Why does my cat have red lines on canine teeth? Should I be worried?

What you're describing does sound like Merri has some dental disease. The red line along her gums is likely inflammation that is the result of bacteria under the gumline. I commend you for brushing her teeth once or twice weekly. That is more than most cat owner are able or willing to do. I would recommend trying to find other dental health products that may help decrease her dental disease. There are a number of products that the Veterinary Oral Health Council has tested and approved for cats to help prevent and treat dental disease. I am attaching a link to their approved products below. http://www.vohc.org/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Cats.pdf You might consider trying a water additive like Health Mouth and finding a dental treat that Merri likes in addition to continuing your regular brushing. If there is bleeding when you brush or Merri seems painful, then I would recommend having your veterinarian examine her mouth. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Gingivitis presents as redness and swelling of the gums. The black line you see may be tartar on the tooth itself or, if on the gum, natural pigmentation. You can try a small fingerbrush that may be tolerated a bit better. Daily brushing is recommended for maximum benefit. If he is a chewer, you can provide various chew toys and chewable treats.

It may be a resorptive lesion on the tooth. This is an indicator of dental disease. They can be painful, so a visit to your veterinarian would be recommended. Tinsel may need a complete dental cleaning. Given current events, you may need to drop him off at the clinic and wait for your veterinarian to call you to discuss exam findings and treatment options. https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/tooth-resorption/

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.

I understand your concern for Penny. I see some very mild tartar accumulation along the gum line of the canine tooth. There also appears to be significant staining on the second upper incisor. Significant staining such as this can be seen due to enamel defects on the tooth which allow more tartar accumulation and staining to occur. Enamel defects can occur due to injuries to the tooth such as from chewing on metal cage bars or other unapproved objects. Given the significant difference seen on the incisor, I would recommend that you have Penny's teeth checked by your veterinarian. They will be able to determine if there is an enamel defect present or if there is another potential reason for the tartar accumulation in that area.

It looks like food or hair is getting trapped around his teeth. You can try to remove it with your fingers. If it doesn't come off, then I would recommend that Lucky be checked out by a vet to remove this material, since it can lead to inflammation and infection of the gums. The vet can also assess his bite and anatomy to see if there is an abnormality leading to the buildup of this material.

What I see in the picture is a change in color where the gums meet the hair line. This is something I see just as cats age. Sometimes in orange cats the skin will become black in pigmentation. Other times you will see a blue color. I would just continue to monitor it for now. If it gets bigger to you can take Schmidt to the vet for a quick check but I do not think it was related to the dental