![]() ![]() This allows the bacteria access to the connective tissue below the teeth where the cat’s immune system will probably react by making the gums inflamed and painful. It is not the calculus itself that promotes an inflammatory response, but rather the bacteria that attach to the calculus.ĭisease-causing bacteria that accumulate on and below the gums produce substances that damage the cells that form a barrier between the gums and the teeth. Calculus provides a rough surface that disease-causing species of bacteria can attach to. When plaque becomes hardened by absorbing minerals from both the saliva and from the gingiva itself, it is referred to as calculus or tartar. Tooth crowding and insufficient oral health care may contribute to plaque accumulation. Some researchers believe that the onset of gingivitis may be caused by a shift in the populations of bacteria in plaque from normal, healthy species, to disease-causing species. Eventually, plaque will migrate below this point to the subgingival region, where a cat’s immune system may mount a response to these bacteria, resulting in the inflammation that we refer to as gingivitis. If not regularly removed, plaque migrates deeper toward where the gingiva meets the base of the tooth. In cats with good oral health, the bacteria that live in this film are believed to be beneficial, and the plaque that harbors them accumulates above the line where the base of the teeth meets the gums (gingiva). ![]() This inflammation is usually the result of a process that begins with the buildup of plaque, a film that harbors bacteria, on the teeth. Gingivitis is a condition in which the gums around the teeth become inflamed (red, swollen, and painful). In many cases, dental disease causes a cat to stop eating, which leads to a variety of health problems. Dental disease in cats can cause serious pain and discomfort, which can impact a cat’s quality of life. The three most common dental diseases in cats are gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth resorption, and the severity of each of these conditions can vary significantly. Studies report that between 50 and 90% of cats older than four years of age suffer from some form of dental disease, but fortunately the most common forms of these diseases are largely preventable or treatable with appropriate preventive dental care and monitoring. Diseases of the teeth and gums are common in cats. ![]()
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