What Happens When My Pet Gets His Teeth Cleaned?

Dental Cleaning at Patton Veterinary Hospital

             Recently, we talked about how to care for your pet’s teeth at home.  But pets need professional dental cleanings too.  So, what really happens when your pet has his or her teeth cleaned?

               Let’s start with why your pet should have his teeth cleaned.  Bad breath, drooling, reluctance to eat, and pawing at the mouth are all signs of serious dental disease.  But these signs are not always present and may not appear until disease is severe.  Dogs and cats are good at hiding pain, and serious problems may not be obvious.  Loose teeth, broken teeth and inflamed gums are painful.  Just because your pet is still eating and is not whimpering does not mean he is not in pain.  Dental disease should not be ignored.  It can lead to tooth loss as well as infection that may spread to the heart, kidneys and liver. 

Early dental cleanings and home care save not only your pet’s teeth but your money as well!   It is far less expensive and takes much less time to clean teeth with mild tartar than to deal with a mouth that has severe periodontal disease. 

               I know anesthesia is the scariest part of having your pet’s teeth cleaned, but it is necessary and we do all we can to keep it as safe as possible.  In order to examine all of your pet’s teeth, your dog or cat must be anesthetized.  Can you imagine trying to do this in a squirmy pet while awake?  Not possible.  We need to be able to look at every tooth, even the tiniest molars way in the back of the mouth and we need to be able to probe the gums for pockets and to check all surfaces of the teeth; therefore, your pet needs to be asleep.  The risks of complications from dental disease far outweigh any risks from anesthesia in my book. 

               Before anesthesia, your pet is given a brief exam and blood tests to make sure he or she is healthy enough for anesthesia.  Your pet is given an injectable sedative to relax her, and an IV catheter is placed.  Additional sedation is given, and a tube is placed in the windpipe to deliver gas anesthesia and oxygen to keep your pet asleep during the dental cleaning and to protect the airway from water, blood and bacteria during the cleaning process. 

               Next, the teeth are probed and charted and any problems are noted.  The crown of the tooth is only a small part of the whole tooth.  Many problems can lie below the surface.  X-rays are taken of any areas of concern to look at the tooth roots and surrounding bone.  Any loose, infected or fractured teeth with evidence of bone loss or damage to the pulp are surgically extracted and the gums are sutured with dissolving stitches.  The nurse then uses and ultrasonic scaling tool to remove tartar and finally the teeth are polished with a fluoride paste very much like what your dentist uses. 

Trust me, doctors hate pulling teeth!  But, in many cases, surgical extraction is in the best interest of the pet to remove painful, fractured, loose or infected teeth.  We only take a tooth if it is absolutely necessary.  Surgical extractions are difficult and we want your pet to keep those teeth, but we also know it makes no sense to leave a bad tooth in the mouth.  It will only continue to cause pain and problems in the future.  Our goal is for your pet to keep that full set of choppers (even though sometimes they may want to use them on our staff)!   :)

                So, there you have it. The mystery of a dental cleaning revealed.  Once the teeth have been cleaned, continuing dental care at home is very important in keeping your pet’s mouth healthy.  Let’s work together to keep bright shiny smiles for all our cats and dogs! 

               This blog brought to you by The Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding areas.