"My beloved cat's tooth was getting 'caught on her lip'..." What I learned and realized about "post-tooth extraction precautions"

Just like for humans, teeth are important for cats. However, even with diligent care, it can be quite challenging to preserve your beloved cat's teeth. My cat, Kotaro, is currently 11 years old. Ever since he lost two of his canine teeth, I've noticed concerning changes, such as his lip getting caught on his teeth and his mouth turning into an inverted V-shape.

Kotaro, My Cat Who Lost Two Canine Teeth

Even for cats, dental hygiene is crucial. Although I know this, it's quite difficult to get my cat to brush his teeth.

Especially for cats who haven't had teeth brushing as a habit since they were little, the difficulty level is even higher. I feel that many cats, even when asked to brush their teeth after they've grown up, will refuse with a "No way!" attitude.

Kotaro was a mischievous kitten from the start. This was because the previous kitten I had adopted had passed away, so the animal welfare organization, mindful of my feelings, specifically chose a cat they believed to be "tough and energetic" for me.

He would go wild when I tried to brush his teeth. Even attempting oral care by wrapping gauze around my finger was difficult. This would lead to a battle between "the part of me that wants to brush his teeth" and "the part of me that wonders if it's right to force him to brush his teeth."

Ultimately, I thought, "If it causes him stress, it's not good for his mental health..." and gave up on brushing his teeth. As a compromise, I started giving him dental care treats.

However, I still felt that there was a limit to oral care with dental treats, and just like humans, I thought that cats also have individual differences in the strength of their teeth from birth. Kotaro is probably the type whose teeth aren't very strong.

In the autumn of 2023, after eating, Kotaro scratched at his mouth with his paw and made repeated chomping sounds, leading me to suspect an abnormality in his mouth. I took him to the vet and discovered that his upper right canine tooth was painful and his gums were swollen.

Although we tried an injection to reduce the inflammation and waited to see if the swelling would subside, it ultimately didn't have a good effect... In the end, his upper right canine tooth was extracted.

After that, there were no notable abnormalities, and he was living his days cheerfully. But perhaps two or three years later, one day, I happened to look into Kotaro's mouth and noticed that his upper left canine tooth was missing.

I knew that teeth can naturally fall out in senior cats, but I severely regretted it, thinking, "Did it not hurt until it fell out? I'm sorry I didn't notice..."

"Abnormalities" That Appeared After Losing Two Canine Teeth

In fact, I realized another canine tooth had fallen out because Kotaro showed "a certain abnormality." More and more often, his lower left canine tooth would get caught on the part that corresponds to a human's lip.

The first time I saw it, I just laughed it off, saying, "Why is your lip getting caught there! You clumsy cat!" But after that day, I witnessed his canine tooth getting caught on his lip for several seconds many times. I thought, "This means there's something wrong with his mouth."

Around the same time, my sister, who was visiting from out of town, said, "Kotaro, isn't your jaw protruding more...?" which also prompted me to realize the abnormality. Indeed, looking from the side, his jaw seemed to protrude more than before, and his mouth sometimes formed an inverted V-shape...

This is something I should probably discuss with the vet. I finally felt a sense of urgency.

Consider Treatment When "Eating Problems" Become Prominent

When I consulted the veterinarian, the first thing they asked about was his eating habits. Fortunately, Kotaro's appetite hadn't decreased. Even with the inverted V-shaped mouth and other abnormalities, he was still eating well, so after discussion, we decided to continue monitoring him without any specific treatment.

However, they advised that if he showed signs of loss of appetite or stopped eating, I should bring him in immediately. Kotaro has a strong, muscular build, so he's a bit overweight, and for cats like him, hepatic lipidosis can develop in fewer days than for typical cats if they lose their appetite.

Feline hepatic lipidosis is a liver disease that develops when a cat loses its appetite and is in a state of fasting. It can be life-threatening.

In fact, when I spoke to some cat owners I know, there were cases where a tooth fell out → the cat felt pain, possibly due to a bite misalignment, leading to loss of appetite → even healthy teeth were extracted to account for the misalignment...

I learned that with cat teeth, it's not simply "it's okay because it fell out!" but rather, it's necessary to carefully observe their appetite and other signs even after the tooth is gone, to be able to respond early to any abnormalities.

Incidentally, if your cat has "malocclusion" due to congenital skeletal abnormalities, genetics, or retained deciduous teeth, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Malocclusion is a condition where the upper and lower teeth, which should normally align correctly, are misaligned. If a tooth bites into the gum, it is said to cause ulcers and inflammation.

While it's easy to think that deciduous teeth "naturally fall out," it might be a good idea to create opportunities to check their mouths during the tooth eruption period.

Just like for humans, teeth are important for cats. While it's crucial to think about ways to maintain their health, it might be equally important to acquire knowledge so you can follow up even after their teeth fall out.

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