Dental disease in cats

Recognise the signs

• Bad breath (halitosis) — often the first sign owners notice
• Dropping food while eating or preference for soft food
• Reduced appetite or reluctance to eat hard biscuits
• Drooling — sometimes blood-tinged
• Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face on furniture
• Weight loss — chronic dental pain reduces food intake
• Visible red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Yellow-brown tartar build-up on teeth, especially upper back teeth (carnassials)
• Chattering jaw movements when eating — sometimes seen with tooth resorption
• Changes in grooming — cat stops grooming face due to mouth pain
• Behavioural changes — increased irritability, hiding, reluctance to be touched around the head

First aid steps

1. Do not attempt to examine your cat's mouth if they are in pain — you risk a bite injury.
2. If you notice signs of oral pain or reduced eating, book a vet appointment. Dental disease is progressive — earlier treatment means less suffering and lower cost.
3. Offer soft or wet food to make eating more comfortable while awaiting appointment, but do not use this as a long-term substitute for dental treatment.
4. Do not give paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin for pain — all are toxic to cats. Never give human pain relief.
5. If your cat stops eating completely or is in obvious distress, seek a vet appointment urgently — same day if possible.
6. If your cat allows it, gently examining the visible teeth and gums with good lighting can help you describe the problem to your vet, but do not force this.

When it can usually wait

• Mild bad breath with no other signs and confirmed dental appointment booked — within 1–2 weeks
• Mild visible tartar on teeth in a cat eating and behaving normally — schedule routine dental assessment at next annual check

Common causes

• Accumulation of plaque and tartar on tooth surfaces — leads to gingivitis and periodontitis
• Tooth Resorption (TR, also called FORL — Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions) — a uniquely feline condition where the tooth structure is progressively destroyed from within; extremely painful and affects over 50% of adult cats
• Stomatitis — severe, diffuse inflammation of the mouth lining, often immune-mediated
• Fractured or broken teeth — from falls, chewing hard objects, or trauma
• Oral infections and abscesses
• Feline herpesvirus and calicivirus — can cause oral ulceration
• Dietary factors — soft wet food alone does not mechanically clean teeth

What the vet will need to know

• How long have you noticed the signs?
• Is the cat still eating? Has food preference changed?
• Any drooling, pawing at mouth, or dropping food?
• Any facial swelling or visible mouth changes?
• Weight change — have you weighed your cat recently?
• When was the last dental check or professional scale and polish?
• What does your cat normally eat? Any dental chews or tooth brushing?
• Any known previous dental problems or extractions?

Aftercare

• Most dental treatment in cats requires general anaesthesia — your vet will perform a dental exam, dental X-rays (essential to assess tooth resorption and root disease), scale and polish, and extract any non-viable teeth.
• Tooth resorption (TR) is treated by extraction — affected teeth cannot be restored and cause ongoing pain.
• Post-operative pain management is essential — your vet will prescribe appropriate analgesia.
• Cats recover well from multiple extractions and often eat comfortably once healed, even after losing most or all teeth (wet food is sufficient).
• Home dental care: daily tooth brushing with cat toothpaste and a cat toothbrush is the gold standard — start young and go slowly. Dental diets (e.g. Hills t/d, Royal Canin Dental) and water additives can supplement but not replace brushing.
• Annual dental checks under sedation or anaesthesia are recommended for cats prone to dental disease.
• Stomatitis may require full-mouth extraction and long-term management — referral to a veterinary dental specialist may be appropriate.

Prevention

• Daily tooth brushing with cat-specific enzymatic toothpaste — the most effective long-term prevention. . Enzymatic dental chews given daily alongside brushing are the most evidence-based non-professional dental care for dogs.
• Dental diet kibble — VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved diets have proven efficacy.
• Water additives containing chlorhexidine or zinc — useful adjuncts if brushing is refused.
• Dental chews formulated for cats — look for VOHC approval.
• Annual veterinary dental examination.
• Avoid hard items that can fracture teeth: bones, hard plastic toys.
• Starting tooth brushing in kittens makes adult cooperation much more likely.

Breed-specific notes

• Siamese, Abyssinian, and Oriental breeds have a higher prevalence of stomatitis and tooth resorption.
• Persian and other brachycephalic cats often have dental overcrowding, increasing plaque accumulation risk.
• Maine Coons and Ragdolls are also reported to have higher rates of periodontal disease.
• Tooth resorption affects all breeds — over 50% of cats over 3 years of age are estimated to have at least one affected tooth.

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

• Cat refusing to eat (anorexia)