As one of America’s favorite cat breeds, the Maine Coon cat is also one of most fascinating. Evolved for the colder winters of Maine, the Maine Coon cat developed long fur, tufted ears, and a muscular build. Known for their loveable personalities and being a hardy breed, these cats can also have their fair share of health issues, including teeth problems.
Common Teeth Problems
It is estimated that 8 in 10 cats will develop dental health issues. Cat teeth issues can affect teeth, gums, and sometimes, depending on the severity, jawbones. Common Maine Coone dental health problems can range from mild to very severe.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis occurs when your cat’s gums become inflamed, which means the gums become bright red, swollen, and painful. This condition occurs when plaque, which is a layer of bacteria, builds up on cat teeth. Over time, your cat’s immune system could respond to the build up, and inflammation will occur.
Periodontitis
Gingivitis is the precursor to periodontitis. If gingivitis is left untreated, swelling can weaken the tissues around the teeth and can even weaken the jawbones. Cats with periodontitis are prone to tooth loss, loss of appetite, and halitosis, which is chronic bad breath.
Stomatitis
Any cat of any age can get stomatitis, but Maine Coon cats seem more prone to it. When gingivitis and periodontitis become widespread in your cat’s mouth, they can develop into stomatitis. Stomatitis is caused by the advanced immune response to gingivitis and periodontitis that comes with even more extreme swelling and pain and even lesions on gums.
Resorption of Teeth
Tooth resorption happens when cat teeth start to break down from the inside. This can often happen after gingivitis, periodontitis, and stomatitis though sometimes it occurs on its own with no discernible cause. This painful process also comes with lesions along the gum line.
Solutions
Gingivitis can be reversed, so at the first signs of swelling along the gum lines, be sure to start a tooth brushing routine. If gingivitis turns into periodontitis, a veterinarian will often suggest the removal of plague by scaling teeth to remove the cause of inflammation. Scaling teeth involves your cat being put under anesthesia.
In addition to scaling teeth, stomatitis treatment involves antibiotic or corticosteroid medications as well as extracting certain teeth that are severely affected by the swelling. In very extreme cases, veterinarians may suggest whole mouth extractions. Tooth resorption may also require tooth extractions.
For many of these dental conditions, the best solution is prevention. Starting a brushing routing is necessary even if your cat has healthy teeth and gums.
Recommended Products for Tooth Brushing Routine
The average Maine Coon cat has 30 teeth once they reach adulthood, and to prevent disease or tooth decay, it is recommended that you brush your Maine Coon’s teeth 2 to 4 times a week. For that, you need the proper equipment.
In addition to good quality cat toothpaste, you should have different brushes to suit your cat’s needs. The Ultimate Dog and Cat toothbrush Kit by Bemix is perfect to prevent cat dental disease. This kit offers 22 toothbrushes that are made from high quality, 100% safe materials.
Bemix’s double-sided, long brush has soft bristles and is great for hard to reach places like behind your cat’s back teeth and helps prevent you from accidentally getting bit. In addition, there are two sizes on either side for smaller or larger animals. This pack also features a bendable brush for places the double-sided brush can’t quite get into.
Their plastic brushes come with long and short bristle models that allow for tougher or more gentle scrubbing. Some animals don’t like the noise of bristles, so the silicone brushes in this pack could be a great option as well. Lastly, the Ultimate Dog and Cat toothbrush kit features a plaque scraping tool that can help get rid of plaque between veterinarian visits.
Another must is keeping record of your pet's dental care and you can do this on the pet dental schedulers included by the Bemix Pets in the kit:
Starting a tooth brushing routine for your cat can be daunting. However, having great tools can make the process much easier.
