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Tooth & Gum Care for Cats
Tooth and Gum Conditions have become the most common medical
problems that cats suffer from.
Healthy teeth and gums are essential for general good health, If teeth and
gums are not regularly exercised, a deposit of plaque builds up on the
surface of the tooth and lifts the gum margin away from the tooth.
Diet and plaque formation are directly related, but viruses also play a role
in
feline mouth problems.
The modern cat's diet of minced, tinned food may have a detrimental effect
on its teeth. Wild cats clean and polish their teeth as they cut through the
skin and gristle of fresh carcasses. Giving your cat "bones" will
not have the same effect.
Cats have a tendency to accumulate tartar or scale around the teeth. the
tartar is soft at first and hardening later, this deposit has a high calcium
content and is mainly due to the milk and cereal elements of a cat's diet. The
main effect of the accumulation of tartar is on the gums, encouraging
inflammation (gingivitis) and enabling germs to enter the tooth socket.
Slowly, the infection creeps down the socket creating periodontal disease,
As a result, the tooth may become loose, the nerve will die and extraction
will be necessary.
Warning signs of advanced gum disease:
Bad breath.
Yellow-brown tartar.
Weight loss.
Enlarged neck lymph nodes.
Mouth ulcers.
Teeth loose or missing.
Dribbling Saliva.
Increased irritability.
Bleeding gums.
Dropping food on floor.
Subdued nature.
Eating on one side of mouth.
Reluctance to eat.
Preventing Dental Problems:
Toothache and a sore mouth can make it difficult for your cat to eat or
groom itself, to prevent problems you should:
Feed your cat good quality dried food or give it
something hard to chew on.
Brush your cat's teeth once a week or have them
descaled by your Veterinary Surgeon, as needed.
Check your cat's mouth regularly for sore red gums,
brown tartar, loose teeth and bad breath.
Have your cat's mouth examined by your Veterinary
Surgeon at least every six months or when you take your cat for a regular
checkup. Ask your Veterinary Surgeon to investigate any painful areas on
the tooth, lumps in the mouth, or ulcers on the lips, gums or tongue.
Take your cat for a checkup if it starts pawing at
its mouth, drools or has obvious difficulty in eating.
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