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Bengal kittens are a lot of fun, but they can also leave owners with a lot of questions, including “when do Bengal kittens lose their teeth?”
Losing their teeth is an important milestone for Bengal kittens and while the vast majority do so without any problems, there are also some things you need to know to make sure that they develop properly and don’t need to visit the vet to solve any problems.
In this post, we’ll cover the following:
Before we continue, here’s a video of a Bengal kitten losing a tooth. Just to warn you, the sound quality isn’t the best, but it does show how Bengal kittens lose their teeth.
By the time a Bengal cat is an adult, they will have had two sets of teeth. The first set is known as deciduous teeth, but are more commonly called baby teeth or milk teeth. This is the set of teeth that a Bengal kitten loses which are replaced by their adult teeth.
Bengal kittens have 26 deciduous teeth. On each side of the top jaw, they have three incisors, one canine tooth, and three premolars. On each side of the lower jaw, they have three incisors, one canine tooth, and two premolars. Bengal kittens with baby teeth don’t yet have molars.
As Bengal kittens lose their baby teeth, they are replaced by adult teeth. These teeth are also called permanent teeth and will stay for the rest of your Bengal’s life. Because these are permanent, you should take good care of them for the health of your Bengal.
Bengal cats have 30 permanent teeth. On each side of the top jaw, they have three incisors, one canine tooth, three premolars, and one molar. On each side of the lower jaw, they have three incisors, one canine tooth, two premolars, and one molar.
When Bengal kittens are born, they don’t have any teeth at all. Then, between the ages of 2 and 6 weeks, they will gain their first set of teeth, their baby teeth. The incisors grow in first, followed by the canine teeth about two weeks later, and then the premolars in another two weeks.
Around 11 weeks, Bengal kittens will begin to lose their baby teeth. Similarly to when they’re growing in their first set of teeth, this is a process that happens over time. It starts with the incisors, then continues in sequence going from the front to the back of the mouth.
Here’s a breakdown of when each type of tooth is lost:
Some people don’t even notice that their Bengal kitten has begun losing their teeth, so you might not even realize it until you see their bigger set of teeth! However, if you do pay close attention from 11 weeks to 6 months, you may be able to see some of the signs that your Bengal kitten is teething.
Here are some of the signs of teething in Bengal kittens:
Eating problems – Because their gums and teeth are sore, you may notice your Bengal kitten not wanting to eat or eating in a strange way. To help your Bengal kitten stay properly nourished when they’re not able to eat as much, get them some canned food. This is softer and easier for them to eat when their mouth is sore.
Suddenly stops playing – Sometimes while a Bengal kitten is playing, they may hurt their mouth when their teeth are loose. If you notice your Bengal suddenly stops playing when they’re biting a toy, then it could be a sign that they’re losing their teeth.
Blood – Whether you notice a drop of blood on your Bengal’s mouth or even on the floor, there’s no reason to be concerned as their teeth sometimes bleed as they’re losing them. As long as your kitten isn’t actively bleeding from their mouth, they should be fine.
Loose teeth – Although it may be obvious, if you notice that your Bengal cat has loose teeth, then it definitely means that they’re losing them and will get their adult teeth in soon. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you may even find a fallen tooth on the floor.
This kitten clearly has a loose tooth:
While few Bengal cats will run into any problems while losing their teeth, there are some that have some minor problems that will require a trip to the vet.
The first thing you need to check for is that the baby teeth are actually falling out, and that the adult teeth aren’t simply coming in next to the baby teeth. This can be painful for your kitten, but it can also cause their other teeth to come in crooked because there’s not enough room for them.
Most often, it’s the canine teeth that will come in next to each other, so if you notice that your Bengal kitten has an adult tooth coming in but the baby tooth hasn’t fallen out yet, keep an eye on it. If both teeth are still there after a week, then you’ll need to take them into your veterinarian who may need to pull out the baby tooth to make sure there’s plenty of room for other teeth to come in.
The other problem that can arise is an occlusion problem. This refers to how their teeth are lined up. Sometimes, a Bengal cat’s jaw may not grow properly or the different sides of their jaws grow at different rates so that the cat ends up having teeth that don’t line up the way they’re supposed to.
Malocclusions or misaligned teeth can make it difficult for a Bengal to chew their food, or the tooth may even press against the roof of their mouth, causing pain and risking an infection. If you think your Bengal’s teeth are not aligned properly, then take them to the vet quickly to get the problem solved. In most cases, the veterinarian will have to extract teeth so your cat can eat normally.
Most veterinarians will check a cat’s teeth when they go in to get spayed or neutered around 6 to 8 months. Ask them to check just to be safe. This will ensure that your cat’s teeth are properly aligned and that there aren’t any other dental problems.
Caring for your Bengal kitten’s teeth is an important part of taking care of them. As soon as their first baby teeth come in, you’ll want to start brushing their teeth to get them used to having their teeth brushed by you. At this point, it’s best to avoid using toothpaste since their stomachs are sensitive and even a little could upset them.
Once your Bengal kitten starts losing their teeth around 11 weeks, you will have to be extremely careful while brushing their teeth so you don’t accidentally pull out a tooth that’s still loose but not ready to come out yet. If their mouths seem especially sore, then you may have to stop brushing their teeth until they have all of their adult teeth.
Brushing your Bengal cat’s teeth every day when they get their adult teeth in is important for their health. It keeps their teeth and gums from getting infected with excessive bacteria, and it keeps that bacteria from getting into the bloodstream.
Fortunately, it’s easy to brush your Bengal’s teeth once you get them used to it. All you need is a special cat toothbrush and cat toothpaste that tastes good to them and is safe when swallowed. Alternatively, you can give them special treats that help them keep their teeth clean, like Feline Greenie’s Dental Treats.
Do you have any stories about your Bengal cat losing teeth? Maybe you discovered when Bengal kittens lose their teeth because you stepped on one! Share your stories in the comments below as we’d love to hear from you!
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