Sudden clean teeth

piikki

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One of my cat’s has experienced some sort of “miracle of the mouth”. Last night I begun brushing his teeth and noticed that nearly all tartar and gunk build up had gone from his teeth. We have had Teppo for 3 years, and he has always had very ‘dirty’ back teeth. I brush his teeth about every other day but I have never been able to get the heavy build-up off. You can imagine my surprise when I saw his mouth!

Last week I gave Teppo a break from dental care because he has been ill. I thought it was only fair especially after he started having the runs and lost his appetite. He went to vet twice, on Monday and on Friday. I know I looked into the mouth on Thur when I checked his gums for dehydration, and I know his teeth were their usual gunky state then. What happened?

Now the vet did not tell me that they cleaned Teppo’s mouth but they must have done something. I am curious as to what could have cleaned his mouth this well without sedation?? I left him for 1.5hrs for blood tests, and I was not told he would be sedated (I only gave permission to give him IV fluids if needed). I am obviously delighted his mouth looks so good but I did not know there was a method this easy to get his mouth done. I have asked previously and the vets always say it’s not time for dental cleaning yet as it is such a big procedure.

I was not charged anything (for the teeth part), so I am not going to contest it but I am interested in knowing what was involved. Of course it would be good to know if there is a cheap/easy way like this – I would’ve used it earlier if I knew too! I always thought cats need to be sedated for these things to happen. Could they have just scraped the tartar off or used some chemical? Teppo is very good with brushing teeth btw, and he certainly did not appear sedated.
 

snickerdoodle

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That's odd. Unless something he is eating has contributed to the disappearance of the tartar I have no clue. Ask the vet and see if maybe they did something.
 
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piikki

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Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946

Call the vet and ask. I would want to know what they did to my cat.
I know! I am growing more irritated for several reasons as I think about it. It's not that I am not happy when I look into his mouth - over weekend his gums have continued to improve. They were always slightly irritated/state of gingivitis. Now the redness is dissipating and I have brushed him less and given him less of the Hill's dental Rx kibbies all week.

This all just makes me suspicious of what (else) happens behind the closed doors that I am not told of. I hope it was just oversight.

It also makes me wonder about their common sense. I don't think it was the best time to do an extra procedure on pet. I am sure whatever they did was extra stress for Teppo. He was already sick and stressed out, he did not need a dental that day! He did not need it without sedation, nor did he need extra sedation. And if they did give him something and did not tell me, damn them! Yet, I would have gladly brought him in for this preventative health thing 3 years ago when I inquired about it and was told it was not needed.

Anyway, I talked to the vet yesterday but we had so many other things to cover I forgot to ask. We will talk again today and I gotta remember to ask. I am kind of worried I bring it up and they'll say "Ah yeah - it will $250, we forgot to add it to your bill".
 

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I doubt they actually did a dental procedure. When I took Romeo to the vet last month a few days after I adopted him, I mentioned that he had terrible breath. She said that he has one tooth that's covered in tartar and that's the source of the smell, and may need to be removed. I didn't want him to get a dental procedure until he had a chance to settle in to his new home, so she just scraped off as much as she could with her finger nail. I can't believe what a difference that made- his breath is MUCH less stinky now. So maybe someone just used a fingernail to scrape your cat's teeth clean a bit.

In any case, I'd just be grateful if they did a bit of dental care for free!
 
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piikki

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Originally Posted by BreaMarie

so she just scraped off as much as she could with her finger nail. I can't believe what a difference that made- his breath is MUCH less stinky now. So maybe someone just used a fingernail to scrape your cat's teeth clean a bit.
Believe me they could not have done this with finger nail! How do I know? I have tried it.

I have actually tried it with more than finger nail. Someone suggested one could gently try it with spoon or another metallic object as long as you are sure to just rub the tartar and not use anything so sharp that if you slip you are going to puncture/hurt something. The stuff he had was hard as heck and thick. He has smelly breath and the stuff has been there at least for 3 years. Like I said I have been brushing his teeth regularly for 3 yrs and for last year he has been eating Hill's dental diet - with no apparent results on one side and little bit of lightening on the side that was better to start with.

I know when my other cats just get yellow plaque I can rub it off. I know for a fact that just as recently as couple of weeks ago I tried my nail on Teppo's tartar, and it was as hard as it has always been. There is no way it was just quickly wiped off. Or someone had some pretty special finger nails
Someone who knew what they were doing did something.
 

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Why not just simply call? It would take all of 2-3 minutes of your time and you'd have your answer.

Originally Posted by BreaMarie

so she just scraped off as much as she could with her finger nail.
It's my understanding that you're not really supposed to try scrapping it off like that because it leaves the surface rough and more likely to build tartar and plaque right back. That's why they typically follow the scaling with a polish during a dental. I hope you've kept up on brushing his teeth since to try to prevent that.
 

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It actually can be done wth a fingernail!

When I first started brushing Cleo's teeth, she also had a thick buildup on her back teeth. I took her to the vet for a different reason, and told Dr. Sue that I wasn't having much luck with the CET toothpaste...it wasn't making much difference. Sue opened Cleo's mouth, and used her thumbnail, and chipped off the thick placque buildup. I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes! She told me that the weekly brushing had loosened the bond of the placque to the tooth, and she was able to find the edge of it at the gumline, to chip it off. She did admit that she has really hard fingernails.

My fingernails are as soft as paper, and I wasn't able to do it with my other cats. Sue easily chipped off the placque on them when I brought them in at a later date....so, yes, it can be done!!!

I don't have dentals done on my girls because 2 of them are CRF. I do brush their teeth regularly, and that simple fingernail scaling that she did has kept all of them from needing dentals. Cleo is 10 years old, eats strictly wet food, and has beautiful, clean and healthy teeth and gums. Maggie is 9 and Lola is 7. Maggie's teeth aren't quite as nice as Cleo's, simply because she doesn't like my finger anywhere near her mouth, so it's a struggle. Lola had pretty bad gingivitis, with bleeding gums, when I first started. Her gums are healthy now, and her breath smells fresh. I think brushing teeth is something more vets should promote.
 
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piikki

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Why not just simply call? It would take all of 2-3 minutes of your time and you'd have your answer.
You would think
If it was just a few minutes and did not risk anything at this point I would do it. I just want to get this urine test result thing out of the way first.

The way these phone calls have been going I am not going to wait for 15 minutes hold, then 15 more for someone to actually locate his chart (not in place currently), then try to find the info, then possibly misplace the chart, so that when the results do come in they cannot be put on his chart - and then when the vet is (finally) ready to call, he can't find the chart nor the results and we lose another day again.

It's been a darn pain in the butt to get the calls from this office, they aren't the most organized, and I am sick of it. This is not so important that it can't wait a day while we get the test results sorted.

I really should have changed vets but of course this always happens just before the annuals are due, and in emergency you won't get an appointment from new vet here. At least not the one I want.
 
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piikki

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Pookie-Poo thanks for the info. So maybe it is possible it was not such a procedure after all. While it is very hard for me to believe as I've tried it, I do not have very strong nails and I sure could admit my lack of experience in technique.

Too darn bad though that if it is THAT easy, vet could not have bothered to do it while I have particularly pointed it out on every annual - and the vet has agreed Teppo's gums are irritated and sore. I am one of those people who actually bring cats for routine care, so what better way to promote that than give tips and offer care that helps prevent future issues.

I have more to go with now when I have this info, and I have no plans to quit his oral care. I will just be more insistent in getting the extra help before his mouth gets as bad again. Thanks.
 

2furgirls

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Originally Posted by piikki

One of my catâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s has experienced some sort of “miracle of the mouthâ€. Last night I begun brushing his teeth and noticed that nearly all tartar and gunk build up had gone from his teeth. We have had Teppo for 3 years, and he has always had very ‘dirtyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] back teeth. I brush his teeth about every other day but I have never been able to get the heavy build-up off. You can imagine my surprise when I saw his mouth!

Last week I gave Teppo a break from dental care because he has been ill. I thought it was only fair especially after he started having the runs and lost his appetite. He went to vet twice, on Monday and on Friday. I know I looked into the mouth on Thur when I checked his gums for dehydration, and I know his teeth were their usual gunky state then. What happened?

Now the vet did not tell me that they cleaned Teppoâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s mouth but they must have done something. I am curious as to what could have cleaned his mouth this well without sedation?? I left him for 1.5hrs for blood tests, and I was not told he would be sedated (I only gave permission to give him IV fluids if needed). I am obviously delighted his mouth looks so good but I did not know there was a method this easy to get his mouth done. I have asked previously and the vets always say itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not time for dental cleaning yet as it is such a big procedure.

I was not charged anything (for the teeth part), so I am not going to contest it but I am interested in knowing what was involved. Of course it would be good to know if there is a cheap/easy way like this – I wouldâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve used it earlier if I knew too! I always thought cats need to be sedated for these things to happen. Could they have just scraped the tartar off or used some chemical? Teppo is very good with brushing teeth btw, and he certainly did not appear sedated.
Hi, Of course, we don't know what happened, there are so many variables. My first inkling is the cat helaed the gums himself, and diet and medical care of other problems likely a huge factor.

However, I do know of one product that is in Stage 3 trials with the FDA - and the trials are being conducted in India by the Virchow Sp? Group - so that means they ostensibly passed Stages 1 and 2, but no results have been posted.

The product is PERIOGEN and would of course be tested on non-human mammals e.g., cats and dogs in prior trials. I am not saying this is what happened to you in the least, as any use of the product has to be done as part of a study, no "cat off the street", or customer cat should be part of an official study - that I know of.

The drug is a class of recombinant DNA drugs (There are 2 active ingredients. rhPDGF and beta-TCP. ) that I have been following very closely. They are going to be the new wonder drugs of the 21st century, and in this respect it is like Epogen for hypoanemia due to causes like renal failure. But all this is very much in its infancy, as the side effects run a gamut not yet quite known.

If this works humans with ginvigivits (almost entire population past 30) would be able to save their teeth till forever. (Well almost!)

This is the only drug I know of that could possibly do such a thing. Again, not saying it was done.

Would I use Periogen on my cat? Since the product is not ingested, I sure as heck would, and myself, and my kids, although I am infamous for being against "frankendrugs" the way they are currently being developed and tested.

There are many methods things that could be done to soften and then remove the plaque mechanically. Even a finger nail is mechanical although not the most hygenic. But to completely stop gingivitis even mild stage 1 they're going to have to go under the gums, where fingernails tend not to go.
 
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piikki

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It was a simple nail job, sorry I doubted people. I asked the vet and he did not even remember and obviously had not even written it down on the chart since he had it right in front of him and still stumbled to find an answer. Finally, he said he must have just seen they were gunky and scraped stuff off quickly.

I said he must show me how because I cant believe it can be done with fingers only. He said it's not a preferred method but he will to prove it can be done. Even though he could not remember Teppo's teeth he said that it's likely brushing/treats loosened up the tartar and since he already had a lot (like I claimed), it is actually easier to get it off than when there is less.
 

Sewnya

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My vet did two of my cats rear teeth with his thumbnails and it was part of a visit to take them to Canada. The did it from behind, one thumbnail on each side and the tartar just popped off. I've thought i'd like to do it but my cat won't let me put my hands in it's mouth.
 
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