Can My Cat’s Teeth Be Cleaned Without Anesthesia?

We get asked all the time if cats can have their teeth cleaned without anesthesia.

“My last veterinarian just used his thumbs”  So compare that to when I had  my teeth professionally cleaned at the dentist.  The procedure took about 30 minutes.  Honestly, it was a little painful during some of the procedure.  The hygienist did a great job and cleaned under the gum line. Then polished my teeth.

Would I have been happy if the hygienist used her thumbs to clean my teeth?

The same is true for cats.  They deserve to had their teeth clean properly and polished.  This does require anesthesia and a tracheal tube.  The tube protects the lung from all the water that is produced during the procedure. The anesthesia also allows us to take x-rays and see if there are issues under the gum.  We will discuss that at a later day.

The other benefits of teeth cleaning are that it helps prevent bacteria build up in the blood stream. This also helps to protect the heart, the lung, and other organs.

Ellen has some humorous videos of non-anesthetic dental cleaning.

Please feel free to call or email us any questions