home Calculators Removing stones from teeth in cats. Preventing tartar is a guarantee of your cat's health. Dental system of an adult cat

Removing stones from teeth in cats. Preventing tartar is a guarantee of your cat's health. Dental system of an adult cat

Tartar in cats is calcareous deposits on the teeth (colonies of microorganisms) that have a stable and durable structure, as well as a tendency to grow. Bacteria, trace elements, phosphorus salts and food debris give tartar a yellowish or dark brown color.

How is tartar formed?

The formation of tartar begins at an early age of the animal. It occurs in several stages. First, a barely noticeable film of bacteria and saliva appears on your cat's teeth. It can sometimes disappear, but then it will definitely appear again. Over time, a strong plaque forms on the canines and back teeth. Soon, “dental plaque” will appear on the remaining teeth. This is a fairly stable formation, representing colonies of various microorganisms. These microorganisms on the surface of the tooth create favorable conditions for a chemical reaction in which calcium contained in the animal’s saliva participates. Next, mineralization of dental plaque occurs and the development of the inflammatory process in the gums. Periodontitis may then occur.

Why does tartar appear?

There are several main reasons why tartar forms in cats:

improper growth of teeth;
the cat eating soft food;
increased roughness of teeth;
salt metabolism disorders;
incorrect and insufficient oral hygiene.

Symptoms of Tartar

Pronounced changes in the cat’s oral cavity indicate the appearance of tartar. It's quite easy to identify them.

Main features:

bad breath;
Brown or yellow deposits have appeared at the base of the tooth;
hard crusts appeared on the teeth near the gums;
reddened, sometimes bleeding gums;
anxiety and pain when eating food;

Tartar removal in cats

Tartar in cats must be removed. Do not self-medicate, but immediately contact an experienced veterinarian.

Removing tartar is an unpleasant and painful procedure. This manipulation takes about 30-40 minutes and is performed under general anesthesia. If the cat is young, a 12-hour fast before surgery will be sufficient. Doctors take a special approach to animals over five years old. First, the cat is examined (laboratory tests), making sure that there are no chronic diseases and other ailments, the veterinarian individually prescribes the amount of anesthesia.

Tartar removal in cats consists of three stages:

Mechanical removal of large stones is carried out using dental instruments;
Ultrasonic cleaning is carried out using a special device;
polishing and grinding of teeth with special pastes.

We can talk about high-quality teeth cleaning when all three stages have been completed.

Prevention of tartar in cats

The main problem in eliminating inflammation of periodontal tissues is the destruction of the biofilm, which is responsible for the formation of dental plaque. Plaque can form very quickly - within 48 hours, so it is necessary to take daily measures to prevent its appearance.

By multiplying, pathogenic bacteria form a large population immersed in a glycoprotein matrix that fills dental lacunae and canals. In such places, bacteria become invulnerable to host immune factors and many drugs. However, properly directed mechanical stress on the tooth surface can destroy the integrity of plaque and tartar. In dogs, with a lack of such mechanical influences, the formation of dental plaque is accompanied by the development of gum inflammation, which becomes clinically obvious within 7-21 days. Daily treatment of the oral cavity and brushing the teeth of animals ensure the elimination of gingivitis, which confirms the reversible nature of this pathology.

Dental plaque has an extremely negative effect on the condition of teeth, although there is an opinion that it protects teeth from drying out and colonization by pathogenic species of exogenous bacteria. Therefore, the most urgent task is to prevent the formation of dental plaque as much as possible, but one should not expect that it will be possible to completely rid the animal of it.

Teeth cleaning

Brushing your teeth is perhaps the main way to prevent and treat gum inflammation and periodontal diseases. A one-week study of cats showed that brushing once a day or twice a week reduced the incidence of tartar formation by 95%.

The experiment, which lasted one year, on the contrary, gave reason to believe that brushing cats’ teeth is a thankless and ineffective task. Firstly, technical difficulties often arise when carrying out this procedure, especially if it is carried out daily. In addition, in this study it was observed that tooth brushing contributed to a reduction in the incidence of gingival inflammation only on the cheek side, but overall it did not provide a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of gingivitis.

Another study was recently completed in which 88 owners monitored their pets for six months, comparing the effectiveness of tooth brushing with the use of a special dry food. At the end of the experiment, the results were summed up - the effectiveness of cleaning cats' teeth did not exceed 40%.

Manufacturers of dry cat food intensively study their feeding behavior. The shape, size and texture of kibble food are regularly checked and adapted to the different anatomical types of the face and jaws of cats of different breeds to ensure normal physiological activity of the dental system while eating. Manufacturers especially carefully study the texture of the kibble of ready-made food, striving to ensure that it provides control over the formation of dental plaque.

The influence of the kibble texture of ready-made food on the formation of tartar in cats

The kibble's texture (especially its fiber characteristics) is the most important physical property of the finished food in reducing plaque deposits. The results of numerous studies conducted on dogs have revealed the negative effects of wet food - this type of feeding contributes to the development of periodontal diseases.

Although very few such experiments were carried out on cats, they convincingly revealed the main patterns of the influence of food texture on the process of plaque formation:

raising kittens on wet food contributes to the formation of tartar, gingivitis, tooth loss and bad breath;
two-week observations of two groups of cats receiving wet and dry food showed that the latter significantly reduced the incidence of plaque formation;
adding fiber to the tiger diet twice a week helped reduce the incidence of plaque formation and associated inflammation of periodontal tissues;
Feeding 15 cats daily chews in addition to dry food significantly reduced the incidence of plaque (20%) and tartar (39%) on premolars, molars and canines. There were no reports that feeding animals chewing sticks had any effect on the severity or incidence of gum inflammation. This is probably due to the lack of a statistically significant influence of this factor;
In a similar experiment conducted on 24 cats who were given chewable treats along with dry food once a day for four weeks, there was a significant reduction (by 64%) in the incidence of plaque formation compared to cats in the control group that were fed just dry food. Statistically significant differences were also noted in the incidence of tartar formation and the value of the “gingival index” - in cats that received treats, these indicators were 15 and 11% lower, respectively.

The influence of the size and shape of dry food kibble

The effect of the shape and texture of kibble food on the dental health of cats was studied simultaneously in an experiment in which cats had free access to several foods. A significant (41%) reduction in the intensity of plaque deposition was noted in animals that ate large kibble that had a quadrangular shape and a higher (25%) index of tooth deepening during chewing compared to dry food whose kibble was small and triangular. This decrease in the intensity of plaque formation can be explained by the greater mechanical impact of large kibble food on the teeth. If the kibble texture of dry food allows the animal's teeth to penetrate to a greater depth before they crumble, then the duration of the chewing process increases, which has a positive effect on teeth cleaning.

The food may also contain certain ingredients that can attack plaque and tartar. Thus, chewing them during meals facilitates the prevention of periodontal diseases.

A texture meter is a device for measuring the resistance of kibble to the pressure exerted on it by a cat's jaws and teeth.

Replaceable attachments allow you to simulate the shape and size of teeth of animals of various breeds and ages.

Thanks to a specially selected structure, dry-court croquettes ensure deeper penetration of teeth into them while eating. This ensures greater efficiency of mechanical cleaning of the tooth surface.

The benefits of polyphosphate salts

It is well known (confirmed by clinical practice) that some polyphosphate salts are an effective means of preventing the formation of tartar. Calcium cations (Ca2+), present in cat saliva, are responsible for the mineralization of dental plaque and its transformation into tartar. If polyphosphates, capable of binding various cations (including Ca2+ and Mg2+), enter the oral cavity, they neutralize calcium ions in saliva, limiting their inclusion in the tartar matrix. The calcium they bind is released in the digestive tract and can be absorbed through the intestinal wall if the body needs it. Cats fed dry food kibbles coated with a calcium chelator had a significant (32%) reduction in calcium accumulation in dental plaque compared to control cats fed the same dry food without the polyphosphate salts.

Dentists are intensively studying in long-term experiments the effect of certain oils (thymol, eucalyptus, menthol, methyl salicylate) on the condition of people’s teeth. There was a significant decrease in the intensity of plaque formation (by 25%) and the incidence of associated gum inflammation (by 25-35%) in people who regularly rinsed their mouths and teeth with solutions containing such oils.

Feed with sodium polyphosphate

Current research in the field of oral health in animals is focused on the search for new active components that can prevent the formation of tartar.

Testing on cats of ingredients found in human cosmetics (plaque-reducing nutritional ingredients (PRN)) has shown that they can have the same effect on cat teeth. The inclusion of these ingredients in one of the dry food options in order to improve mechanical properties by optimizing the kibble structure led to a significant reduction in the intensity of plaque deposition in animals. A month after the cats received the experimental food, a 12% decrease in the intensity of tartar formation was noted on all examined teeth (canines, premolars of the upper jaw, and molars in the lower jaw). A more thorough examination of the teeth along the gum line showed that the intensity of plaque formation on all teeth decreased by an average of 22%. If we exclude from the analysis the maxillary premolars, as well as the mandibular molars, then this figure will be even higher - 36%. This indicates the effective preventive effect of food with a special additive on the formation of plaque and tartar. In addition, the results of this experiment showed that such foods can prevent the formation of plaque and tartar even on the most vulnerable teeth of cats - the maxillary premolars, as well as the mandibular molars.

It is likely that in the future the development and testing of new components of the cat’s diet will continue, with the help of which it will be possible not only to inhibit the processes of aggregation of bacterial cells in dental plaque, but also to influence its physical interaction with the teeth, ensuring the detachment of such formations.

The combination of the size, texture and composition of kibble dry food has already made it possible to significantly reduce the intensity of plaque and tartar formation in cats (by approximately 30 and 50%, respectively). Cats have a very unique mechanism for chewing food, which involves the strongest squeezing of food with wolf teeth. Therefore, foods designed to prevent the formation of plaque and tartar have the greatest effect on wolf teeth. The inclusion of special additives in dry food that prevent the formation of plaque helps to spread this positive effect to the rostral part of the dental arcade (canines and incisors).

Feed with polyphosphates

An index characterizing the overall level of plaque deposition before and after a month of cats consuming dry food enriched with a special additive PRN.

Typically, the incidence of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity in cats is greatly underestimated. The clinical significance of this group of diseases is much greater than previously thought. In fact, it is the number one infectious disease in cats. Contrary to popular belief, periodontal disease in dogs and cats differs significantly and even manifests itself differently. Recent studies have shown that periodontal inflammation in cats has significant secondary effects on other organ systems and the body as a whole. Such observations allow us to take a fresh look at the benefits of preventing diseases of the oral cavity and teeth. Its goal is not just to eliminate bad breath from animals, but also to improve their health and increase their life expectancy.

Adequate treatment eliminates chronic toothache and infections associated with oral diseases. Owners are usually amazed by the effect that occurs as a result of proper oral care for their pets. Toothache greatly changes the behavior of cats. After treatment, they become more active, eat better, and their overall health improves significantly.

Particular attention should be paid to preventing plaque formation. It is now generally accepted that specially formulated foods can help maintain oral hygiene in small pets. They are especially useful for cats, given that they have a hard time brushing their teeth every day and usually don't show much interest in chewable objects.

Undoubtedly, the effectiveness of this approach will be improved through the development of new kibble shapes and textures and the search for new means of removing plaque.

Tartar in cats is one of those diseases that are practically asymptomatic and are quite difficult to notice. With poor diet and poor oral hygiene, your pet will develop a disease. As a result, he develops bad breath and painful sensations. If you neglect this problem, the teeth will fall out and the cat will have nothing to chew. Therefore, it is better to prevent the development of the disease or stop the destruction process.

Tartar in cats

Animals suffer from the same diseases as people. Quite often, cats develop deposits on their teeth in the form of stone.

Tartar is a calcareous deposit that forms due to the predominance of microorganisms in the oral cavity. The deposits are hard to the touch and brown or yellow in color. Stone is a common occurrence in cats under one year of age. The initial stage of the disease occurs due to harmful microorganisms accumulated on the surface of the teeth, which manifest themselves in the form of plaque. Particulate matter attacks the teeth and grows over time.

Most often, tartar forms on the incisors and molars, that is, in places where washing with saliva occurs. It affects not only one tooth, but the entire row. By location they are divided:

1. Deposits located above the gum. They can be seen during an examination of a cat's oral cavity.
2. Deposits located under the gum and on the root of the tooth. It is impossible to notice them during a visual inspection. Such deposits promote the development of pathogenic bacteria, resulting in loosening and loss of teeth.

Causes

The presence of plaque on a cat's teeth often contributes to the formation of tartar. The reasons for the occurrence and development of this phenomenon include:

absence or shortage of hard foods in the diet;
abnormal position of teeth;
roughness on the surface of a row of teeth;
metabolic disease.

Quite often, the problem occurs on those teeth that practically do not take part in chewing. This can occur gradually with the formation of the dentition at a younger age and in adults in the form of partial appearance of deposits.

When the surface of the teeth is rough, plaque forms on them - dental plaque. It contains microflora and food residues. A film appears on the plaque immediately after exposure to oral microorganisms.

The presence of lactobacilli and coccal microorganisms in the oral cavity entails the production of acid, the development of caries and the inflammatory process of the mucous membrane that is adjacent to the tooth. Saliva, which has an alkaline reaction, comes into contact with the inflamed mucous membrane of the gums near the tooth and is neutralized. As a result of this, calcium salts precipitate, and thus the growth of tartar is formed. The process develops rapidly - in twelve days. Supragingival and subgingival calculus will look different.

Signs and symptoms

A sign of this oral pathology is plaque that is difficult to remove. You can identify supragingival tartar in an animal yourself by visual inspection. Only a specialist in this field can determine the presence of subgingival tartar, which lies under the soft tissues of the gums.

In young animals with the development of tartar at an early stage, a border of different colors is found on the surface of the neck of the teeth - from whitish-yellow to green. Even an inexperienced cat owner can see it.

Common symptoms of tartar include:

Unpleasant odor from the animal's mouth.
Growths of unknown nature on the surface of teeth.
Regular inflammation of the gums.
Irritability of the animal, including head shaking and growling.
Profuse salivation.
Loss or loosening of teeth.
The pet constantly rubs its cheek.
Plaque on the dentition is dark brown or yellow.
Swelling of the oral mucosa.
Swelling of the eyes.

The cat owner must take appropriate measures to remove plaque and stone. Otherwise, the pet may get a chronic form of certain diseases. These include:

The initial stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis.
An infectious gum disease that leads to bleeding and loose tissue and tooth loss is periodontal disease.
The inflammatory process that leads to acute pain is pulpitis.
Bacterial infection - stomatitis.
The formation of acid plaque, erosion of enamel, constant burning sensation - they can also occur against the background of tartar. In addition, deposits lead to brittle teeth.

A serious risk of complications arises if subgingival calculus is detected.

Diagnostics

If any clinical sign or the above symptoms are detected, you should urgently address this problem. If you are sure that there are deposits on the dentition, you can begin treatment at home. But it is best to trust a qualified specialist.

Diagnosis of the problem includes a visual examination by a veterinarian dentist. If the pathological process is confirmed, urgent treatment is carried out.

Treatment

The main direction of treatment for tartar is its removal. The procedure can be carried out in two ways: mechanical and ultrasonic.

The disadvantage of the mechanical method is the increased risk of injury to the enamel, tooth crown, and gums. Compared to ultrasonic cleaning, the effectiveness of the mechanical method is much lower. Subgingival tartar is difficult to completely remove using this method.

The veterinarian carries out the following manipulations, strictly acting in a certain order:

1. Examination of the animal by a specialist. Identification of the general condition and assessment of the possibility of anesthesia (general anesthesia) for stone removal.
2. A fasting diet lasting twelve hours before surgery.
3. Carrying out anesthesia.
4. Removing plaque and stone using a medical instrument or ultrasound. The tooth root will be treated with ultrasound.
5. Grinding the surface of the row.
6. Polishing the surface using various attachments and special pastes with an abrasive composition.
7. Treating the oral cavity with an antiseptic solution.

Taking into account the aggressiveness of the acidic environment and the active microorganisms that are part of the structure of the dental plaque. These include caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The consequences of further development of the disease lead to tooth loss.

Everyone knows the need for regular preventative dental examinations and this is an indisputable fact. However, not every owner of furry pets would think of bringing their pet to the dentist. Moreover, few people have thought about such a problem as tartar in cats. The lifestyle of domestic cats is very different from that of their wild relatives. In their natural habitat, tartar is practically not formed in cats due to the peculiarities of their diet - solid natural food prevents the formation of tartar, and in this way the animal’s teeth are cleaned naturally.

The situation is different with domestic cats, whose main diet consists of soft, “refined” food. The convenience of using such food is obvious - their storage does not require special conditions, you just need to fill your pet’s bowl. But, unfortunately, ease of use is not always commensurate with the possible consequences. Practice shows that tartar in cats at home is formed precisely because of the use of soft food and the lack of natural food.

Causes of tartar formation in cats

Tartar in cats is formed in the form of calcareous deposits as a result of the vital activity of various microorganisms. Externally, tartar resembles a yellowish plaque with a dense consistency and hard to the touch. The formation of yellowish plaque begins when the animal is young; at the initial stage, dental plaque consists of saliva and bacteria remaining on the surface of the teeth. Over time, this film thickens, becomes hard, turns brown and concentrates on the canines and back teeth, increasing in size. Dental plaque in cats is an entire colony of microbes, the vital activity of which contributes to favorable conditions for the chemical reactions of the animal’s saliva and calcium, which subsequently form tartar. In addition to its unhygienic appearance, dental plaque in cats provokes inflammation of the gums and the occurrence of periodontitis.

Experts attribute the main reasons for the appearance of dental plaque in cats, first of all, to the animal’s “refined” diet, consisting mainly of soft food, improper salt metabolism in the animal’s body, poor oral hygiene of the animal, and violation of the location of the dentition.

Symptoms of Tartar in Cats

It is not at all difficult to detect the symptoms of tartar in cats and every owner of his furry pet can do this. Daily observations and examination of the animal’s oral cavity will unmistakably tell you about the existing problem, if any.

Experts identify the following main symptoms of tartar in cats:

unpleasant odor from the animal’s mouth;
sore gums;
yellow-brown plaque at the base of the teeth;
atypical behavior when eating, when pain occurs.

When examining the animal's oral cavity, it is necessary to carefully examine the gums and possible growths and formations for the presence of tumors of the mucous membrane. The discovery of similar symptoms of tartar in cats is a direct reason for an immediate visit to the veterinarian for a detailed examination, diagnosis of the disease and course of treatment for your furry pet.

Treatment of tartar in cats

Treatment of tartar in cats consists of simply removing them from the surface of the dentition. This procedure is quite painful for the animal and is performed using general anesthesia. Depending on the extent of the tartar condition, it can last about an hour, and in some cases more. The age of the animal determines a number of preparatory measures preceding the removal of tartar. So, for a young cat, up to one and a half to two years old, a one-day fast before the procedure for removing tartar is quite enough.

Pets over three years of age or diagnosed with chronic diseases undergo a standard preparatory procedure for anesthesia. This procedure includes, first of all, laboratory tests for negative reactions to anesthesia, and a general clinical examination of the animal. The process of removing tartar in cats consists of the following stages. The first stage consists of mechanical treatment of the surface of the dentition using dental instruments. Ultrasonic cleaning is used in the second stage of the tartar removal process. And the procedure is completed by final grinding and polishing of the dentition with cleansing pastes.

Carrying out high-quality treatment of tartar in cats is possible only in a clinical setting. Removing tartar at home is not possible, since the procedure is quite painful and the mandatory participation of a specialist is necessary to avoid all sorts of complications. And owners of furry pets need to carry out regular preventive measures aimed at preventing the formation of tartar in their pet.

Tartar removal in cats

Tartar removal in cats has a number of characteristic features. Tartar is the next form of mineralized plaque formed as a result of a chemical reaction of waste products of microorganisms in the saliva of an animal with potassium phosphates. Depending on the location, supragingival and subgingival dental calculus are distinguished.

Supragingival tartar is localized on the surface of the teeth directly above the edge of the gum, has a yellow-brown tint, its surface is rough, promoting the layering of new growths and increases the size of tartar. The inner side of the gums, cheeks and mucous membrane bordering on tartar is constantly inflamed due to systematic trauma by this stone.

Subgingival calculus is localized closer to the roots of the teeth or in the gum pockets and protrudes slightly beyond the crown. Subgingival calculus is dark green in color and harder than supragingival calculus. It has been scientifically proven that subgingival tartar is formed due to a deviation in the biochemical composition of blood serum, and supragingival tartar is formed due to a chemical reaction of saliva and potassium phosphate.

As a rule, over time, both types of tartar provoke detachment of the gums from the roots of the teeth and, as a result, inflammation of the gums and infection. There are cases where supragingival and subgingival stones have grown together. This situation causes not only inflammatory processes in the gums but also in the bone tissue of the teeth, up to their loss. There is also a high probability of osteomyelitis and ulcerative process of the jaw bone. It is for this reason that removing tartar in cats is a vitally necessary systematic procedure.

Cleaning tartar in cats

Tartar cleaning in cats is performed by veterinarians. It is almost impossible to clean tartar at home. Firstly, the skills and practice of a professional are needed, and secondly, special tools and equipment are needed. Thirdly, anesthesia is required for the procedure. In clinical settings, tartar cleaning is performed in two ways - mechanical and ultrasonic.

The mechanical method is widespread due to its availability and low cost. However, there is a significant drawback of this method, which is the likelihood of injury to the gums or teeth in case of careless pressure with the instrument.

Ultrasonic vibrations of the equipment are used to influence tartar, which subsequently peels off from the teeth and is destroyed. This method is more effective and safer than manual tartar removal. After removing dental deposits, both methods provide for disinfection of the animal’s oral cavity. In some cases, if necessary, a course of immunostimulants or antibiotics is prescribed.

Prevention of tartar in cats

Prevention of tartar in cats at home involves systematic cleaning of the animal’s mouth. Almost all pets do not share the opinion about the need for this procedure and, moreover, are absolutely not amenable to this manipulation. It is advisable to get used to cleaning the oral cavity from the age of the kitten, when protective instincts have not yet been formed. It is quite natural that training your pet to clean its mouth is a long process that requires a lot of patience. Currently, pet stores offer a fairly wide range of special toothpastes that have a pleasant taste for animals and are absolutely harmless if accidentally swallowed. Cleaning the oral cavity is carried out using a brush or using the index finger.

One of the popular preventive methods that allows you to successfully combat the formation of tartar in cats is the use of special mixtures in the animal’s diet, which include dietary fiber that has a harder consistency and a fibrous mesh structure. The granules of such food, when bitten, do not immediately crumble, but are structured into a fibrous mesh, which performs the function of cleansing the surface of the dentition. Other feed mixtures contain polyphosphates, which, when eaten, are deposited on the teeth and thus protect against the formation of plaque. Of course, the prevention of tartar in cats is not limited only to the use of special foods and it would be a mistake to call such artificial food mixtures a panacea, because they consist of synthetic components and their use can only be a small part of preventive measures.

The main prevention, of course, consists of systematic visits to the veterinarian and maintaining oral hygiene for your furry pet. A little patience and systematic preventive measures will undoubtedly make your pet’s teeth healthy and strong!

It is important to know!

A charming smile is impossible without healthy and perfectly white teeth, so a lot of time is devoted to the problem of plaque on teeth. Improperly organized oral hygiene leads to the appearance of an unpleasant odor and a slimy yellowish coating on the teeth, gums and tongue.

In cats, it is hard, brown or yellow calcareous deposits on the enamel of teeth, formed due to poor oral hygiene. It begins to form in a small kitten due to the accumulation of harmful microorganisms. The bone tissue is covered with a film that consists of saliva and bacteria. As a rule, it can be seen on molars and canines - places where saliva washes.

At first it is insignificant, but over time the plaque grows and becomes denser, which gives the teeth an unaesthetic appearance. However, you need to understand that tartar is not only a cosmetic problem. This is a serious oral disease of an infectious nature, which without appropriate treatment can cause tooth decay and loss, severe pain, inflammation of the gums, and various dental diseases.

Depending on the location, tartar in a cat can be of two types:

Supragingival, located above the gum. It can be easily seen during a visual inspection of the cat.
Subgingival. Places of possible formation are under the gum, at the root of the tooth. It is impossible to see upon inspection.

The second type is more dangerous than the first, as it contributes to the loosening and loss of teeth.

Reasons for appearance

The main factor in the occurrence of plaque is saliva, in particular the phosphorus and potassium contained in it. The purpose of this fermented liquid is to pre-soften food for better absorption.

After the cat eats, food remains remain in the mouth, which saliva continues to process. Its enzymes are not able to fully ensure the decay process, and half-life products are an excellent environment for harmful microorganisms that begin to actively divide and contribute to the formation of tartar.

In the same way, plaque occurs in people, but if it is enough for a person, according to the rules of hygiene, twice a day, then for cats a similar procedure is carried out by a rare owner. Thus, the thinnest layer of plaque becomes denser every day and turns into stone.

Reasons that contribute to the formation of tartar also include:

the predominance of soft food in the cat’s menu;
destabilization of salt metabolism (excessive content of salts and trace elements in saliva);
malocclusion and other anomalies (congenital or acquired) of the dental structure;
enamel damage;
roughness of the enamel layer.

To prevent the formation of tartar, it is recommended to use the product twice a week.

Prevention measures

To avoid the appearance of plaque, it is recommended to follow some preventive measures, among which regular teeth brushing is central. It should be carried out at least once every 5 days. To ensure that the procedure is not stressful for your pet, kittens must be accustomed to it from an early age.

Be sure to include dry specialized food in the diet.

Do not try to remove tartar from your cat using sharp objects - this can cause serious injury to its oral cavity.

Content:

Man interferes with evolution by breeding cat breeds with given characteristics. Modified animals, along with useful qualities, acquire developmental defects, one of which is a predisposition to the formation of tartar. They are a hardened coating consisting of food particles, dead cells, microbes, and mineral salts. It is a yellow formation located along the gum, where it touches the teeth.

Infection of the covering texture is accompanied by severe inflammation. Living conditions in the apartment and errors in feeding the pet also contribute to the occurrence of pathology.

Fellinologists who assume that cats retain strong teeth into old age are mistaken. Pets also experience problems with their oral health, accompanied by an unpleasant odor or loss of appetite. Cats that have developed tartar eat with caution; they may develop gum disease and experience pain. Mostly animals over 3 years of age are affected.

Causes

The following are the reasons for the formation of dentolits:

Predisposing factors for the formation of dental stones are considered to be a deficiency of Ascorbic acid or an increased need for it due to an infectious disease. An unfavorable background is created by prolonged use of steroidal antiphlogistics, which destroys collagen fibers.

Types of stones

Dentoliths form mainly where a lot of saliva is produced - on the lower incisors and molars. There are superficial stones, clearly visible and hidden, formed on the root of the tooth.

Danger of dentolitis

With improper nutrition, dental plaque forms, gradually mineralizing and hardening. Only a veterinary dentist can rid a cat of an unpleasant formation. Unremoved dentoltitis grows, leading to the appearance and loss of teeth.

Symptoms

Signs of a cat having dentoliths include the following:

Detection of hard yellowish-brown plaque on the teeth.
Ulcerative stomatitis. The cat cannot eat and is losing a lot of weight.
Fasting provokes the occurrence of digestive disorders.
The pet often shakes its head.
Bleeding of mucous membranes. Touching the gum is painful.
Stench from the mouth.
Injuries to the tongue and cheeks.
Copious salivation.
Loose teeth.
Anxiety when eating food. It hurts the cat to chew.
The appearance of swelling under the jaw and eyes.

Inflammatory diseases of the mouth cavity cause dental pathologies - periodontal disease, pulpitis. The process spreads to neighboring parts of the body - ears, eyes, nasal passages.

Treatment

Therapy consists of removing dental growth and eliminating complications. The procedure for cleaning teeth from stone is painful, so it is performed under systemic anesthesia. The layers are destroyed with ultrasound, and if such equipment is not available in the clinic, dental instruments are used.

When removing dentolith, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the teeth and gums of the smallest residues, since they will serve as the center of new crystallization.

Before destroying the stone, it is separated from the effects of saliva using cotton swabs soaked in iodine solution. Tiny deposits are moistened with lactate, which dissolves lime salts. Some time later, the acid is neutralized with baking soda. The surgical intervention ends with polishing the teeth. After procedures to destroy dentoliths, the mouth cavity is sanitized with an antiseptic and astringents.

Before the operation, fasting is done for 12...24 hours. Old cats and those suffering from chronic illnesses are preliminarily examined.

If pathology is detected in the initial stage, grinding is performed. The teeth are cleaned with a specialized paste, which smoothes the surface and destroys most of the microorganisms. The tissue is partially injured, so the cat has to be fed soft, warm food for some time. Sometimes it becomes necessary to use analgesics.

For cats with health problems or a predisposition to allergies, cleaning without anesthesia is used. In some situations, a step-by-step plan for stone removal is developed, in several stages using painkillers.

Prevention

Preventing the formation of dentolits involves following the recommendations below:

Weekly brushing of teeth and rinsing of mouth with preparations that destroy deposited lime salts. A fellinologist can make the simplest remedy himself by mixing 5% alcohol tincture of Iodine with double the volume of baking soda.
If plaque is detected, it is dissolved with hydrogen peroxide applied with a cotton swab. It is advisable to rub the product onto the tooth enamel without damaging the mucous membrane. Removing the bacterial film prevents deposits of lime salts on it. The fight against dentolits ends by rinsing the mouth with water from a syringe.
Use of ready-made factory-prepared feed. They contain minerals in optimal proportions, as well as coarse particles, with the help of which teeth self-clean from plaque.

All manipulations are carried out with carefully fixed cats. They definitely won’t like the first treatments, but later the pets get used to their inevitability, so they react relatively calmly. Dental health is of great importance for cats pursuing a breeding career. One of the criteria for exterior evaluation at the exhibition is the condition of the teeth.

There are rules that you can follow to avoid the formation of tartar in your cat:

Have a veterinary examination at least twice a year.
In the intervals between visits to the clinic, independently monitor the condition of the mouth cavity.
Brush your teeth regularly if it is determined that your cat is predisposed to the formation of dentoliths. An event that does not delight either the cat or the owner, but is necessary.
A diet balanced in terms of nutritional value and the structure of feed particles. The menu must include herbs. By volume, the diet should consist of 80% dry food. It is advisable to maintain intervals of 4...5 hours between feeding solid and soft food.
It is useful to purchase dried tendons for cleaning teeth.
Monitoring the condition of the alimentary tract and timely treatment of its disorders.

If the fellinologist finds tartar in your pet, you should not try to remove it yourself to avoid causing severe pain to the cat and injury to yourself.