Feline Dental Disease & Sinusitis

One cause of feline sinusitis, which is often characterized by congestion, sneezing, nasal discharge and pain, is dental disease. If left untreated, gingivitis--a fancy word for inflamed gums--can lead to other ailments, including sinusitis. This problem occurs primarily in older animals.

  1. Signs of Dental Disease

    • Cats whose dental disease is an underlying cause of sinusitis will display red and swollen gums. Sometimes altered eating habits caused by tooth pain will also be an indicator.

    How Dental Problems Cause Sinusitis

    • Untreated gingivitis leads to more serious dental problems, including ulcers, abcesses and bone loss. The most common dental problem leading to sinusitis is abscesses of the canine incisors, whose roots reach into the sinuses.

    Diagnosis

    • A veterinarian should perform a complete physical exam on the cat's teeth and gums to look for abnormalities and signs of tooth decay, gingivitis and abcesses. Blood work and additional diagnostic testing, such as a biopsy, a urinalysis and x-rays, may be done to confirm the presence of dental disease and to rule out other underlying causes of the sinusitis.

    Treatment

    • Antibiotics will be prescribed for the sinus infection. If an abscess is the cause, the infected tooth may be removed.

    Prevention

    • Some veterinarians advocate immunization to prevent feline sinusitis, but regular brushing of a cat's teeth will deter gingivitis-related disease.