The problem with anesthesia-free pet dental cleaning

Most pet owners are aware of the dangers of poor dental health in their pets; chronic bad breath is probably the most striking one. But a big area of confusion is how best to have your pet’s teeth cleaned. During National Pet Dental Health Month, the American Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Dental College would like pet owners to think about the risks involved with anesthesia-free dental scaling.

Plaque and tartar are caused by bacteria; these bacteria can circulate in the bloodstream and affect your pet’s major organs, and rotten teeth can affect his ability to eat nutritious food. Some pet owners opt for anesthesia-free teeth cleaning because they believe it’s less intrusive and less painful. But the AVDC is clear on the fact that the risks you run with that kind of procedure are far greater than any involved with anesthesia.

With a professional deep scaling done under anesthesia, the veterinarian can clean under the gum line, where the real problems are. Because the animal is sedated, the cleaning is more thorough and gentler. And the scaling instruments used on the teeth surfaces during non-anesthesia cleanings leave grooves that are susceptible to further bacteria development.

Contact your veterinarian about a professional dental cleaning if you notice these signs in your dog or cat:

• swollen red gums that bleed

• rotten-egg breath

• difficulty eating hard foods