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Cat Dental Facts
140
 | Kittens
have 26 temporary teeth that begin to erupt at about two to three weeks of
age. They have 30 permanent teeth that erupt at about three to four months.
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| The
incisors (small teeth at the front of the mouth) are used for picking up
food and grooming
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| The
canines (big pointed teeth) are used for grabbing prey
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| The
molars (teeth at the back of the mouth) are used for crunching and crushing
the food.
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| Cats
tongues are covered in small ‘hairs’ called papillae that are used for
grooming
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Dental
Disease in cats
| Symptoms
of periodontal disease in cats can include yellow and brown tartar build-up
along the gum line, red inflamed gums, sneezing and persistent bad breath.
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| Cats
get lesions in their teeth similar to caries or holes in humans, called
Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORLs).
FORLs are the most common tooth disease in domestic cats (according
to some papers more than 50% of cats over 3 years old!).
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| Cats
may be seen to groom less, be lethargic, or lose condition, but if you open
the mouth, often there will be inflammation, tartar, bleeding, broken teeth
and other more subtle changes.
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Dog Dental Facts
| Puppies
have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about three to four weeks of age. They
have 42 permanent teeth that begin to emerge at about four months.
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| Temporary
teeth should be pushed out when the permanent tooth erupts underneath it.
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| Small
breeds (especially short nosed) are more prone to problems due to
‘overcrowding’ of the teeth.
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Dental Disease in Dogs
| Symptoms
of gum disease in dogs include yellow and brown build-up of tartar along the
gum line, inflamed gums and persistent bad breath.
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| Broken
teeth are a common problem. Chewing on hard objects (especially stones and
bones), and rough play can cause damage to the teeth.
They can be repaired or removed to prevent abscesses and chronic
pain.
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What to do if
I think my pet has dental problems?
VERY RARELY WILL ANIMALS STOP EATING DUE TO DENTAL PAIN except
in EXTREMELY severe
cases. In-appetence is a very poor indicator of dental pain in
animals. They would rather be
painful than starve.
Dental
disease affects up
to 80% of pets over the age of three, and just like humans, there can be serious
consequences of poor dental health.
If
dental disease is present, depending on the type of disease, intervention can
save teeth.
Please
do not hesitate to get in touch with us for free dental checks at the clinic and
advice.
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