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WHAT IS STOMATITIS?
Less commonly, cats may develop severe oral inflammation called stomatitis. This is a complex condition for which no specific cause has been identified. It is believed that cats who develop this disease have an extreme reaction to oral bacteria and plaque. The degree and extent of the ensuing inflammation can be excruciating, significantly lower the cat’ s quality of life, and cause intense distress for the cat and owner.
“ EACH CAT IS DIFFERENT, AND MEDICATION CHOICES CAN VARY DEPENDING ON THE CAT’ S RESPONSE.”
Treatment involves a detailed oral evaluation under general anesthetic, with intraoral radiographs and the extraction of any teeth affected by periodontitis, along with a thorough periodontal cleaning of the remaining healthy teeth. Afterward, various forms of therapy are instituted, which combine oral home care and medications, such as antiinflammatories, antibiotics, or immunomodulators.
Each cat is different, and medication choices can vary depending on the cat’ s response. Studies have shown that up to 60 % of cats can have their disease significantly decreased or even resolved, while 40 % continue to struggle with varying degrees of oral inflammation. Stomatitis cases are best referred to a board-certified veterinary dentist who can tailor therapy to the individual cat.
CAN KITTENS GET GINGIVITIS?
As the teeth erupt, there is an increased redness in the gums, and this is known as eruption gingivitis. It should resolve as development progresses. However, some kittens will develop juvenile gingivitis( sometimes called juvenile hyperplastic gingivitis) that starts at the time of tooth eruption and may be mistaken for eruption gingivitis. Juvenile gingivitis will persist beyond tooth eruption and is often diagnosed between 6 and 12 months old. Treatment includes frequent, detailed dental assessments, including intraoral X-rays, thorough periodontal cleaning under general anesthetic, and intense home care to keep the dental tissues as clean as possible.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CAT SHOWS SIGNS OF DENTAL PROBLEMS?
If you see evidence of tartar accumulation or gingivitis, or your cat exhibits signs of mouth pain or discomfort, you should take the cat to your veterinarian for an oral examination. They will advise you on the most appropriate course of treatment, which may involve having your cat’ s teeth examined, professionally cleaned, and X-rayed under general anesthesia.
A routine dental cleaning involves a thorough dental examination, followed by scaling and polishing to remove the plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces. Teeth with advanced periodontal disease or tooth resorption causing pain will need to be extracted. The rate of tartar accumulation is highly variable between individual cats and, in some cases, professional cleaning may be required every 6 – 12 months. Your veterinarian will help you determine how often your cat needs their teeth cleaned.
“ A FULL GENERAL ANESTHETIC IS REQUIRED FOR DENTISTRY.”
Do not try to remove tartar yourself with any form of metallic instrument. Aside from potentially harming your cat’ s mouth or your cat harming you, you may damage the tooth’ s surface by creating microscopic scratches. These scratches allow bacteria to cling to and encourage faster plaque formation, which only worsens the problem. Maintaining a smooth tooth surface is essential and is why your human dental hygienist always polishes your teeth after removing tartar with dental instruments.
A full general anesthetic is required for dentistry. While some of the tartar may be removed with scaling on a cooperative, awake animal, it is cosmetic only and does not diagnose or treat any dental disease present.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP PREVENT DENTAL DISEASE IN MY CAT?
The best way to prevent dental disease is to reduce the rate at which plaque and tartar build up on the teeth. Recent advances in pet nutrition have resulted in the development of water additives, treats, and kibble diets that can reduce tartar accumulation.
The Veterinary Oral Health Council evaluates dental products for effectiveness, and their seal of acceptance will only be found on products that have been shown to reduce the accumulation of plaque and / or tartar. You can visit their website( vohc. org) for a list of plaque-control products. Your veterinarian can help you decide which options are right for your cat.
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