http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110908/LIFE/109080304/Animals-oral-hygiene-often-overlooked?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p
Our very own Delaware News Journal featured this article today! Perhaps their contributions to National Cat Month?
My own eldest feline Ling-Hsing suffers from severe dental disease and had to have many of her teeth extracted several years ago. Ling-Hsing had dental tartar which became calculus and her gums were red and inflamed from the bacteria which was introduced under her gums. Then came the tooth resorption...
Tooth resorption happens in many cats, and we're not really sure why. It may have happened first or at the same time as the tartar build-up, again, nobody is quite sure why this happens (yet). The tooth itself starts to degrade. It happened to Ling-Hsing on some premolars and molars - inflammation and discomfort (pain really) comes along with it.
The only cure for the gingival disease, tooth resorption, discomfort, and the accompanying risks of deeper infection is cutting off the source of the infection --> removing the teeth. I always thought this seemed cruel. But, Ling-Hsing was much more comfortable after the tooth removal. She insisted on eating the same food as the other kitties after her surgery, so everyone was switched to wet food (only) for a few days. However, what she was interested in eating increased - larger treats and playing with harder toys. Her breath wasn't as stinky (she did still smell like a cat). And she was no longer shy about head petting and brushing!
Most importantly, we may have removed a potential source of bacterial infection in other organ systems.
It's been years since this surgery and she hasn't missed them.
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