12 Sep My Cat’s Mouth Looks Great, So Why Do You Recommend An Anesthetic Dental Exam/Cleaning?
As a Veterinary Dental Specialist (TM), I am amazed at what I see on a day-in-day-out basis. Some days, the obvious occurs: a tooth is broken and causes terrible pain to the pet because it’s abscessed. Another obvious one is gingival inflammation related to advanced periodontal disease, and the mouth smells like the penguin house at the zoo!
Dr. Greenfield’s twin cats, George and Martha
Why Cats Need Anesthetic Dental Exams and Cleanings
But cats don’t follow the obvious all the time. For those furry felines that have inflammatory gingivitis or gingivostomatis, it’s quite noticeable, and the pet has severe disease throughout the mouth. These cats are miserable times 10, and they are crying for help. (See our blog on identifying and treating this terrible disease).
However, cats get something that is quite sinister that the naked eye can’t identify. This is called ‘tooth resorption’ or ‘TR” and even though a visible tooth looks pristine, the underlying root is a total disaster. Look at these two images of canine teeth in the cat. The crowns were completely normal looking, but the roots were resorbing and turning into bone.
These teeth above need to be surgically addressed via a procedure called a ‘crown amputation.’ Without intervention, these canines will break, leading to localized infection and inflammation. Without the benefit of radiographs or Cone Beam CT, this pet will suffer silently.
Above is a Cone Beam CT of a canine tooth of a cat that has a tooth root abscess. The tooth looked grossly normal. If you have ever had a tooth abscess, you want someone to put you out of your misery. Without anesthetizing this kitty and imaging the oral cavity, this poor pet would be suffering silently.
Schedule a Veterinary Dental Checkup in Nashville
Here are two excellent reasons why your pet should receive annual dental exams under anesthesia by a trained professional. Always, always, always demand dental radiographs and finally… ask questions! If your cat is due for their annual dental checkup, give us a call today to schedule an appointment.
Barden Greenfield, DVM, Dipl. AVDC – Board Certified Veterinary Dentist (TM)
Your Pet Dentist of Nashville
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/12/2024). Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash