Dental Care

Cat yawning showing healthy white teeth, bright warm home background, natural light

Dental disease is one of the most common health problems cats face — and one of the most underestimated. Studies suggest that around 85% of cats over the age of three show some signs of dental disease. Yet because cats are so skilled at hiding discomfort, many owners have no idea anything is wrong. A cat can be eating, playing, and seemingly content while carrying significant oral pain. The good news is that dental disease is largely preventable — and even where problems do develop, early treatment makes a real difference to your cat's comfort and quality of life.

What Healthy Cat Teeth Look Like

It's easier to spot a problem when you know what you're looking for. A healthy cat's teeth should be white or slightly off-white, with no visible tartar build-up — tartar appears as yellow or brown deposits, usually starting at the gum line. The gums should be a pale, healthy pink and sit flush against the teeth without swelling, redness, or recession. There should be no strong odour from the mouth — a mild smell is normal, but persistent bad breath is usually a sign that something needs attention.

Getting your cat used to having their mouth gently examined from an early age makes monitoring much easier. Even a brief weekly check — lifting the lips to look at the gum line and teeth — takes seconds and can help you catch changes early.

Signs That Something Isn't Right

Dental pain is often silent in cats. By the time obvious signs appear, disease may already be well established. That said, there are things to look out for:

Bad breath that persists or seems stronger than usual
Drooling, or saliva that is thick or occasionally blood-tinged
Pawing at the mouth or face
Reluctance to eat, or dropping food while eating
Chewing on one side of the mouth only
Eating more slowly than usual, or avoiding hard food
Changes in grooming — a cat in oral pain often grooms less, leading to a dull or unkempt coat
Weight loss
Seeming grumpy, withdrawn, or less interactive than usual

That last sign is worth emphasising. Behaviour that owners put down to their cat "getting older" or "being grumpy" is very often dental pain. Many owners report that their cat seems years younger after a dental procedure — because they've finally been relieved of discomfort they'd been enduring silently for a long time.

The Most Common Dental Conditions

Periodontal disease is the most common dental condition in cats, and the most preventable. It starts with plaque — a soft, sticky film of bacteria that builds up on the teeth. If not removed, plaque hardens into tartar within days. Tartar causes the gums to become inflamed (gingivitis), and over time the infection spreads below the gum line, destroying the tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place. In advanced cases, teeth become loose and painful, and the bacterial burden can affect other organs — dental disease has been linked to heart, liver, and kidney problems in cats.

Tooth Resorption (FORLs) affects more than a third of adult cats, making it the most common dental disease in cats worldwide. The body's own cells begin to break down the structure of a tooth, starting below the gum line and working upwards. The result is erosion of the tooth that can expose the sensitive inner pulp — extremely painful. Cats often show their discomfort by chattering their jaw when a resorptive lesion is touched. There is no way to prevent FORLs, and the only treatment for affected teeth is extraction under anaesthetic. They're often only identified through dental X-rays, which is one of the key reasons routine dental examinations under anaesthetic are so valuable.

Gingivostomatitis is a severe, painful inflammatory condition affecting the gums and the soft tissues of the mouth. In affected cats the entire oral cavity becomes inflamed, red, and ulcerated — eating becomes agonising, and cats often lose significant weight. The cause isn't fully understood but appears to involve an abnormal immune response, sometimes linked to viral infections. Management is complex and often requires full mouth extraction, after which many cats improve dramatically — though it can take time. It's a distressing condition, and cats with it need close veterinary support.

Professional Dental Treatment — What to Expect

Once tartar has formed on a cat's teeth, it cannot be removed by brushing at home — it requires professional dental treatment under general anaesthetic. This is the only way to safely and thoroughly clean a cat's teeth, examine every surface including below the gum line, and take dental X-rays to check the roots and underlying bone.

During a professional dental procedure your vet will scale away tartar using specialist equipment, polish the teeth, examine every tooth individually, and chart any problems. Dental X-rays are a crucial part of this — a significant proportion of dental disease in cats is hidden below the gum line and completely invisible to the naked eye. Any teeth that are severely diseased, resorbing, or non-viable will be extracted.

The prospect of a general anaesthetic can feel daunting, but modern anaesthesia in cats is very safe, and the alternative — leaving painful dental disease untreated — is far worse for your cat's wellbeing. Your vet will carry out a pre-anaesthetic assessment and may recommend blood tests beforehand to ensure your cat is fit for the procedure.

The cost of a professional dental clean under anaesthetic varies depending on the practice and what treatment is needed. We recommend asking your vet for an estimate beforehand. Many cat insurance policies cover dental treatment — it's worth checking your policy.

Caring for Your Cat's Teeth at Home

Daily toothbrushing is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent dental disease building up between professional checks. It sounds daunting, but most cats can be trained to accept it with a gradual, patient approach — ideally started from kittenhood, though older cats can learn too.

A few important points:

Always use toothpaste specifically formulated for cats — human toothpaste contains ingredients that are toxic to cats, including fluoride and xylitol
Cat toothpastes come in flavours like chicken or fish and are designed to be swallowed, not rinsed
Use a soft-bristled cat toothbrush, a finger brush, or even a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger to start
Focus on the outer surfaces of the teeth — the tongue does a reasonable job of the inner surfaces
Short, positive sessions are better than long, stressful ones — even thirty seconds of gentle brushing is worthwhile
If your cat won't tolerate brushing at all, ask your vet about alternatives such as dental gels, water additives, or dental treats — these are less effective than brushing but better than nothing

If your cat's gums look red or bleed during brushing, stop and contact your vet — brushing inflamed or infected gums can be painful and may make things worse.

How Often Should Your Cat See the Vet for Their Teeth?

Your vet will examine your cat's mouth at their annual health check — but this is a brief visual assessment, not a full dental examination. A proper dental assessment requires anaesthetic and X-rays, and how often your cat needs one depends on their individual dental health.

Some cats need a professional clean every one to two years; others with good home care and naturally good teeth may go longer. Your vet will advise based on what they see at each check-up.

Don't wait for obvious signs of a problem before raising dental health with your vet. Dental disease is slow and progressive, and by the time it's visibly affecting your cat's eating or behaviour, it's usually been causing discomfort for quite some time. Earlier is always better.

We recommend checking directly with your vet for current costs.