Hey, everyone. First time posting on here because I wasn’t sure where else to go since it’s late at night.

I noticed an hour ago that my cat, Romeo (male, five years old) has one of his front teeth appearing to have slipped down his gums more towards the front? I’m not 100% sure how this happened, or what caused it. I do plan on calling my vet first thing tomorrow morning; I just wanted some general advice on what to do before then and what to possibly expect.

He doesn’t appear to be in tons of pain. He’s super playful as usual, and he isn’t having issues eating (NOTE: He only eats dry food. Genuinely, we have tried so many different brands of wet food with him over the time we’ve had him, and he is just disgusted by it.) He won’t let me get a very good look at it (hence the awkward photo), but the wound doesn’t appear to be infected.

I’m wondering what I should do with him until we can get him to a vet. I’d also love to know what to expect or what possibilities may be. My concern is that he will need to get it extracted or it’s a serious gum disease. I was unexpectedly laid off of my job a month ago, and all the savings I have are going to keeping me and him afloat until I can secure a new one. My main vet does not offer payment plans, so I’m not sure if I should just immediately seek out one who does or try my primary vet first.

To be honest, I’m worried and scared shitless for my little guy. Any advice or personal experiences would be so, so appreciated.