Feline Dental Disease: Preventing and Treating Tooth Resorption and Periodontal Disease

Dental disease affects the majority of cats over 3 years old, causing chronic oral pain that dramatically reduces quality of life without appropriate treatment.

Key Facts

Over 70% of cats over age 3 have significant dental disease
Tooth resorption (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions) is a painful and common condition
Periodontal disease causes bone loss, loose teeth, and systemic bacterial spread
Many cats continue eating despite significant dental pain due to survival drive
Annual dental examination and professional cleaning under anaesthesia is the standard of care

Welfare Considerations

Cats are masters at concealing dental pain. Owners frequently do not recognise that their cat is suffering from severe oral pain until a dental procedure reveals the extent of disease. After dental treatment removing painful teeth, owners commonly report dramatic improvement in their cats demeanour, activity, and grooming. The concealment of dental pain means the welfare burden of untreated dental disease in the cat population is substantially underestimated. Regular dental health checks are one of the highest-value routine welfare interventions in feline medicine.

What You Can Do

Schedule annual dental health checks as part of your cats routine veterinary care
Introduce tooth brushing from kittenhood to slow dental disease progression
Do not delay recommended dental procedures due to anaesthesia concern for healthy adult cats
Feed dental diets or use dental treats as adjuncts to professional care
Monitor for subtle signs of oral discomfort including altered eating behaviour