Pretty tempting, huh?  If you have looked (or even if you haven’t!) you have probably found a variety of folks out there willing to clean your pet’s teeth without anesthesia.  And on the surface, why wouldn’t you want to do it that way?  Anesthesia can be intimidating for many owners, and, when done correctly, is not cheap.  Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash to have your pet’s teeth cleaned anesthesia-free, consider the following:

  • Anesthesia-free dentals can be dangerous for the person performing them (even the nicest pet will snap if something hurts!) as well as your pet.
  • Without anesthesia your pet cannot be intubated, a procedure which prevents the aspiration of water during the procedure.
  • Without anesthesia, a thorough dental cannot be performed.  No matter who you are, there is simply no way to adequately examine the entire mouth and clean all sides of each tooth (including under the gumline) in an awake animal.  Don’t believe us?  Bust out your pet’s toothbrush and try to clean every tooth in his or her mouth thoroughly.
  • Most anesthesia-free dentals are performed by lay people.  Because of the strong stance taken on the topic by many veterinary organizations, most vets do not provide this dis-service.  So the next time your groomer offers to clean Lady’s teeth, ask yourself:  Would you let your hairdresser do your dentist’s job?
  • Problems cannot be addressed when a pet is not under anesthesia.  If a broken or diseased tooth is identified, it cannot be extracted or treated in an awake animal, subjecting your pet to another procedure at a later date (and likely a larger cost overall).
  • Anesthesia, when done correctly, is very safe.  Just as in people, no one can claim anesthesia is without any risk but risks are lower than ever and veterinary standards for your pet’s care are at an all-time high.  If you have concerns, talk to your vet.
  • Anesthesia-free dentals provide a false sense of security.  Because you have had your pet’s teeth “cleaned” without having a thorough oral exam, it is much less likely that problems will be found early in the process. This could result in the need for more dental work down the road.

Still sound tempting?  Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Anesthesia-free dental cleanings are no exception!