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Dental Care
At the time of your cat's annual physical examination
and vaccinations, ask your vet to evaluate your cat's
teeth and assess the need for a thorough dental
prophylaxis. Every cat's needs are unique; some,
especially in the Siamese breed, can use a careful
cleaning and polishing under the gum line every year.
Other cats will need this dental care only once or twice
in their lifetime.
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Some groomers offer the service of scraping teeth, as do
some veterinarians as a temporary measure until proper
dentistry can be performed. Scraping teeth involves
chipping off the large pieces of tartar with a sharp
dental scaler while the cat is awake. This can improve
the appearance of teeth cosmetically and can make it
easier for some animals to eat. It also etches the
enamel surface of the tooth, predisposing it to rapid
return of the tartar.
The only total cleaning of teeth is to use a ultrasonic
or rotary scaler like the ones dentists use on humans.
The teeth are cleaned on all surfaces and below the gums
where cavities often occur in cats. After scaling, the
teeth are polished to remove the surface etching. Some
vets also use a fluoride treatment to seal the teeth
against cavities.
All this requires that your cat be put under anesthesia.
A thorough examination for infection, cavities, and
broken teeth, and proper cleaning and polishing cannot
be accomplished while an animal is awake. Elderly cats
are often the ones that need this type of dental work
the most. To minimize the risks associated with
anesthesia, your vet will probably require
pre-anesthetic laboratory evaluation of kidney and liver
function. If there are oher associated problems like a
heart murmur, chest radiographs or x-rays and an EKG are
advisable.
The health benefits obtained from routine preventive
dental care are easier to understand if you've ever had
a cat who acts reasonably "normal" despite the presence
of fetid cat breath and bleeding gums. Once the cat's
mouth is attended to and the infection is under control,
there is often a personality change, with the cat
becoming more affectionate and social. Eating habits
also change. The cat will be at less of a risk for
secondary effects of the chronic oral infection, like
heart and kidney disease that can, without question,
shorten his life.
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