Dental disease is one of the most common problems vets see in cats: about 85% of cats over three already show signs of periodontal disease. Cats are good at hiding mouth pain, though. They keep eating and grooming and look mostly normal, so many owners only find out once the problem is advanced.
How to Tell If Your Cat Has Dental Pain
Cats rarely stop eating because of a toothache. What usually changes is the way they eat, and quietly. Watch for these:
Changes in eating behavior
- Dropping food while chewing
- Chewing on one side of the mouth
- Swallowing kibble whole instead of crunching
- Preferring wet food when they used to eat dry
- Taking longer to finish meals
Physical signs
- Bad breath (not just “cat food breath” but something noticeably foul)
- Drooling, sometimes with blood-tinged saliva
- Red or swollen gums, visible tartar buildup
- A tooth that looks discolored, pink, or has a visible hole near the gumline
- Swelling on one side of the face
Behavioral changes
- Pawing at the mouth or face
- Head shaking while eating
- Reluctance to have the face or head touched
- Less grooming, matted fur
- Hiding more, less playful
Not all of these come from the teeth. Pain elsewhere in the body can also make a cat squint or flatten their ears. If you see several together, ask your vet to check the mouth.
Log these changes in Furwise and you can tell your vet when they started.
How to Care for Your Cat’s Teeth at Home
Daily care at home slows plaque buildup and can stretch the time between cleanings.
How to Brush Your Cat’s Teeth
Of everything you can do at home, brushing does the most. It doesn’t need to be perfect: 30 seconds on the outer surfaces makes a difference. Use a toothpaste made for cats. Human toothpaste isn’t safe for cats to swallow. A small soft brush or a finger brush works.
Go slowly. Rush it and your cat may hate brushing for good.
Week 1-2: Let your cat lick the toothpaste off your finger. Get them used to the taste and the routine of you touching their mouth area.
Week 3: Put toothpaste on your finger and rub it gently along the gumline, starting with the outer surfaces of the upper teeth. Keep it under 30 seconds.
Week 4: Switch to the brush or finger brush. Let your cat sniff and lick it first. Then brush a few teeth on one side and call it done.
Ongoing: Gradually work up to brushing both sides. The outsides of the upper teeth matter most, since that’s where plaque accumulates fastest. Daily is ideal, but even 3-4 times a week helps.
Some cats never fully accept brushing, and that’s okay. Brush whatever teeth you can reach, regularly, and it still helps.
VOHC Accepted Products
The US Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) tests dental products in clinical trials, and products that pass carry the VOHC Seal on the pack. That seal is the thing to look for.
- Dental diets: Large, fibrous kibble that scrapes the tooth surface as the cat bites through it
- Water additives: Added to drinking water to reduce mouth bacteria. If your cat is already a reluctant drinker, see our hydration guide before adding anything to their water
- Dental treats: Chews that reduce plaque, though cats tend to be much pickier about them than dogs
None of these replace brushing or cleanings, but they help alongside them.
When to See the Vet
Schedule a Dental Exam If You Notice
- Bad breath that’s persistent or worsening
- Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Visible tartar (yellow-brown buildup on teeth)
- Drooling, especially if new or blood-tinged
- Difficulty eating, dropping food, or change in food preference
- Pawing at the mouth or face
- A visible lesion on a tooth (pink spot, hole near gumline)
- Facial swelling on one side
- Weight loss with no obvious cause
Even if your cat seems fine, have the vet check their teeth once a year; whether they need a cleaning depends on what the vet finds. Cats over seven can be checked every six months.
What Happens at a Dental Cleaning
A dental cleaning is the best tool vets have for treating dental disease, and the only time anyone can see what’s going on below the gumline.
Why Anesthesia Is Necessary
Dental cleanings need general anesthesia. Veterinary guidelines, including the AAFP’s, advise against anesthesia-free cleanings for cats.
A thorough cleaning means scaling below the gumline, where the disease-causing bacteria actually live. The vet also needs to take full-mouth X-rays and probe each tooth for pockets. None of that is possible on a conscious cat. Without anesthesia, only the visible tartar comes off. The teeth look clean while the problem underneath stays, and the scraped surface turns rough, so plaque sticks to it even faster.
Anesthesia is fairly safe these days. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork screens for underlying issues, and your cat is monitored throughout the procedure. If your cat is overweight, let your vet know, as this can affect anesthesia planning.
What Happens During a Dental Cleaning
- Pre-anesthetic bloodwork to confirm your cat is healthy enough for anesthesia
- General anesthesia with monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen, temperature)
- Full-mouth dental X-rays
- Tooth-by-tooth examination and probing
- Ultrasonic scaling above and below the gumline
- Polishing to smooth the tooth surfaces
- Extractions if needed (based on X-ray and exam findings)
- Pain management and recovery monitoring
In cats whose mouths looked normal, 42% had significant dental disease that only showed up on X-rays, which is why X-rays belong in every cleaning.
Understanding Dental Diseases in Cats
Three problems account for most feline dental disease: periodontal disease, tooth resorption, and stomatitis. Knowing which is which explains why your vet recommends what they recommend.
Periodontal Disease: The Most Common Problem
Periodontal disease starts with plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that’s back on the teeth within hours of a cleaning. Left alone, it hardens into tartar within days, and tartar’s rough surface lets even more plaque build up.
| Stage | What’s Happening | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|
| Gingivitis | Gums are red and inflamed, but no tissue loss yet | Yes, with treatment |
| Early periodontitis | Gum attachment begins to break down, shallow pockets form | Partially |
| Moderate periodontitis | Deeper pockets, bone loss visible on X-rays | No, but manageable |
| Advanced periodontitis | Severe bone loss, loose teeth, potential tooth loss | No, extraction often needed |
Gingivitis is the only truly reversible stage. Once the bone and ligaments supporting the tooth start to break down, you can slow the progression but not undo the damage. That’s why regular dental checks are worth it even when your cat seems fine. Long-standing periodontal disease reaches beyond the mouth, too: it has been linked to kidney disease.
Tooth Resorption: A Uniquely Feline Problem
Tooth resorption is a condition where the cat’s own body begins breaking down and absorbing the tooth structure, starting from the root or the surface near the gumline. Estimates vary widely between studies, from about 20 to 67% of cats, and many lesions only show up on X-rays.
There’s no known way to prevent it, and it tends to get worse over time. Affected teeth are painful, even if the cat doesn’t show obvious signs. Your vet decides how to treat it from the X-rays. Usually the tooth is extracted; when the root has already fused with the jawbone, only the visible part is removed. After treatment, the pain usually stops.
Stomatitis: Rare but Severe
Stomatitis (feline chronic gingivostomatitis) is a severe inflammatory condition affecting the entire mouth, not just the gumline. Cats with stomatitis often have intensely red, swollen tissue in the back of the mouth. They may drool, have terrible breath, paw at their face, and lose weight because eating is so painful. Some stop eating altogether.
The condition is thought to involve an overreaction of the immune system to bacterial plaque. Medical management can help temporarily, but for many cats, the most effective treatment is extraction of most or all teeth. In roughly 60 to 80% of cats, that clears up or clearly improves the symptoms. Cats adjust to life without teeth faster than you’d expect, and many are livelier and more willing to eat afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should my cat get a professional dental cleaning? It varies. Have your vet check your cat’s teeth once a year, and let the findings decide whether a cleaning is needed. Cats with healthy mouths may go years between cleanings; cats that build tartar fast or have gingivitis may need one every year.
Is anesthesia safe for dental cleanings? Yes, for the vast majority of cats. The vet runs bloodwork beforehand to check for anything that might complicate anesthesia, and monitors your cat throughout. There’s always some risk with general anesthesia, but leaving dental disease untreated carries its own risks too. If your cat is older or has other health issues, your vet can walk you through the specifics.
My cat won’t let me brush their teeth. What else can I do? Plenty of cats won’t, and that’s okay. Dental diets, water additives and dental treats with the VOHC Seal all reduce plaque. They don’t work as well as brushing, but they beat nothing. Regular dental checks with your vet matter most, so problems get caught early.
Why does my cat have bad breath? A little food smell right after a meal is normal. Breath that stays bad is usually tartar, gingivitis or more advanced dental disease, and sometimes another illness such as kidney disease. If the smell is strong or getting worse, take your cat to the vet.
Can cats eat normally after having teeth extracted? Yes. Most cats are back on wet food within a day or two, and plenty manage dry food too. It sounds surprising, but cats with painful teeth often eat better once those teeth are out.
Most dental problems in cats can be treated; the hard part is noticing them. Watch how your cat eats, glance at the gums when they yawn, and ask the vet to look at the teeth at the annual visit. If it’s been a while, book a check.
References
- Bellows, J., et al. (2019). 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 55(2), 49–69. AAHA
- Holmstrom, S. E., et al. (2013). 2013 AAFP Dental Health Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 15(10), 865–874. JFMS
- Perry, R., & Tutt, C. (2015). Periodontal disease in cats: Back to basics — with an eye on the future. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 17(1), 45–65. JFMS
- Girard, N., et al. (2009). Periodontal health status in a colony of 109 cats. Journal of Veterinary Dentistry, 26(3), 147–155.
- Verstraete, F. J. M., et al. (1998). Diagnostic value of full-mouth radiography in cats. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 59(6), 692–695.
- Winer, J. N., Arzi, B., & Verstraete, F. J. M. (2016). Therapeutic management of feline chronic gingivostomatitis: A systematic review of the literature. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 3, 54. Frontiers
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. (2024). Feline Dental Disease. Cornell Feline Health Center
