Like many others who grew up with pets, we didn’t take our pets to the veterinarian often, and we certainly never took them to get their teeth cleaned. Yet dental disease in pets is hugely common— and can lead to serious problems, not to mention be painful for our beloved buddies. A couple years ago, during a routine checkup for my cat, Mischief, his vet noted he had some tartar on his teeth, and I should consider getting him a dental exam.
I put it off, reasoning that he was eating normally and didn’t seem to be uncomfortable. Big mistake. The next time we were at his vet for something unrelated, she told me the tartar buildup had gotten severe.
I sheepishly booked his appointment and poor Mischief ended up having two teeth extracted and two “tooth remnants” removed. The remnants were the result of a condition called “tooth resorption” that occurs when a cat’s tooth dentin erodes and is destroyed. According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, it affects between 25% and 75% of cats in the United States.
It’s also apparently painful. I felt like the worst pet mom ever for having put this off, especially learning that he’d been in pain. Even worse than needing to have teeth extracted, neglecting dental disease can prove extremely dangerous.
Inflamed gums can separate from the teeth, allowing bacteria to enter and attack the tooth at the root. At this point, bacteria can also enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs like the hear.