Just like you, your kitten will have two sets of teeth in their lifetime: baby teeth and adult teeth. But unlike you, your kitten won’t have to wait years for their adult teeth to grow in. Teething begins around 3½ to 4 months of age and lasts only until about 6 months of age. The growing adult teeth usually cause the baby teeth to fall out, so a baby tooth is completely gone by the time an adult tooth grows in.
Sometimes, a baby tooth doesn’t fall out, forcing the adult tooth to come in at an abnormal angle or in an odd position.
Retained baby teeth can cause poor tooth alignment and discomfort. They also predispose your kitten to future dental problems:
- Food can get trapped between the baby teeth, adult teeth and the gums, which can lead to dental disease.
- If your kitten’s teeth are not aligned, they can rub against other teeth, wearing away the enamel and weakening the affected teeth. They may even entrap the tongue or a lip, and they can rub against the roof of the mouth or gums, causing pain and damage. If this happens, your kitten might find it difficult to eat.
- If a portion of the baby tooth’s root remains, it can become infected and painful.
The good news is that this is something you can check for at home. Simply inspect your kitten’s mouth for what looks like two teeth in the same spot. If you see this, it’s likely your kitten has a retained tooth, and you should make an appointment with your veterinarian to examine their mouth. Unless the tooth is very loose, extraction is the treatment of choice. If this is done early enough, extraction may allow the adult tooth to move into its proper position.
*Live Chat with a licensed veterinary professional is free for VCA clients through the myVCA mobile app, available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
