Association of Skull Type, Diet, and Chronic Gingivostomatitis with Tooth Resorption in Cats Receiving Dental Treatment

Q: What was the study designed to investigate in cats with tooth resorption?

The study evaluated whether skull type, diet, and chronic gingivostomatitis are associated with how severe tooth resorption becomes in cats.

Q: How did brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic cats differ in the results?

Brachycephalic cats were younger and had a higher prevalence of advanced Stage 4 lesions. Non-brachycephalic cats had chronic gingivostomatitis more frequently, but CGS was not linked to greater TR severity.

Q: What dietary finding was reported regarding severe lesions?

Cats fed owner-reported premium diets had more Stage 4 lesions, particularly among non-brachycephalic cats, while this pattern was not observed in brachycephalic cats.

Sep 30, 2026

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Tooth resorption (TR) is a common, painful feline dental disease whose development is influenced by multiple factors, yet the roles of skull type, diet, and chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS) remain unclear. A retrospective review evaluated 166 cats with TR confirmed by dental radiography, comparing brachycephalic versus non-brachycephalic groups. Brachycephalic cats were younger and showed higher prevalence of advanced Stage 4 lesions, while CGS occurred more often but did not correlate with TR severity. Premium diets were linked to more advanced TR, particularly in non-brachycephalic cats.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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Article Association of Skull Type, Diet, and Chronic Gingivostomatitis with Tooth Resorption in Cats Receiving Dental Treatment Pitak Anusorn 1, Chakkarin Satthathum 1, Pollawat Jariyarangsrirattana 1, Emmita Mongkholdej 1, Doungnapa Onnom 1 and Naris Thengchaisri 2, * Academic Editors: Giorgia Galiazzo and Maria Chiara Sabetti Received: 3 December 2025 Revised: 23 December 2025 Accepted: 31 December 2025 Published: 3 January 2026 Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 Surgery Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan Road, Donmueang, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; [docboxbox@gmail.com](docboxbox@gmail.com) (P.A.); [fvetcrs@ku.ac.th](fvetcrs@ku.ac.th) (C.S.); [fvetpwj@ku.ac.th](fvetpwj@ku.ac.th) (P.J.); [emmita.m@ku.th](emmita.m@ku.th) (E.M.); [onnom_d@hotmail.com](onnom_d@hotmail.com) (D.O.) 2 Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, 50 Ngamwongwan Road, Donmueang, Bangkok 10900, Thailand * [Correspondence: ajnaris@yahoo.com](Correspondence: ajnaris@yahoo.com) Simple Summary Tooth resorption is a common and painful dental condition in cats. Its causes, particularly in young brachycephalic cats, are not well understood. In this study of 166 cats, we evaluated the links between skull type, diet, and chronic oral inflammation and how they are related to disease severity. Brachycephalic cats (e.g., Persians) were younger but had already developed advanced lesions. In contrast, non-brachycephalic cats more frequently had chronic gingivostomatitis, which was not associated with increased tooth resorption. Cats fed premium diets showed a higher prevalence of severe lesions. Overall, these findings suggest that skull type and cat diet may have a stronger influence on tooth resorption. Although a direct cause cannot be proven, more research is needed to determine whether early dental checks and special diets can slow tooth resorption in cats. Abstract Tooth resorption (TR) is a common and painful dental disease in cats. The contributions of skull type, diet, and chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS) to its development remain unclear. We retrospectively reviewed 166 cats with TR confirmed radiographically to evaluate these associations. Brachycephalic cats (N = 33) were significantly younger than nonbrachycephalic cats (7.1 ± 2.6 vs. 8.7 ± 3.8 years, p = 0.026) and had a higher prevalence of advanced Stage 4 TR lesions (p = 0.018) . There was no significant difference between two groups of cats in sex distribution, diet type or wet food consumption. CGS occurred more often in non-brachycephalic cats (57.9% vs. 21.2%, p < 0.001) but was not associated with TR severity. In both skull groups, mandibular premolars and molars were most commonly affected (p < 0.01) . Cats with owner-reported premium diets had more Stage 4 lesions (p = 0.013), particularly in non-brachycephalic cats but not in brachycephalic cats. These findings suggest that TR severity is associated with younger age and advanced lesions in brachycephalic breeds, as well as diet-related differences in non-brachycephalic cats. Further studies are warranted to evaluate early dental screening and targeted nutritional strategies to mitigate the progression of tooth resorption in cats. Keywords: cats; tooth resorption; dental radiography; diet; gingivostomatitis; skull type 1. Introduction Feline oral diseases are common and clinically important in domestic cats. These include tooth resorption (TR), chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS), and periodontitis, with prevalence reported to vary across geographic areas and study populations [1–5] . TR is a progressive dental condition in which odontoclast-like cells resorb dental hard tissues. This process usual

FAQs

What was the study designed to investigate in cats with tooth resorption?

The study evaluated whether skull type, diet, and chronic gingivostomatitis are associated with how severe tooth resorption becomes in cats.

How did brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic cats differ in the results?

Brachycephalic cats were younger and had a higher prevalence of advanced Stage 4 lesions. Non-brachycephalic cats had chronic gingivostomatitis more frequently, but CGS was not linked to greater TR severity.

What dietary finding was reported regarding severe lesions?

Cats fed owner-reported premium diets had more Stage 4 lesions, particularly among non-brachycephalic cats, while this pattern was not observed in brachycephalic cats.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by นรินทร์