Chipped Canine Tooth Care

[kk_yoshi]

Hi all,
I noticed today when my boy Yoshi yawned that it seems like he is missing the bottom tip of his left canine tooth. I only adopted him about two weeks ago, and his adoption exam listed he had no signs of any broken teeth, so he must have done it sometime after arriving home with me. He was already scheduled for his first check-up with a vet (which I have moved up the date of since noticing the tooth), but they are very full so it will still be a couple of weeks before they can get him in. I was wondering if there is anything I should be doing in the meantime to help him? He hasn't shown any outward signs of pain or discomfort, but from researching, infection is still a concern. Additionally, would switch him to an all wet food diet help (he is currently on a combo wet/dry diet)?

 

[Jem]

Our boy had a chipped canine when we adopted him. Just the tip. But we did notice that there was a chance it was sensitive, and our vet confirmed it when she said that the pulp was showing.
Our boy didn't chew food, so dry food was not an issue, but with wet food we made sure it wasn't cold. I would even add a table spoon of hot water to his serving just to make it a bit warmer than room temp.
We did eventually have to get the tooth extracted (had to save up the money), but he was also dealing with another health issue and we wanted that taken care of first. We wanted to make sure his health was as good as possible before subjection him to anesthesia and the recovery. We did it just in time too because our vet said that infection was just starting to set in.
Perhaps you could get those water additives for oral cat health?

There are several different brands, but here is an example.

You can also get cat oral care products in a gel, and maybe try brushing kitties teeth....if he'll let you. Just thinking of ways to try and prevent an infection, but you will most likely have to get the tooth removed (infection or not) if the pulp is showing.
There is also the option of having a root canal done so he can keep the tooth, but my vet advised against this because eventually it would have to come out in the end...I can't remember what she said, but it seems like root canals don't last very long or aren't extremely effective with cats????
Also, it was several months before we could get his tooth extracted, so I wouldn't worry about a raging infection setting in right away, but of course that could have just been my cat, so I wouldn't dilly dally about getting proper treatment either.
Anyway, I would just treat him the same way as if you had a sensitive tooth. Nothing too hot or too cold. And if he does try to crunch on his dry food or spits pieces out (which could mean it hurts his sensitive tooth), probably not a bad idea to just eliminate it, at least for now.

Good Luck!

 

[kk_yoshi]

Our boy had a chipped canine when we adopted him. Just the tip. But we did notice that there was a chance it was sensitive, and our vet confirmed it when she said that the pulp was showing.


Good Luck!

Thank you so much! This is such a full answer and definitely really helpful!