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Overview:
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Just like
humans, cats have two sets of teeth. The deciduous (baby)
teeth, followed by the adult teeth. Deciduous teeth begin to
erupt around 2 - 4 weeks of age. Kittens have 26 deciduous
teeth. These teeth are retained until around 4 months
of age when they are replaced by the permanent (adult)
teeth. Often you won't notice that the baby teeth have
fallen out, they may be swallowed by your kitten.
Special
cells known as odontoclasts reabsorb the deciduous teeth,
beginning from the root & working their way up to the crown.
Once enough of the root has been reabsorbed, the tooth will
become loose & fall out. |
Sometimes the
adult teeth begin to emerge before the baby teeth have fallen
out. This can be a problem as crowding can displace the
permanent teeth, leading to malocclusion (incorrect bite).
Food can also be trapped between these teeth, causing decay.
If you see an
adult tooth erupting & the baby tooth has not fallen out, it
should be removed by your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice. |
