Pets don't brush their teeth. Do they ever get tooth problem?

Actually, pets DO brush their teeth, or al least their owners do it for them (or should). Just check out any pet store and look at the pet tooth brushes and dog or cat toothpastes they carry!

Just like people, some pets have better teeth than others. My first cat had good teeth at every checkup. My second cat was prone to tarter buildup, and they both ate the same food. One of my current cats came to me with an unknown background and age. She is attention starved, and revels in being petted everywhere. When she suddenly started flinching away from having her jaw rubbed, I knew that wasn't normal. Then I noticed her bolting her kibble down whole without chewing it. I took a look at her mouth and before she jerked away I saw that her gums were flaming red. I took her to the vet for a dental exam where they put the animal under and examine the teeth, take x-rays, and do what dental work is neccessary. They warned me they might have to pull a few teeth. It ended up that she had such a bad case of gingavitus that they had to pull ALL her teeth! Aparently, sometime in her past she had already lost a few teeth. So she is now toothless. I buy her kibble that has small round pieces and she gumms it down whole just fine.