What's that on my cat's tooth? Does he need a vet for dental care?

I suspect this might be what is called a "resorptive lesion." There is a tiny tooth right there, and for some cats, they develop lesions where the body actually breaks down their teeth over time. They can be painful. For some cats, they don't show any signs. Have him evaluated by your vet; they may recommend a sedated dental exam and dental xrays to evaluate the tooth roots. If roots are left under the surface, its potentially a source of infection and pain, and surgical removal of the root may be considered. Other possible causes of the bump would be inflammation, infection, (unlikely based on appearance), or an abnormal grownth/tumor. Get him in to your vet when you can to have it checked out. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

There is no need to take him in to your veterinarian at this time if the area where he lost the tooth is not hurting. Since you obviously have scheduled a dental cleaning for Milo, your vet can inspect the area during the dental cleaning while he is under sedation. The vet will also do dental radiographs to check for retained roots and neck lesions. These will need to be removed.

Yes, Toby should have a dental. He might have other loose teeth in his mouth, it needs to be checked that the entire tooth came out (roots included), and he may have severe gingivitis that requires a cleaning, scaling, and polishing. I would bring him into the vet as soon as possible during normal business hours.

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.

Unfortunately brushing will not resolve the problem as there is quite severe tartar accumulation and gingivitis. Descale procedure would be ideally needed. It may be possible that this tooth needs to be extracted as possibly affected by FORL (https://www.petcoach.co/article/tooth-resorption-in-cats-feline-oral-resorptive-lesions-for/).

That sounds and looks like like potential gum disease and tartar/plaque build up on the teeth. Often when it's to this point, a dental cleaning is needed to remove the build up and make sure the teeth are healthy. I would have Ghost examined by your vet and get him scheduled for a dental.

This is likely staining of the tooth from her food. There is an indentation in the tooth normally in that area that can easily collect foostuffs and staining. I wouldn't be too concerned about it and just recommend brushing his teeth daily to help prevent further staining and periodontal disease. If you notice a foul odor and/or Lio has difficulty chewing, then its best to have him examined by your vet. Also keep in mind that most cats by the age of 3 should have their teeth cleaned (Dental prophylaxis) at the vet to prevent periodontal disease and lead to excellent oral hygiene. Weekly dental maintenance can also be done through the use of greenies dental treats, dental food (i.e. Hill's T/D bites), and other over the counter products.