Video: Brushing Your Cat's Teeth. But there are a few more things you need to know. By age four, many cats have significant gingivitis and many also have periodontal disease. Cats will not show signs of oral discomfort. If she doesn't get a dental cleaning, she could end up with a more severe health problem such as renal failure, heart disease, bronchial infections, and bacteria can even enter into the blood stream and eventually to the brain. I’ve already let the cat out of the bag, so you know the major risk (death). Cleaning your cat’s teeth every day at home will help prevent plaque and tartar build-up. It is a slow progressing but serious disease that causes pain and affects the overall health and wellbeing. Your pet must be anesthetized to allow thorough evaluation of his mouth, clean his teeth above and below the gumline, and treat painful dental conditions. What Every Cat Owner Should Know About Dental Care For Cats. If your kitty is in good health and your veterinarian has checked your cat’s blood work then anesthetic for a dental procedure comes with very little risk. Studies report that between 50 and 90% of cats older than four years of age suffer from some form of dental disease, but fortunately the most common forms of these diseases are largely preventable or treatable with appropriate preventive dental care and monitoring. This is to reduce risks of vomiting up stomach contents and potentially breathing some of it in while under anesthetic. However, when it comes to pet dental health, the risks of periodontal disease and oral health problems due to lack of proper dental care far outweigh the risk of anesthesia. Now, 2 days after surgery, the worried phone call was unexpected and troubling. Because a doggie dental cleaning is a form of surgery, there are some risks involved. My vet, like nearly every other vet on the planet, has withholding food the night before part of their preoperative instructions. A yearly dental cleaning is one of the more important parts of your companion’s health care. After years of anesthesia free pet dentals, this dog had lost so much bone structure due to undetected periodontal disease the probe goes through the entire jaw. For proper dental evaluation and care, your cat must be safely placed under general anesthesia. Mistake #1. Diseases of the teeth and gums are common in cats. Use of a pet toothpaste is recommended, but even wiping a Q-tip across your cat’s teeth and gums goes a long way to reduce plaque and tartar accumulation. Sadly by age three the majority of cats have dental disease. It makes financial sense to pay for a professional teeth cleaning before these issues come up, or before they turn … Daily tooth brushing is as important as regular professional cleanings performed by veterinarians. Risk Factors for dental disease in cats. Dental disease is a reality for most cats. Once your cat has dental tartar, gingivitis or more advanced periodontitis, a professional dental cleaning is the only way to get rid of it. “Bring her right in for an evaluation,” said Doc Truli. There are things your vet can do to lessen the risks for your cat considering her age and health. The pretty little cat’s dental disease kept her at the animal hospital for a day of dental cleaning, charting, radiographs (x-rays) and unfortunately, removal of a diseased back molar on the left bottom jaw. The most common risk factor for dental disease is a lack of adequate teeth cleaning by cat owners.