a symptom of other serious health issues.Continue Reading

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Review: Cateeth Soft Toothbrush with 360 Degree Head

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Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in cats. 70 to 90 percent of cats have some level of dental disease. If left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your cat, ranging from bad breath, dental pain and loose teeth to systemic illnesses that can be life-threatening. The most effective way to prevent dental disease: brushing.Continue Reading

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Study Shows 1TDC™ Reduces Periodontal Disease Within Six Weeks

Feline Health| 17 Comments

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If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ve heard me talk about 1TDC™ and about how much I like this supplement. I don’t use the term “miracle” lightly, but I am using it for this product. Now, a study performed at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, showed that daily use of 1TDC™over a period of six weeks resulted in significant improvements in cats with periodontal disease.Continue Reading

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Warning Signs of Feline Periodontal Disease

Feline Health| 6 Comments

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By the time they reach three years of age, about 80% of cats have oral health issues, with many showing the tell-tale signs of early onset periodontal disease.

Unfortunately, periodontal disease often goes untreated, because other than a foul smelling breath  —something that many guardians just write off as “bad breath”—there are few other symptoms of the disease during its early stages. Periodontal disease can lead to multiple problems for your cat, including pain and, eventually, tooth loss.Continue Reading

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Anesthesia for Cats: Information from a Veterinary Dentist

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Most cat guardians worry when their cats have to go under anesthesia. I’m certainly one of them. Even though I’ve assisted with all sorts of anesthetic procedures and surgeries in my years working in veterinary clinics, understanding how it all works, and what constitutes safe anesthetic practice still doesn’t completely take the worry out of it.Continue Reading

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How to Care for Your Cat’s Teeth

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Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for cats. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, an astounding 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3.

The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can lead to damage to other organs such as the heart, kidney and liver, and lead to other serious health problems.  Dental disease can also be an indicator of immune system disorders.Continue Reading

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How to Brush Your Cat’s Teeth (4-Week Training Program)

Feline Health| 10 Comments

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Brushing you cat’s teeth? Most cat parents think that they couldn’t possibly get their cats used to it. And yet, dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in cats. Seventy to ninety percent of cats have some level of dental disease. If left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your cat, ranging from bad breath, dental pain and loose teeth to systemic illnesses that can be life-threatening.

The most effective way to prevent dental disease is to brush your cat’s teeth.Continue Reading

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Anesthesia Free Dental Cleaning May Do More Harm Than Good

Feline Health| 14 Comments

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You may have heard about anesthesia-free dental cleaning from a pet store, groomer or even your veterinarian. Anesthesia-free dentistry involves scaling (scraping off tartar) a cat’s teeth without putting the cat under anesthesia. Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is.Continue Reading

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Review: MAXI/GUARD Oral Cleansing Gel

Feline Health, Products| 11 Comments

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Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in cats. Seventy to ninety percent of cats have some level of dental disease. If left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your cat, ranging from bad breath, dental pain and loose teeth to systemic illnesses that can be life-threatening.

The most effective way to prevent dental disease is to brush your cat’s teeth. Ideally, you get your cat used to this when she’s still a kitten, but even older cats can learn to accept having their teeth brushed. You can read my account of how I trained Allegra and Ruby to accept having their teeth brushed here.Continue Reading

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How to Keep Your Cat’s Teeth Healthy

Feline Health| 32 Comments

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Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for cats. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, an astounding 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3.

What is dental disease?

Normal teeth should be white or just a little yellow. Gums should be light pink and smooth (except in breeds with pigmented gums). Oral disease begins with a build up of plaque and tartar in your cat’s mouth. Without proper preventive and therapeutic care, plaque and tartar buildup leads to periodontal disease, which manifests in red and/or swollen and tender gums, bad breath, and bleeding. When the gums are swollen, they can be painful – a good rule of thumb is that if it looks like it might be painful, it probably is. Cats are masters at masking pain – when in doubt, assume that your cat is experiencing at least some discomfort.Continue Reading

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Kitten Teeth: Everything You Need to Know

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Just like humans, cats have two sets of teeth: deciduous teeth, also known as milk teeth, and permanent teeth.

Kittens are born without teeth, but within the first two to three weeks the deciduous teeth, also known as milk teeth, baby teeth, or primary teeth, erupt. All of the deciduous teeth are present by 6 to 7 weeks of age. These milk teeth will start to fall out around 3 months of age as the permanent teeth begin to erupt. Once a kitten reaches the age of 6 or 7 months, all 30 permanent teeth should be present.Continue Reading

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