Ask the Vet: Non-anesthesia Teeth Cleaning

Guest post by Dr. Scott Sanderson

Q. I hear there is a new method of cleaning dogs' teeth that doesn't require anesthesia. Does anyone have any experience with this? What is it? Sedation? How do they clean the teeth? Is it less expensive than anesthesia? Any drawbacks? – Eileen

A. Non-anesthetic teeth cleaning is available for your pet, but only for routine cleaning. If your pet has a broken or loose tooth, gum infection or is difficult to handle, anesthesia or light sedation may be required.

Untreated gum or dental infections can lead to serious liver, heart or kidney disease. Drooling, halitosis, bleeding gums and pain when chewing are some of the tell tale signs of dental problems.

There is a national group called HoundsTooth that is promoting non-anesthetic dental services. I have not had any clients use them but their technique seems interesting.

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Got a pet-related health question? Use this form to Ask the Vet. Scott Sanderson DVM runs the Animal Wellness Center in Columbia, MD and is a sponsor of Columbia Dogs on the Go. He is a certified Veterinary Acupuncturist and has completed training in the Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET). Dr. Sanderson is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncturists, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Animal Hospital Association. He is a local resident of Howard County, and a past president of the Howard County Veterinary Medical Association.