Topic of the Month (January/February): What takes place during a dental cleaning?
Who actually performs the teeth cleaning procedure?
The actual cleaning is performed by the trained Veterinary assistant. After she has completed the cleaning, the doctor inspects the mouth, measures gingival pocket depths, and charts the teeth.
How will my pet be monitored during the procedure?
We will have a monitor on the pet during the entire procedure that measures heart rate, SPO2, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and ECG. Every 5-10 minutes the assistant or doctor checks the monitoring system and records the values on our anesthetic chart. In addition, the monitor has alarm systems in place that sound if a value goes out of range from the set normals.
What equipment is used, and what is monitored during the procedure?
In addition to the monitoring system described above, an ultrasonic scaler and polisher will be used to clean the pet’s teeth. Also, we use an intravenous fluid pump (described in the next section) and a heating system to keep the pet warm during the procedure.
Will he have an IV catheter and fluid support?
Yes, we will shave a spot usually on one of the front legs to place an IV catheter. This is where the initial anesthetic will be delivered and IV fluids will be administered during the procedure via the IV fluid pump mentioned above. This ensures an exact amount of fluids is given.
Is he sedated by gas or an IV?
The pet will receive many different drugs during the procedure. First she/he will receive some medication to create a calm state so we can place the IV catheter. Then an induction agent will be given in the IV catheter that will make the pet sleepy long enough to place an endotracheal tube. This tube will enable us to deliver Isoflurane gas anesthesia directly to the lungs and it blocks the trachea (wind pipe) to keep liquid from getting into the lungs during the dental procedure.
How long will the procedure take?
That depends on how stained the teeth are and if there are any extractions. A standard cleaning with no extractions takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.
What actually takes place during the teeth cleaning?
The actual cleaning is just like when you get your teeth cleaned. We scale, polish, inspect the teeth, and make recommendations based on trouble areas. The only difference is we usually try to take care of the problem teeth while they are under anesthesia rather than in a separate procedure if it is possible. Fillings are not common in dogs and cats, but extractions of diseased teeth does happen. Most extractions can be done during the procedure and we would be happy to call you and discuss these with you first. If you are not available by phone during the dental and you have left instructions to call before any extractions, we will wake the pet up and not remove any teeth. Most people leave instructions to have the doctor use their professional judgment and remove teeth if needed. Rest assured we would only remove a tooth if we felt it might jeopardize the pet's health or would cause the pet pain to leave it in place.
After the cleaning procedure, the pet would be moved to a recovery kennel and someone would monitor the pet until she/he is awake enough for us to remove the endotracheal tube. Then, the pet would stay in the hospital until we feel they can stand and walk with stability - usually after 3:30 pm.
Dianne Brown, DVM
