Dental Cleaning

[Anoxia]

Hello, everyone! Thank you again for your help with my questions about the yearly exam earlier; today was the day, and we took the cats in for their first checkups as adults! I asked for their teeth to be look at in particular as I've worked up to being able to smear toothpaste on their top row of teeth for the calmer cat, and I wanted the final go-ahead to start brushing. During that time, the vet told me that she recommended cleaning for one cat and that the second was might need a cleaning soon but was not quite there yet.

I would appreciate (1) a second opinion, and (2) feedback on what to look for during a dental cleaning.

Second Opinion
I'll preface this by saying I'm leaning towards getting the cleaning for the first cat and I'll list my reasons below; I would just appreciate reassurance for the decision since it startled me that it would come up when they're so young, or, of course, information on if anyone disagrees.

Henri, 14mo (Vet suggested she get a cleaning. She is the one where I've been able to smear toothpaste along her gumline.)

• Back teeth were yellowish.
• Red gum line. It did not seem inflamed since it wasn't noticeably swollen, but it was certainly red compared to the soft pink of her gums.
• Occasional bad breath when I'm sitting next to her. I don't put my head next to her head; I just hover over her while I check her nails or brush her. The bad breath died down when I started toothpasting her, but it will still crop up occasionally. This is the main reason why I was leaning towards getting her cleaning.
• The vet said her teeth were noticeably worse than Juno's, but they seemed similar to me from the glances I took. Perhaps her gums past the irritated red line were a little paler?

Juno, 16mo (The vet said if I was not able to get her comfortable with teeth brushing within 6 months, she may need a cleaning as well. We're at the phase where we're increasing her comfort level with me messing with her lips and licking toothpaste off my finger.)

• Back teeth were yellowish.
• Red gum line. It did not seem inflamed since it wasn't noticeably swollen, but it was certainly red compared to the soft pink of her gums.
• No bad breath.
• The vet demonstrated brushing teeth with a wipe, and there was a noticeable amount of yellow plaque on the wipe (as in, I could see it while I was standing; I did not have to squint or move closer to it).
• Knowing how long it took to get her comfortable with having her front paws clipped, I don't know how feasible 6 months is (I'm personally not alarmed by the timeframe, but my experiences with her have been incredibly humbling and I try not to set any expectations or deadlines), especially since she is much more bitey. Should I simply go ahead and start from square one and get hers cleaned, or should I continue trying to work on her comfort level and not do a dental cleaning unless it is absolutely necessary?

They've been given giblets to chew on intermittently as kittens (sometimes as much as three times a week, sometimes as little as having weeks long with no giblets). Under a month ago I started introducing chunked chicken to their meals (one meal every day) and they have been seen to chew with both sides of their mouths. I have the C.E.T. toothbrush for them, but after seeing the vet use normal wipes I will be looking into those for Henri since it seems most similar to what I'm currently doing with her and the toothpaste. (Juno would probably take my whole arm without meaning to, so it will be brushes for her. ) I work on their hygiene (so toothpaste smearing for Henri, and lip bothering for Juno) on a daily basis at the same time after first dinner.

If relevant, this is my first time visiting this vet, and while I felt she handled the exam well I have not worked with her enough to rely on trust alone.

Dental Cleaning
What should I look for during a dental cleaning? Since she will be under anesthesia anyways, should I ask for an x-ray? Do I insist on having pain medication to take home if they do not offer to provide it? I've noticed in some other dental cleaning threads on this forum, users had to give antibiotics to their cats prior to the dropoff date; however, my vet did not mention it and I'm waiting for a response to my e-mail. Is this something I should insist on as well? Anything else?

Thank you so much! Obligatory photos attached.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! They're beautiful cats!

In my opinion Henri definitely needs the cleaning. Yellowish is one thing and not necessarily horrible, but that red line plus bad breath is a strong indication of future troubles. Bad dental health can effect the rest of the body including the heart, so it's a very good thing to keep up with. Your other kitty will, as your vet suggested, need a cleaning soon and I think if it were me, I'd go ahead and have Juno's cleaned as well.

I have not had to give antibiotics to Poppycat for just a cleaning and he's seen several different vets, not even with a tooth being removed or worked on due to resorption (sp?).

Unless there is something else going on healthwise, and your vet can certainly advise, I don't see a need for an xray. If they can clip claws while they're at it, that'd be ok too

Regarding pain meds, for just a cleaning, if that is all that occurs and there's no tooth removal, your cat shouldn't require meds. Just ask about aftercare.

This vet sounds good to me.

Are you feeding dry food? It's often a dental "culprit". I'm actually wondering if the giblets aren't helping things, but I don't know.

 

[Anoxia]

Hello Furballsmom and thank you so much; I appreciate all the information you included in your post! They are not fed dry food (Juno took 6 months to transition, but she finally made it through at the start of the year! I like to joke it was her New Year's gift to me ).

 

[Furballsmom]

Let us know how things go and what you decide.

Even if you don't have Juno's teeth cleaned at this point, you may want to consider taking her along to the vet's so that she smells the same as Henri and doesn't have a bad reaction if she stays home and doesn't like how Henri smells after being elsewhere.

 

[Anoxia]

Furballsmom Will do; thank you! Initially I thought I would not be able to take Juno if it was only Henri since the cleaning would be a whole-day affair, but I just realized: did you mean take Juno during the drop off and pickup? Would that still make them smell the same?

 

[Furballsmom]

take Juno during the drop off and pickup?

...and if you can take Juno's carrier into the office/clinic lobby both times, that should help.

 

[Anoxia]

Aha! That'd be great! Thank you so much for the suggestion; Juno did (understandably) have problems with non-recognition aggression when Henri went to visit her long-haired cousin, so I'd been worried about that. If Juno ends up not getting a cleaning, I'll definitely try to bring her along!

 

[Furballsmom]

...something told me she's an extra sensitive kitty lol

 

[cataholic07]

I got my boys fynn teeth cleaned as well, he is 1 year and 4 months and had red gums, yellow teeth. I am attempting daily brushing, they also get raw fed and chicken hearts, meat chunks, dental water addictive and plaque off powder now lol. His teeth actually got a bit better apparently but now it's perfect. Since hes so young he didnt need xrays or bloodwork which saved lots of money so yah if the teeth are bad when they are young its cheaper to do it now.

 

[kittyluv387]

Let me just say prevention is cheaper than treatment. If you wait long enough to need removals your bill will really skyrocket. Sounds to me both of them could use dentals. Red gum lines are a sign of gingivitis. The blood stream connects teeth to organs so dental health is quite important. My cats get dentals regularly. One cat I am able to brush his teeth so he goes about 2-2.5 years in between teeth cleanings. He needed his first one well before the age of 1. The other 2 we can't really brush their teeth so they get dentals every 1.5 years and they need it quite badly by that time.

 

[neely]

Unfortunately we have had two adopted cats with serious cases of FORL. For that reason I would not hesitate to schedule a dental cleaning if necessary. Your vet may require bloodwork and x-rays depending on the kitty's dental health as well as for precautionary measures. However, that's something to talk about with your vet.

Here is an Article about dental disease that may have some helpful info: Gingivitis And Stomatitis In Cats – Cat Articles
And one more that discusses the anesthesia process including x-rays:
Should my pet be anesthetized for dental care?

The obligatory photos are precious. Best of luck, I'm sure the dental cleaning will go smoothly and be beneficial for your kitty.

 

[Anoxia]

Thank you so much for your replies, everyone! I was worried that dental cleanings would be considered a last resort due to the anesthesia involved, so the replies so far have done a lot to reassure me! I'll definitely schedule a cleaning for both (and I think Juno is telling me she'd do better with that. Even though Henri took a nap with me under the sheets, it seems Juno is still hissing and growling at her nearly 10 hours later. I can't imagine how she'd handle it if just Henri smelled like the vet ).

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm so glad we helped

Let us know how things go with them

 

[Anoxia]

Hello, everyone! We had to break up their appointments to maintain safe practices during this pandemic, but we were able to wrap up everything today. :)

Henri's cleaning went smoothly and I kept them separated for two days when I wasn't home to monitor. This kept Juno's redirected aggression manageable and they're back to being friends!

The dental vet suggested the same thing as my main vet: we could revisit Juno's teeth in six months, but they suggested she did not need the cleaning since her gingivitis seemed to come from bacteria and not from tartar. They gave me antibiotics for her, and I confirmed with them that I did not have to start the medication right away so long as it was before the antibiotics expired next year. I'll be working up Juno's comfort level with the dropper and some water so I know I can maintain it for 10 days before I start.

Other than that, both are progressing very well with accepting the toothbrush!

Thank you again for the help!

 

[Furballsmom]

You've done marvelously, thank you for such a great update !