My cat has gingivitis. Is her back tooth problem serious or painful?

Question

We noticed our cat has gingivitis but were wondering if there was anything wrong with her back tooth in this photo. She is a 4year old short hair who is still eating and playing but has been more vocal. We have an appointment next week but were hoping for some piece of mind before then. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 3 years and 11 months old | 8 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

That looks like pretty painful gingivitis. There also may be some lesions on the neck of the canine tooth (FORL). Your vet will inspect the whole mouth and may suggest a tooth cleaning under anesthesia where the teeth are also cleaned underneath the gingiva. Unfortunately the teeth can look very clean, but underneath the gingiva bacteria congregate and cause tooth decay, inflammation, and, in serious cases, heart and kidney disease, This is not an emergency, but should be addressed soon.

My cat has gingivitis. Is her back tooth problem serious or painful?

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