Choosing Better Veterinary Care

It's generally easier to clean the teeth of a dog than those of a cat. The simple act of gnawing on a bone helps to exfoliate dental plaque away from a dog's teeth, and a dog is more likely to be cooperative when you try to actually brush their teeth. While it's possible to brush a cat's teeth, a cat may not be quite so open to the idea. But a cat's teeth need regular attention. Just as is the case with humans (and an abundance of other mammals), a cat can be affected by gingivitis and periodontal disease. Cats can also be prone to the structural breakdown of a tooth courtesy of a condition known as tooth resorption. How is this potentially critical dental problem treated? 

Bone Cells

Bones regularly lose cells and generate new ones to replace them. Redundant cells are broken down by osteoclasts—types of bone cells that serve this specific purpose. Osteoclasts can also break down a tooth's dentin and cementum. Tooth resorption in cats is essentially osteoclasts behaving in an unexpected way, attacking the structure of a seemingly healthy adult tooth and ultimately breaking it down.

Possible Signs of Tooth Resorption

A worsening toothache is one of the first indicators of tooth resorption. Your cat may become hesitant to eat, and may paw at their mouth in an attempt to alleviate their symptoms. Their mood is also likely to change (for the worst). A visual inspection of your cat's mouth may show teeth with a noticeable pink hue. This is the tooth's dental pulp (nerve), expanding to fill the tooth's internal chamber, which is growing as more of the tooth's internal structure is breaking down. This is not a condition that can be adequately managed at home, and your cat will need veterinary attention.

Veterinary Treatment

Treatment depends on the degree of resorption your cat is experiencing. If the effects of resorption are limited to the roots of the tooth (and haven't yet affected the dental pulp), then no action may be needed, other than periodic monitoring of the condition so that action can be taken as needed. Your cat may need to make some dietary changes, and any discomfort can be managed with medication. In advanced cases where the affected tooth needs direct treatment, a root canal is possible, provided the dental pulp is still healthy. Your regular vet won't necessarily perform a root canal themselves, and may refer you to a cat dentist.

Tooth resorption in cats can be quite uncomfortable for your poor puss, so be sure to report any applicable symptoms to your vet, allowing any necessary intervention to take place as early as possible.