13 Mar How Often Should Your Cat Have Their Teeth Evaluated?
Cats are fickle animals. Often going long periods of time without intervention for their health, but this does not always mean there are not any hidden issues.
We hear it every day; I had no idea my cat’s mouth looked like this. Even myself, as a veterinarian. I remember the day I first noted my cat’s fractured canine. I had no idea how long it had been fractured, and I felt awful. There I was, examining cats all day, every day, and I failed to even know that my cat had fractured his tooth and was in pain. Let’s discuss the timeframe for oral exams for cats and what you can watch for at home so you can help keep your cat’s oral health in good shape.
Oral Exams for Cats Timeframe
Some cats are better at letting us know when they are having even the slightest bit of discomfort. Some cats will act like they are totally healthy until their oral disease (or any other disease, for that case!) is so advanced that they cannot hide it anymore. For this reason, we at Your Pet Dentist recommend that your cat’s oral cavity be evaluated at least annually by their regular veterinarian.
If your cat has a history of oral disease, we recommend decreasing the time between examinations to every 6-9 months. On top of these professional exams, if you can perform your own brief examinations at home every month to every couple of months, it may help all of us be aware of any disease or changes so much sooner.
What to Watch for at Home
What exactly could you look for at home? Other than their eating habits – how slow or fast they are eating, whether they are eating on both sides of their mouths or chewing or dropping food – you can also look at their gums and the rest of their oral tissues. Gingivitis, redness at the gumline that meets the teeth, is the first sign of periodontal disease.
In fact, it is the only stage of periodontal disease that is considered irreversible without significant interventions. Other areas of importance, if you are a lucky owner that gets more than a 2-second look!! – the teeth themselves. Are any teeth missing or appearing to be disappearing (resorbing) or even fractured? Any of these issues would warrant a professional exam as soon as possible to prevent pain and infection/inflammation.
Oral Exams for Cats in Nashville, TN
All in all, cats are great at hiding all their diseases, almost to a fault at times. We recommend oral examinations be performed at a minimum of yearly but as often as every 3-4 months if the cat has a significant history of oral disease. Contact us today at Your Pet Dentist to schedule your cat’s next dental appointment.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (03/13/2025) Photo by Chen on Unsplash