Do cats have front teeth? How many teeth does an adult cat have? Kitten teething

Dental disease is the cause of many diseases in cats. The occurrence of pathologies in oral cavity animals have an extremely negative impact on their health in general. The cat's immunity decreases, there are problems with digestion and cardiovascular system. In the early stages, most dental diseases do not bother the pet. Diagnosing them at home is extremely difficult.

The reason for contacting a veterinarian should be even plaque, which, if not removed in time, leads to tooth loss. Lack of proper treatment of any dental disease leads to serious complications and damage. internal organs cats.

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Symptoms and treatment of various pathologies

Dental ailments include not only problems with enamel, but also a variety of inflammations and pathologies that relate to the oral mucosa, nerves, bones and salivary glands. This group of diseases has no breed, age or gender restrictions, but cats with a weakened immune system and older animals most often suffer from them.

There are many causes of dental disease in cats. They depend on the breed. pet, his age and associated ailments.

Helps identify causes full examination performed by a veterinarian. If you suspect the occurrence of any disease in the oral cavity, you should immediately take the cat to him for an appointment, and not try to cure the animal on your own.



Plaque

For the appearance of plaque on the surface of the teeth in pet There may be several reasons:

• hereditary predisposition;
• features of the digestive system;
• how to feed a cat.

Plaque appears as a grayish or yellow film. It is formed from food debris, microorganisms and cat saliva. Over time, the film tends to thicken.

Plaque itself is not serious illness. However, if it is not removed in time, it mineralizes. This leads to the formation of tartar.

Cleaning will help get rid of plaque. It can be done at home using a special paste and brush. The first cleaning is preferably performed by a veterinarian.



Tartar

Some cats have porous deposits on their teeth. Most often they occur due to untimely removal of plaque.

The stone initially forms at the base of the cat's tooth, and then affects the root, penetrating deep into the gum and gradually completely enveloping it.



There are several main reasons for the occurrence of the disease. It:

• a cat diet composed exclusively of soft foods or wet food;
• lack or lack of oral hygiene;
• various violations of metabolic processes in the body of the beast;
• abnormal arrangement of teeth;
• increased roughness.

Some purebred cats (Scottish Fold, British and Persian) have an innate predisposition to the appearance of tartar.

The symptoms of this disease are:

• hard growths on the tooth that have a brownish-yellowish tint;
• fetid odor from the mouth;
• bleeding gums.

Only the removal of the stone will help to completely get rid of the disease. The method of treatment depends on the stage of the disease. At the initial stage of the development of the pathology, the veterinarian uses dissolving gels, at the advanced stage - with a special spatula or ultrasound. Nervous cats and those animals in which the stone has already managed to penetrate under the gum, veterinarians perform the procedure under anesthesia.

To prevent the formation of a stone, it is necessary to carefully monitor the hygiene of the pet's oral cavity.



Caries

Caries is a process of decay that provokes the destruction of tooth enamel and the formation of cavities in hard tissues.In cats, pathology can cause:

• violation of metabolic processes;
• acute deficiency useful substances in the body;
• lack of B vitamins;
• infection that got into the wound when the tooth was injured.



Experts distinguish 4 stages of caries. The disease may be:

• spotted;
• surface;
• deep;
• average.

Caries is able to progress and provoke the occurrence of more complex diseases (osteomyelitis, pulpitis and periodontitis). During the development of pathology in the animal is observed:

• strong salivation;
• mucosal inflammation;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth;
• the formation of a hole in a diseased tooth;
• enamel darkening.

Over time, the cat's teeth begin to hurt, he tries to chew food carefully.

Superficial and spotted caries can be cured with a solution of silver nitrate or sodium fluoride (4%). In more advanced cases, it is necessary to remove the diseased tooth, since it is extremely difficult to put a seal on a cat. Before removal, the veterinarian resorts to the use of an anesthetic drug.

An annual visit to the clinic and monitoring the condition of the cat's oral cavity will help prevent the formation of caries.

Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis occurs in cats due to complications from caries, periodontitis and purulent pulpitis. The disease is an inflammation of the gums, bone marrow walls and alveoli.



Signs of osteomyelitis are:

• redness of the gums;
• pain when chewing food;
• swelling and asymmetry of the muzzle;
• shakiness of teeth;
• weight loss;
• enlargement of regional lymph nodes.

With the progression of the disease, an abscess begins to develop and fistulas form. They exude pus.

Before visiting the veterinarian, it is necessary to rinse the animal's mouth with a weak manganese solution. After confirming the diagnosis, the veterinarian selects a treatment regimen. It depends on the stage of the disease. On the early stage osteomyelitis shows a course of antibiotics and taking drugs that increase immunity. In advanced cases, the veterinarian removes pus and opens the fistula.

Periodontitis

The inflammatory process that has developed at the top of the tooth root is called periodontitis. The disease can be acute, purulent, aseptic and chronic. The causes of periodontitis are:

• tartar and plaque;
• lack of antiseptic treatment after the removal of a molar;
• food particles stuck between teeth and gums;
• caries;
• pulpitis.

The characteristic symptoms of the disease are:

• fetid odor from the cat's mouth;
• pain that occurs when touching the affected tooth;
• lack of appetite, weight loss;
• unsteadiness of a diseased tooth;
• swelling of the gums (with a purulent form of periodontitis).

Treatment of the disease consists in spraying the animal's mouth with a furatsilin or manganese solution. Inflamed gum must be treated with iodine. If periodontitis has passed into a purulent form, then it is necessary to rinse the oral cavity with an antiseptic, and extract the tooth.



Gingivitis

Chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gums is called gingivitis. At the initial stage of the disease, a yellowish plaque appears in a cat. Redness soon appears on the tissues around the tooth, bloody issues. Tiny ulcers form on the gums.

The reasons for the development of the disease are:

• tartar;
• lack of regular hygiene procedures aimed at cleansing the oral cavity;
• gum injury;
• acute lack of vitamins;
• infectious diseases;
• diseases of internal organs;
• a diet consisting only of soft foods;
• violation of metabolic processes in the body.

With gingivitis, a cat has:

• profuse salivation;
• fetid odor emanating from the oral cavity;
• bleeding from the gums;
• swelling and redness of the gums;
• decreased appetite.



Therapeutic measures depend on the stage of the disease. At the initial stage, you can treat gingivitis yourself. To do this, it is necessary to regularly clean with a special paste and brush, and also treat the gums with Zubastik or Metragil Denta ointments. In advanced cases, the veterinarian prescribes a course of antibiotics, and sometimes hormone therapy.

Improper development of teeth or bite

Dental anomalies lead to:

• to mechanical injury to the mucous membrane of the tongue, cheeks, lips and gums;
• to the occurrence of diseases of the stomach and intestines;
• to difficulty chewing food.

The most common in cats are:

• insufficient number of teeth;
• finding a tooth outside the jaw row;
• excessive convergence of the roots of molars;
• significant divergence of dental crowns;
• excessive number of teeth;
• shortened upper jaw (due to this, the incisors do not close mandible from the top);
• twisted mouth;
• shortened lower jaw protruding beyond the lower jaw.

Similar problems with the teeth in a cat appear mainly due to congenital disorders of the development of the jaw and untimely loss (or preservation) of milk teeth.



The main sign of improper development of teeth is difficulty eating. In difficult cases, the teeth have to be removed.

To prevent the occurrence of such anomalies, one should monitor how the teeth of the animal are replaced. If necessary, they should be promptly removed at a veterinarian's appointment.

Caring for a domestic cat is a whole complex of regularly performed actions. Caring for an animal helps him feel comfortable and safe around people. But not all owners are aware that the semantic content of the concept of "care" includes not only feeding, bathing and vaccinations. The health of an animal directly depends on how attentively its owner will treat this issue.

In particular, a common pathological phenomenon in cats is a disease of the oral cavity. In order to independently determine whether a cat's teeth are in order, it is necessary to have a clear idea of ​​​​some of the features of its physiology. It is also important to know how many teeth a cat has, what structure they have, and how to properly maintain the microflora of the animal's oral cavity in proper condition.

It is not without reason that veterinarians advise looking closely at this part of the body in cats from the very beginning. early childhood, because they are reliable indicators of the general well-being of a cat. The occurrence of any disturbances in the mouth speaks of a flow inflammatory process caused by the ingestion of pathogenic microorganisms. The disease at the initial stage is quite difficult to determine, but understanding what the ideal structure of the pet’s dental system should be, you can recognize the problem and immediately begin treatment, thereby preventing the likelihood of negative consequences.

Milk and molars: how many are there?

By the age of 3, more than 80% of domestic cats suffer from dental ailments. But, as you know, the first incisors appear in newborn babies a couple of weeks after birth. The teeth of 10-week-old kittens reach a full set and are equal to 26. After 1.5-2 months, the milk teeth begin to be replaced by permanent ones. The process itself is almost painless, although in some cases the change of incisors and fangs can cause significant discomfort to the cat.

During this period, the body of the animal produces a special substance in saliva - lysozyme. It allows you to warn infection oral cavity, providing an antibacterial effect. By virtue of malnutrition and the lack of the required amount beneficial vitamins and trace elements, lysozyme may become insufficient. Then the cat may fail the bacterial background, which contributes to the formation of tartar. Periodically examining the pet's oral cavity, you can immediately detect the changed structure of the teeth.

First of all, you should be aware that there are 16 bone formations on the upper jaw of an adult cat, and 14 on the lower jaw. They erupt, as a rule, in the following sequence:

1. At the age of 3-4 months, incisors appear.
2. After 2-3 weeks, new fangs can be seen.
3. Another same period of time will allow you to detect chewing premolars, and then molars.

Features of the structure of the tooth

The structure, structure and features of a cat's tooth will help to find many answers to questions. For example, why are dental diseases in cats accompanied by painful sensations, bleeding gums, inflammation.

The "building" materials for the vital biting and chewing tools in tetrapods bear some similarities to those of humans. This can be determined by the presence of cats:

• pulp (this is the main part of any tooth, which is a cavity from the root to the top with placed nerve cells and blood vessels; when this area becomes inflamed, excruciating pain occurs);
• dentin (covers the pulp);
• enamel (a fairly hard surface of a bone formation, completely devoid of nerve endings and, accordingly, sensitivity).

Dental system: the role of each element

As mentioned above, an adult cat has 30 teeth. The structure of the system itself in the oral cavity is predetermined by the purpose of each of its individual elements. The following can be said about each type of teeth:

1. The incisors are small teeth located in front of both jaws, 6 each. As a rule, a cat does not use them for chewing food: it only needs them to hold prey and large pieces.
2. Fangs are elongated teeth that felines use in the process of killing the victim. They are strong enough, because they are held deeper than the rest of the teeth by ligaments. On the jaws of the cat is one canine on both sides.
3. Premolars are bony structures in the mouth that perform chewing functions. Cats need 6 upper and 4 lower premolars to grind food, especially meat. If it is necessary to remove a superficial crown, it is important to remove the root of such a tooth.
4. Molars are the hardest to reach massive teeth. They help animals deal with solid food.

Teeth indicate the age of the cat

The correct structure and the absence of any pathological signs in general indicates the health of the oral cavity. In addition, looking into the mouth of an animal, you can find out the age of a cat by its teeth. Determining how old or young a pet is is quite simple, being aware of some of the nuances:

• The furry baby, apparently, is not yet a month old, if his incisors have just begun to erupt.
• In an older kitten, the onset of the process of losing milk teeth suggests that he is approximately 3-4 months old.
• If a kitten already has a full set of 30 teeth, it is probably at least six months old.
• An adult one-year-old animal has a snow-white grin, there is practically no plaque.
• By the age of two, the lower central incisors in cats begin to wear out, the enamel turns noticeably yellow, and the first tartar appears.
• At the age of five, pets have already fairly worn out upper incisors and mandibular fangs.
• After a couple of years, pigmentation occurs on the surface of the enamel.
• By the age of 10, the incisors of cats often fall out.
• Animals old age- at the age of 15 and older - even fangs fall out.

The structure of the teeth does not always allow you to accurately determine how old the cat is. Sometimes improper care of the animal's oral cavity or its absence at all leads to the fact that the pet's dental system begins to age prematurely. Periodic brushing of teeth and a balanced diet will help the cat to maintain the condition of the oral cavity at a satisfactory level and prevent the development of diseases.

Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity negatively affect the work of the whole organism: digestion worsens, an additional burden on the heart is created, immunity is weakened. Therefore, the responsible owner must know the number of teeth the cat has, how to care for the pet's oral cavity, and for what symptoms you should contact the veterinarian.

Kittens are born completely without teeth, since they do not need them when they are fed milk. The longer the mother feeds the babies with milk, the later the first milk teeth appear. Teeth usually begin to erupt by the fourth week of life. Kittens have only 26 non-permanent teeth.

At the fourth month of life, milk teeth begin to fall out, and permanent ones appear in their place. Some owners are wondering: do pet teeth change on their own, or does this process need to be controlled? In most cases, the owner only needs to supervise the process. It is advisable to examine the teeth a couple of times a week to make sure that the dairy ones do not interfere with the growth of the indigenous ones. If a baby tooth it didn’t fall out on its own, and a permanent one is already growing in its place, you will have to remove the milk tooth, because otherwise the permanent tooth may grow crooked. Immunity decreases during the period of changing teeth, so vaccinations cannot be given until the end of the process.

The dental system of an adult cat

At adult cat total 30 teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines and 14 premolars (8 in the upper jaw and 6 in the lower). The change of teeth is completed by about eight months. Permanent teeth are very sharp, cutting surface. Incisors are needed to capture food and care for hair, fangs are a formidable weapon for hunting and protection from enemies, premolars grind large pieces of food.

If after a year all permanent teeth have grown, the cat will miss one or more teeth for the rest of its life. Oligodontia (congenital incomplete teeth) is inherited, so such an animal must be removed from breeding. Depending on how many teeth are missing, the pet experiences a certain degree of discomfort when eating food. This can cause indigestion and the occurrence of diseases of the digestive tract. For such cats, the type of feeding is selected individually, after consulting a doctor.

Nature made sure that the structure of the teeth in cats helped the animal solve several problems at once. Indeed, despite the fact that they have become domestic, wild habits are fully preserved. On the one hand, they are needed for holding and chewing food, and on the other hand, they are protection. In addition, the front teeth help them take care of their coat: comb out tangles, pick out insects and stuck grass.

The structure of the teeth

They grow in an individual well, where they are fixed with the help of ligaments and bone tissue. The cat's tooth is divided into the following parts:

• Crown. The visible part of the tooth that is located above the gum.
• Root. Located in the alveolar socket, not visible during examination.
• Neck. This area is located between the crown and the root.

The teeth of cats are formed by the following components:

• The pulp is the central part, completely filling the cavity from root to top. Inside nerve fibers and blood vessels.
• Dentin is a protective shield that contains a large number of mineral component. It is quite hard, but very sensitive, so if the top layer is damaged, it quickly collapses. Completely covers the pulp and part of the main root.
• Enamel is the outer shell white color. It covers the dentin and is the main protective layer. Due to the absence of nerve endings in it, it is deprived of sensitivity.

Types of teeth

Veterinarians note the similarity of the jaw of a cat with a human. The location of the teeth on them is predetermined by the purpose of each element. There are the following types:

• The incisors are 12 small teeth located in front of the upper and lower jaws. They hold a large piece of meat and hold prey.
• Fangs are the longest 4 teeth that help kill prey and control the correct position of the tongue. The fang sits deepest in the bone, it is quite strong.
• Premolars - 10 bone elements, 6 at the top and 4 at the bottom. They are entrusted with the function of grinding and chewing.
• Molars are the most inaccessible 4 large bone formations. Helps chew solid food.

Number of teeth in cats

Felines belong to the class of mammals, so kittens are born without teeth. Milk elements appear by the end of the first month, and at 4 months they fall out and permanent ones appear in their place. The sequence of changing teeth looks like this:

• incisors change first;
• fangs are as follows;
• after all the molars and premolars.

The first bone formations

The first set of milk teeth in kittens is incomplete, only 26 pieces erupt. 2-4 weeks after birth, incisors appear (first the lower ones), then at 3-4 weeks the canines, and by 2 month old premolars appear. When the cat grows up to 4-5 months, milk teeth change to permanent ones. Changing teeth and whiskers in cats is considered normal.

Permanent

By the end of the 8th month, the kitten has a permanent dental formula. In cats and dogs, their number is different (cats have 30 pieces, dogs have 42). They are located in this order:

• upper and lower incisors 6 each and 2 canines;
• 4 molars on the upper jaw and 3 on the lower.

The largest dental elements are considered every 3rd, both in the upper and lower rows.

How to determine the age of an animal by teeth?

A healthy oral cavity is due to the correct structure of the dentition and the absence of its pathologies. In addition, if you look into the mouth and take an interest in the pet's teeth, you can determine its age. To do this, you need information about how teeth look in cats. different ages. Doctors distinguish such features:

• If the incisors have just begun to appear, then the baby is 30 days old.
• We noticed that the cat began to change the dentition, he is about 3-4 months old. And if the baby has large teeth in the oral cavity, then he is at least six months old.
• An adult cat has white teeth, there is practically no plaque on them.
• The appearance of the first tartar occurs at the age of 2 years. At the same time, you can notice that all the teeth have turned a little yellow, and the lower incisors begin to wear out.
• At the age of 5, changes occur with the upper incisors and canines, which are located on the lower jaw. And after a while, brown spots may appear on them.
• At the age of ten, the front teeth may fall out, and about 15 years old canines.

Features of the structure of the dentition do not always allow to accurately determine the age. Poor nutrition, lack of oral care (for example, a street cat) negatively affects the health of the dental system and it ages prematurely. Prevent pathological abnormalities and maintain healthy state dental elements will help rational nutrition and proper care.

Causes of tooth loss

Sometimes the owner can find one or more fallen teeth of his fluffy pet anywhere in the apartment, at home. There can be several reasons for the loss of hunting and chewing elements:

• Physiology. In the younger generation of cats, the period of loss is natural process replacement of the milk dentition with a permanent one. When changing teeth, there is no pain, but despite this, the owner needs to look into the oral cavity. It is important to monitor how the bite is formed, sometimes milk formations are late with prolapse, and correct location teeth in cats is broken.
• Pathology. Often the cause of loss of permanent formations in adult cats is such disorders:
  • tartar (brown growth);
  • failure in the microflora in the oral cavity;
  • caries;
  • irrational nutrition.

A cat is a predatory animal, and for a predator, healthy teeth are a guarantee that the animal will be full and satisfied. For cats, the age-related change of teeth is also characteristic, as for humans. When it happens, how many teeth a cat and a kitten have and what they are - today this is the topic of our discussion!

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Kitten teething

Cats have milk teeth, so if you are an inexperienced person in cat matters, do not be alarmed when you find a small cat's tooth in the apartment. A kitten has only 26 milk chewing organs and their composition is as follows:

• 2 fangs;
• 6 incisors;
• 3 premolars in the upper jaw;
• 2 premolars at the bottom.

Milk molars do not exist in cats. Kittens begin to erupt teeth at the age of 12-14 days and this process is not associated with severe pain, as it happens in humans. However, some external manifestations can still be.

For example, profuse salivation may be observed, while the kittens touch their faces with their paws and gnaw everything that comes to hand. The incisors begin to emerge first at 2-5 weeks, the next canines at 3-8 weeks and the last to emerge are the premolars at 5 to 12 weeks. By the way, veterinary dentists do not like to call the first cat's teeth milk, they divide all chewing organs into temporary and permanent.

Change of teeth

The change of teeth in kittens begins at about the age of 3-5 months. The final formation of the cat's jaw occurs by 5-7 months. If up to six months the change of teeth in kittens does not occur on its own, then they are recommended to be removed. The order in which the permanent organs appear is as follows:

• It is worth waiting for the appearance of permanent incisors in 3-5 months;
• Fangs will begin to grow at 4-5 months;
• Premolars and molars for life should appear at the age of 4-6 months.

When kittens change their teeth, it is advisable that you observe the condition of the animal's oral cavity. The gums of the cat should be pale pink, without bruising, and there should be no broken or damaged teeth.

How important chewing organs change in a cat named Leo can be seen in the video below.

Jaw of an adult cat

When the change of teeth in cats is over, there should be exactly 30 of them in the animal's oral cavity - this is the normal state of the cat's jaw. The upper jaw has 6 incisors and 2 canines, 3 premolars on each side and 1 molar. The incisors and canines are used to bite off and hold food, and the premolars and molars are needed to chew coarse and hard food. The lower jaw also has 6 incisors and 2 canines, but 2 premolars and 1 molar each. Two cat teeth have a triple root, ten organs have a bifurcated root, all others have one root each.

Our pets are lucky, they rarely have caries and there are much fewer problems with their teeth than we have. However, a common problem in the cat's jaw is tartar, which is formed due to bacteria, salts and food debris. Tartar is essentially a plaque that has hardened under the influence of time. The stone problem is especially common among cats that are fed only soft food. After all, when cats in the wild eat a lot of solid food, this automatically cleans the animal’s enamel from plaque.

Note that age-related loss of masticatory organs for a cat is not a typical problem. Most likely, if a cat's teeth fall out, then this is due to improper care. But the teeth of a cat will help determine its age, because their surface is erased over time. The incisors on the lower jaw will wear out first, in principle, all chewing organs lose their shape over time. correct form, and their contours are made more oval.

Why can a cat grind its teeth?

If your cat grinds its teeth, there may be several reasons why it does so. Firstly, this may be the result of various infections of the oral cavity, and grinding may also be associated with the presence of tartar or diseases of the digestive tract. The first thing you need to do is to inspect the pet's mouth. The calculus appears as yellowish deposits at the base of the tooth and first affects the molars or premolars.

In addition to the rattle, you also need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

• The cat chews on one side or refuses to eat at all;
• The animal has an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity and a lot of saliva is secreted;
• On examination, redness or swelling on the gums, darkening of the enamel are noticeable.

Video "Brushing teeth in dogs and cats"

Look at how important organs are cleaned in dogs and cats in veterinary clinic can be on the video below.