Periodontal health status in a colony of 109 cats

Abstract

Periodontal disease has not been well characterized in the cat, and it is not known if feline tooth resorptions (TR) are equivalent to those observed in humans and dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate the different patterns of periodontal inflammation in cats, and to evaluate their prevalence in a standardized healthy population (n = 109). Particular emphasis was placed on the potential associations between TR and periodontal parameters, as well as the influence of potential risk factors (including breed, sex, and age). A single complete periodontal examination was performed, including periodontal probing of each tooth and exploration of the tooth surface using a dental explorer; at least 10 radiographs were taken for each cat. Missing teeth with radiographic evidence of root apices were present in 34.0% of cats. Periodontal disease was common, and 13.0% of cats had aggressive periodontitis. All of the cats had some form of periodontal inflammation, and only 4.0% of cats were free from gingival inflammation. Moderate to severe gingivitis was present in 13.0% of teeth. Dental furcation exposure was present in 18.0% of all multi-rooted teeth. Periodontal bone loss was observed in 31.2% of teeth, with the majority (98.2%) of all cats having some form of periodontal bone loss. Breed effects were identified for some variables. Eight of 14 periodontal variables were statistically correlated with Type 1 TR. Two of 14 variables (and age) were statistically correlated with Type 2 TR. In conclusion, the cats of this colony had a wide range of periodontal inflammation, including aggressive periodontitis. Type 1 TR and Type 2 TR were identified to be two significantly different manifestations of TR, with a strong association between Type 1 TR and periodontal disease.