Is my kitten's bad breath just linked to his teething?

Question

My kitten has breath so bad that if it could be bottled, would be more deadly than any biohazardous material. Seriously, it's narsty. But it's not like it smells like gingivitis, it just smells like his food. I've started to get him ready for teeth brushing and he loves the taste of the kitty toothpaste. Yesterday I used the little toothbrush along with the paste, but his gums started to bleed a little bit. Is this common in teething (he's 5 mos. old) or could it be some sort of problem? He's always had the bad breath and I've taken him to the vet for his shots and they looked at his teeth and never said a word. And he eats like a horse and is super playful, so he doesn't seem sick or anything...

Answer 1

This happened to my cat too. Very bad breath... I was advised by the doctor to change her for a while to dry food. This solved the problem.

Also some grass for cats helps the digestion and clears the stomach. I saw difference form the 3rd day. Have a try.

Answer 2

Kitten Teething Symptoms

Answer 3

The smell may come from inside. When the mouth smells, usually it means that sth. is wrong with his stomach (like indigestion), not the teeth. Maybe give him some lighter food, like boiled chicken for some time, and see how it goes.

Answer 4

Talk to a vet or someone experienced with things like teething, toothbrushes, and cat mouth diseases.

Answer 5

Possible Reasons for Bad Breath in Cats

Abscessed tooth. Tooth Decay or broken teeth

Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)

Periodontal Disease

Periodontitis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth)

Resorptive Dental Disease

Bone or foreign body stuck between the teeth

Kidney Disease

Feline Leukemia Virus

Feline Stomatitis

Mouth tumors

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Firstly, ask yourself if there are any other symptoms associated with the bad breath.
Does your cat seem to be in pain around the mouth area?
Is there a reluctance to eat?
Does your cat try to eat but drops the food once it gets into the mouth?
Is your cat pawing at the mouth?
Is your cat drooling?

These could be signs of a bad, broken or abscessed tooth or gum disease. If possible, check your cat's mouth for foreign bodies such as splinters of bones lodged between the teeth. Check to see if the gums look normal and that there are no signs of swelling or bleeding. An abscessed or damaged tooth may not be noticeable to you so if in doubt get your vet to check your cat's mouth.

There are also several other underlying conditions that cause feline bad breath that can only be successfully diagnosed by your veterinarian.

Dental disease is one of the most common health problems seen by veterinarians. Tartar build up caused by plaque should be avoided by either cleaning your cat's teeth yourself or having an annual scaling by your vet. There are specially formulated toothpastes and specially designed toothbrushes for cats. Never use a human toothbrush or toothpaste. You can purchase a finger brush for cats

Special diets are available for cats which are designed to reduce plaque & tartar formation. Hills Prescription Diet Feline T/D can be purchased from your veterinarian or online.

Resorptive Dental Disease

Resorptive dental lesion is another condition that is known to cause feline bad breath. These lesions can be extremely painful. The lesions usually occur on or just below the gum line but they may affect only the root of the tooth. Usually cats with resorptive dental disease need to have the teeth involved extracted.

Cats and Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease, which can be treated and reversed if diagnosed early. The signs and symptoms are red, swollen and puffy gums that bleed easily. If treatment is not received, gingivitis could progress into periodontitis, an advanced and more serious stage of gum disease which includes bone loss and is not reversible

Kidney and Liver Disease and Feline Leukemia can cause bad breath in cats

Kidney and liver disease can lead to dental disease and so cause bad breath in cats. It should also be noted that dental disease can form bacteria which can break loose from the mouth, enter the blood stream and cause problems with the kidneys, liver and heart.

Feline leukemia has also been associated with bad breath in cats. Your vet can perform tests for feline leukemia and may also test for feline aids.

Feline Stomatitis

Cats can be affected by Stomatitis also known as lymphocytic plasmacytic syndrome (LPGS) which is an inflammation of the entire mouth. Symptoms may include bad breath, weight loss, inability to eat and excess salivation.

Mouth tumors

Oral tumors can occur in cats. Any swelling of the mouth associated with bad breath should be checked by your vet.

Answer 6

http://youtu.be/byV--AkiGFY
Most cases (85–90%), bad breath originates in the mouth, sinus and throat. The intensity of bad breath differs during the day, due to eating certain foods (such as garlic, onions, meat, fish, and cheese), obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Since the mouth is exposed to less oxygen and is inactive during the night, the odor is usually worse upon awakening ("morning breath"). Bad breath may be transient, often disappearing following eating, brushing one's teeth, flossing, or rinsing with mouthwash.
Causes:
1, Tongue, A common location is the tongue. Tongue bacteria produce malodorous compounds and fatty acids, and account for 60 to 70% of all cases of mouth-related bad breath. Methods used against bad breath, such as mints, mouth sprays, mouthwash or gum, only temporarily mask the odors created by the bacteria on the tongue, but cannot cure bad breath because they do not remove the source of the bad breath.
Cleaning the tongue - Many companies promote tongue scrapers as a bad breath cure however the bacteria on the tongue can’t be removed with a scraper or brush as they live between the taste buds. Use a tongue scrapper to reduce the food source for bacteria but don’t expect it to cure bad breath. The method of stopping bad breath from the tongue involves rebalancing the bacteria load. Once tongue bacteria are in balance bad breath will cease. For this complex procedure you’ll need to consult Oraltech Labs program at http://www.oraltech.com.au
2. Mouth, There are over 600 types of bacteria found in the average mouth. Other parts of the mouth may also contribute to the overall odor, but are not as common as the back of the tongue. These locations are, in order of descending prevalence: inter-dental and sub-gingival niches, faulty dental work, food-impaction areas in between the teeth, abscesses, and unclean dentures. To fix you will need a dentist to examine your teeth and repair any faults found. Or use Oraltech Labs Unusual Causes Of Bad Breath.
3. Gum disease, advanced periodontal disease is a common cause. Waste products from the anaerobic bacteria growing below the gum line (sub gingival) have a foul smell and have been clinically demonstrated to produce a very intense bad breath. To fix remove the tartar or hard plaque and friable tissue with a soft bristle tooth brush angled on the gum line. This has been shown to improve mouth odor considerably.
4. Nose, in this occurrence, the air exiting the nostrils has a pungent odor that differs from the oral odor. Nasal odor may be due to sinus infections, foreign bodies & commonly Post Nasal Drip. To fix this you will need to flush your sinuses with salt water. It’s very difficult. Use Oraltech Labs program to properly clear all sinus cavities.
5. Tonsils small bits of calcified matter in tonsillar crypts called tonsilloliths that smell extremely foul when released and can cause bad breath. To fix use warm to hot salt water mix to break the stones down or use a water pic to dislodge them. This topic is covered in depth in the Oraltech Labs Program.
6. Stomach, very uncommon source of bad breath. The esophagus is a closed and collapsed tube, and continuous flow (as opposed to a simple burp) of gas or putrid substances from the stomach indicates a health problem—such as reflux serious enough to be bringing up stomach contents or a fistula between the stomach and the esophagus. To fix use Oraltech Labs program to cure bad breath caused by GERD & Acid Reflux.
Management:
1. Gently clean the tongue surface twice daily; that can be achieved using a tooth brush, tongue cleaner or tongue brush/scraper to wipe off the bacterial biofilm, debris, and mucus. Scraping or otherwise damaging the tongue should be avoided, and scraping of the V-shaped row of taste buds found at the extreme back of the tongue should also be avoided. Brushing a small amount of antibacterial mouth rinse or tongue gel onto the tongue surface will further inhibit bacterial action.
2. Eating a healthy breakfast with rough foods helps clean the very back of the tongue.
3. Chewing gum: Since dry-mouth can increase bacterial build-up and cause or worsen bad breath, chewing sugarless gum can help with the production of saliva, and thereby help to reduce bad breath. Chewing may help particularly when the mouth is dry, or when one cannot perform oral hygiene procedures after meals.
4. Gargling right before bedtime with an effective mouthwash.
5. Maintaining proper oral hygiene, including daily tongue cleaning, brushing, flossing, and periodic visits to dentists and hygienists. Flossing is particularly important in removing rotting food debris and bacterial plaque from between the teeth, especially at the gum line.
If none of the above works for you just use the Oraltech Program by visiting - http://www.oraltechlabs.ph
To Your good health, Dr Devon, M.D, D.D.S
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