Cat Dental Disease Prevention | Animal Welfare Hub

Dental disease affects over 70% of cats over three years old; prevention through regular dental care significantly improves long-term welfare.

Key Facts

Periodontal disease is the most common disease in domestic cats, causing gum inflammation, bone loss, and tooth pain.
Tooth resorption — where tooth structure is progressively destroyed — affects approximately 30-40% of cats.
Daily tooth brushing with enzyme toothpaste is the gold standard for plaque prevention.
Dental diets and water additives provide evidence-based complementary plaque control.
Professional dental cleaning under general anaesthesia allows full oral examination and dental radiography.

Welfare Considerations

Cats with untreated dental disease experience chronic oral pain that impairs eating, grooming, and social behaviour. The stoic nature of cats means that significant dental disease is often undetected until it is severe. Cats cannot communicate toothache verbally — owners must watch for changes in eating behaviour, drooling, pawing at the mouth, or avoidance of hard food. Professional dental assessment should be part of annual veterinary health checks. Prevention is far more effective and lower welfare impact than treatment of advanced disease. Establishing daily tooth-brushing from kittenhood builds acceptance of this important preventive measure.

What You Can Do

Begin gentle tooth brushing in kittens as early as possible to establish acceptance.
Have your cat's mouth examined at every annual check and request dental radiography if disease is suspected.
Use VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved dental diets and water additives as plaque control support.
Book professional dental cleaning if your vet identifies significant tartar or gingivitis.