Anaesthetic-free dental cleaning can make a dog’s teeth look much cleaner.
Tartar and plaque can sometimes be removed from the visible surfaces of the teeth without putting the dog under anaesthesia.
As a cosmetic procedure, this can work well.
However, if the goal is dental health and controlling dental disease, there are some important limitations.
We Can Only Clean What the Pet Will Allow
Some dogs will tolerate cleaning of the outside surfaces of their teeth.
The problem is the inside of the mouth. A conscious dog will generally not allow us to properly clean the inside surfaces, examine underneath the gums or thoroughly assess every tooth.
In simple terms, roughly 50% of the mouth cannot be properly examined or treated.
With cats, the limitation is even greater.
Most cats will not tolerate even the outside surfaces of their teeth being properly cleaned while awake.
The Real Problem Is Often Under the Gum
Dental disease isn’t just the tartar we can see.
Periodontal disease develops underneath the gum line and around the roots of the teeth.
Removing visible tartar doesn’t necessarily treat the disease underneath it.
Think of a tooth like an iceberg. Cleaning what we can see above the surface doesn’t tell us what is happening underneath.
What About Dental X-Rays?
Dental X-rays allow us to see the roots of the teeth and the bone surrounding them.
Neither a conscious dog nor cat will tolerate having a dental X-ray plate positioned precisely inside the mouth around individual teeth.
Without X-rays, painful or diseased teeth can remain hidden.
This is particularly important in cats, where painful dental problems can sometimes be difficult to identify simply by looking at the teeth.
So Are Anaesthetic-Free Dentals Worthwhile?
It depends on what you are trying to achieve.
For some dogs, if the goal is cosmetic—to remove visible tartar and make the teeth look cleaner—anaesthetic-free cleaning can achieve this.
But if the goal is to properly assess dental health, control dental disease and treat problems underneath the gums, it cannot replace a dental procedure performed under anaesthesia.
For cats, anaesthetic-free dental cleaning is even more limited because most cats will not tolerate their teeth being properly cleaned while awake.
At Sandringham Veterinary Hospital, our goal with dentistry isn’t simply to make teeth look clean.
We want to know that the mouth is healthy.