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Anesthesia-Free Dentistry: Is It a Good Idea?
Learn why anesthesia-free dentistry is not recommended for your pet’s health.
Learn why anesthesia-free dentistry is not recommended for your pet’s health.
“Can you provide dental services without anesthesia?” This is a very common question we get asked as a veterinary dentistry practice. It is understandable why someone might think this is a good idea. After all, don’t we have our teeth cleaned and examined while awake? However, there are several reasons why we do not recommend or offer anesthesia-free dentistry.
One of the biggest differences between human and animal dentistry is communication. We cannot explain to an animal what we are doing and have them comply in a way that allows proper and quality dentistry. An animal will not hold its mouth open to have each of its teeth cleaned and assessed above and below the gumline. They do not understand that we are trying to help them. All they see is someone trying to torture them with instruments in their mouths. You may be able to remove some of the tartar build-up on teeth in a well-behaved awake animal, but this would be stressful for even the most compliant animal. We place animals under anesthesia so that they are not traumatized by the experience, which could quickly cause major behavioral issues.
Another reason for using anesthesia in dentistry for animals is safety for both the veterinary staff and the pet. The veterinary team is working in your pet’s mouth and can easily be bitten, especially if they find a sensitive spot that causes pain. The veterinary dental team wants to be able to perform a thorough cleaning above and below the gumline without worrying about their safety. If we do not clean under the gumline to remove the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease, we are doing a disservice to you and your pet. Animals tend to have much more tartar on their teeth than people since most pet parents do not brush their pet’s teeth. For this reason, we use an ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth, which uses a lot of water. It is essential to have the pet’s airway protected to prevent them from aspirating this water into their lungs.
Another reason anesthesia is necessary in veterinary dentistry is that two-thirds of the tooth is below the gumline. We need dental x-rays to fully assess these teeth. An animal cannot tell us when a tooth is bothering them, so we need dental x-rays regularly to look for problems. This requires that we put a very expensive x-ray sensor plate in their mouth and that they remain very still to take precise x-rays of each tooth. Even with minimal tartar and gingivitis, we often find problems that would not have been evident without an x-ray. If not treated properly, simply cleaning the teeth is not going to correct the animal’s dental disease, and it will likely get worse. These x-rays cannot be taken on an awake animal, but it is the first thing we do when they are under anesthesia, so we know what we are treating. Below is a picture of a dog’s teeth with minimal tartar and gingivitis and the corresponding dental x-ray of this area. The pet had significant pocketing, bone loss, and infection that would have persisted without proper treatment.
Some services offer anesthesia-free dentistry. For the above reasons, we do not recommend this. Lots of disease and bacteria will be missed, not to mention the stress it causes your dog. Devices are often used to pry the animal’s mouth open, which not only causes pain and distress but can lead to injury. The picture below is of a patient who came to a veterinary hospital after having an anesthesia-free dentistry procedure. Not only did the patient have lots of dental disease that was undiagnosed and untreated, but it also had this terribly painful laceration on its tongue from forcing the animal’s mouth open.
We hope this article helps clear up some questions about why anesthesia-free dentistry for pets is not a good idea. If you would like to learn more about anesthesia, anesthesia safety, and veterinary dentistry, be sure to check out the full article on our website blog, follow us on social media, and sign up for our newsletter. Mainely Veterinary Dentistry’s mission is to improve and maintain the overall health and well-being of pets and the human-animal bond by addressing the oral health of dogs and cats. MVD provides high-quality and compassionate veterinary dentistry services and education to small animal pet owners, as well as training and education to general practitioners and their support staff in New England. Schedule your pet’s dentistry consultation today!
