Generally speaking, cats don't brush their teeth regularly, don't clean their mouths, and some have different degrees of oral diseases. There are many kinds of oral diseases in cats, such as dental calculus, stomatitis and gingival ulcer. These diseases will lead to different symptoms in cats, and their harm is immeasurable.
First, calculus and bad breath.
Cat's teeth are prone to plaque formation, and the process is very similar to that of humans. The formation of dental plaque comes from bacteria, saliva and food residues, and finally forms dental calculus through mineralization. Unless cleaned frequently, there will be serious dental calculus accumulation and bad breath; When there is too much tartar, it will cause gingivitis, lead to bone loss around the teeth, and finally expose the roots, which will soon loosen and fall off. When a cat's teeth start to have problems, it usually has only a few external symptoms. When there is no appetite, it means that the teeth are already quite painful and begin to hinder eating.
Second, gums fester and teeth break.
Gingival ulcer is also called "isthmus disease" (refers to the disease in the contact area between teeth and gums). Usually, young cats will have ulcers on the gum line, which will destroy the entire tooth tissue. When a tooth is damaged, it is easy to break. In addition, when the ulcer spreads to the root, it will also lead to root abscess. Unless it occurs in the upper teeth, it is difficult to detect obvious symptoms. It is worth noting that some veterinarians will suggest pulling out these teeth and filling them, but recently more and more evidence shows that this method can not inhibit the deterioration of the disease. Therefore, only regular tooth cleaning and daily health care are the most effective treatments. Trauma or disease (such as gum ulcer) can lead to tooth fracture. If the broken part occurs in the medullary cavity, it will soon cause pain and inflammation. But from the appearance, you usually only see the cat's loss of appetite, or tilt its head when eating, to avoid chewing food with painful teeth. Next, due to secondary bacterial infection, symptoms such as loss of appetite, fever and facial swelling may gradually appear. If it can be found early in the course of the disease, you can ask a veterinarian to repair it. But at present, most veterinarians usually take removal as the main method.
Third, stomatitis.
Cat stomatitis is a rare but serious dental disease, because platelet allergy will stimulate the cat's own immune system to attack its own gingival tissue, which will lead to stomatitis; Poor response to treatment can be described as severe inflammatory response of oral tissue. If the treatment opportunity is delayed, it will cause serious inflammatory reaction to damage gingival tissue and destroy teeth; During the treatment, steroid drugs can be given, teeth should be washed at least once every three months, and daily dental care should be done, which will improve the condition, but if the disease is to be completely cured, all damaged teeth must be pulled out.
Fourth, other dental diseases.
Rotten teeth will have obvious local reactions, such as pain, swelling and severe bad breath. Tooth decay can lead to systemic reactions, such as fever, gradual weight loss, thick hair and loss of appetite. There are many indirect negative reactions in other parts of the body, especially in the heart and kidneys.
However, because some cats' dental diseases fail to show obvious clinical symptoms, it is very important to ask veterinarians to do a complete dental health examination for cats at least once a year.