Cat Love Teeth Classroom- Gogo Herbs

Have the excrement shovelers picked up the cat's baby teeth? It is said to bring good luck. Cats’ deciduous teeth are very small, and they are usually swallowed directly into the stomach when changing teeth, which is difficult to find. A cat’s teeth have different growth cycles. A mouth full of healthy teeth can make cats enjoy delicious food and be healthier. Gogo Herbs Cat Teeth Class is now open!

The growth cycle of cat teeth

Cats go through three dental stages from birth to adulthood, namely the edentulous stage, the deciduous stage and the permanent tooth stage. Cats are born without teeth, with bare and soft gums, and can only eat breast milk and formula. About two weeks, the cat enters the deciduous period, the teeth gradually grow up, and the itchy gums stimulate the kitten's urge to chew on toys and people. At this time, the cat’s occlusion and digestive system are not fully developed, and kittens should be fed with food, such as canned meat for kittens and soft-soaked kitten staple food. At about three to four months, cats enter the permanent dentition period, when the deciduous teeth fall out one by one, and the permanent teeth grow out. It is normal to have red and swollen gums, loss of appetite, and bad breath, and they will recover on their own after a while. A cat's permanent teeth will last their entire life and must be taken care of.

The division of labor in the permanent dentition period of cats

During the permanent dentition, cats have a total of 30 teeth, 12 incisors, 4 canines, 10 premolars and 4 rear molars.

The incisors are not involved in chewing, and are mainly used for grooming, scratching, cleaning nails and picking up objects, such as picking up toys and picking up kittens.

Canines are sharp teeth located on both sides of a cat's mouth. Big cats use canines to pierce their prey when hunting, while cats' canines are mainly used for attack. When biting, they can pierce human skin.

Premolars and molars are the main chewing teeth of cats. They are responsible for cutting food into small pieces that are easy to swallow. They are the key teeth for cats to enjoy the food.

What dental and oral problems do cats have?

dental plaque

Dental plaque is the culprit behind most dental problems in cats. The cat's mouth is narrow and there are many grooves in the teeth, so food is easy to remain in the mouth and teeth. Bacteria in the mouth absorb nutrients from food residues, attach to the surface of the mouth and teeth, and form a sticky biofilm, also known as dental plaque. Bacteria continue to multiply, plaque has spread below the gum line, and secretions continue to damage teeth and surrounding tissues.

Tartar and Calculus

If dental plaque is not cleaned in time, under the combined action of oral cells and minerals, it will calcify in the gaps between teeth and the junction between teeth and gums, forming tartar and calculus. Dental calculus is a yellow or brown hard deposit that cannot be removed directly. The gums at the calculus will also be red, swollen and painful, which will affect the cat's drinking and eating. Severely inflamed gums can cause your cat to drool.

periodontal disease

Gingivitis later develops into periodontal disease. Gingivitis causes receding gums and aggravates the accumulation of calculus, which continues to destroy the tissues around the gums, leading to exposure of the roots of the teeth and eventual tooth loss. After progressing to periodontal disease, it will not only cause periodontal tissue and oral ulceration, but also may cause mouth, nose, facial ulceration and malnutrition.

Prevention and treatment of cat dental and oral problems

1. Cultivate the habit of brushing teeth from an early age

It is recommended to brush your cat's teeth three times a week. Cats start brushing their teeth when they are three months old, and they are the easiest to adapt to. The permanent teeth have already grown, and the strength of resistance is relatively small. Especially cats who often eat wet food, meat, staple food with high starch content, and like to hold fruit, should pay more attention to tooth cleaning. The owner can add tooth cleaning liquid to the cat's drinking water, or feed the cat tooth cleaning biscuits to clean the mouth daily.

2. Reward the cat for brushing teeth correctly

Cats have narrow mouths, so you should choose a toothbrush with a small head for cats to reduce irritation. Cleaning your cat’s teeth with finger cots may cause you to be bitten. Cats do not know how to spit bubbles, so choose edible cat toothpaste. Before brushing teeth, let the cat lick the toothpaste to get familiar with the smell, then try to apply the toothpaste on the cat's canine teeth, and gently touch its teeth and gums. Just brush your teeth in simple circles, don't brush your teeth repeatedly, so as not to arouse the cat's boredom and resistance. Start cleaning from the front teeth and gradually go deep into the molars, focusing on cleaning the molars and the gaps between the molars. Brushing your teeth does not need to be done consecutively, you can continue after a break, remember to reward the kitten with snacks or toys every time you complete the steps of brushing your teeth. Regular brushing can not only prevent dental plaque, but also dissolve some superficial calculus.

3. Teeth scaling to remove dental calculus

When dental calculus seriously affects the health of the gums and periodontium, and affects the cat's daily life, it is necessary to consider removing it with medical tooth cleaning to avoid aggravation of oral inflammation. The toothwashing process will cause discomfort and bleeding, and the cat will not cooperate obediently. Therefore, general anesthesia is required for toothwashing. Anesthesia will inevitably damage the cat's body. Before anesthesia, the cat's health must be comprehensively evaluated. Dental checkups are required every six months after scaling.

4. Periodontal disease treatment

In the treatment of early periodontitis, the veterinarian will focus on cleaning the cat's teeth and the area between the teeth and gums, and prescribe mouthwash for the cat's daily consumption to prevent the formation and accumulation of dental plaque. When the periodontitis is severe, the teeth shake more than 3mm, X-rays show that the roots are resorbed, and the gums are severely atrophied and the root exposure area is as high as 75%. The teeth need to be extracted to prevent the inflammation from spreading to the surrounding tissues of the mouth. After tooth extraction, it will not affect the cat to eat dry food and canned food, but it will affect the chewing of large pieces of food.

That’s all for the introduction of Gogo Herbs Cat Love Teeth Classroom. Cultivate good hygiene habits and help cats clean their teeth regularly to help prevent periodontitis and tooth loss. After treating periodontitis, you can also choose a staple food for your cat that is derived from high-quality ingredients and protects the health of the teeth. We recommend to you: Sears™ pet food oral care formula for adult cats can strengthen the nutrition of teeth. Clinical evidence can Slow down the chance of plaque and calculus formation, interlaced fiber technology can clean teeth every time you eat, and add Omega-6 and vitamin E to keep hair shiny. It can be arranged to be used after wet food to clean up food residue in the mouth. At the same time, there is also a canned cat with chicken and liver developed by Sears™ pet food for the dental health of kittens, laying a healthy foundation from childhood. For more scientific pet health products, please visit the Gogo Herbs pet health column. For product details, please contact us via WhatsApp +852 5483 0695.