Dog dental care: why it matters and what vets recommend

Dog dental care means daily plaque control at home, with brushing the gold standard according to the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), plus regular vet exams and professional cleaning under general anaesthesia when needed. AAHA and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) say dental scaling should be done under anaesthesia, because an awake dog cannot be cleaned below the gumline or examined fully, and AVMA policy says scaling should be performed under anaesthesia when an oral exam justifies it. Gum disease is common and painful, and dogs often hide the pain.

Why does dog dental care matter?

Periodontal disease starts as gingivitis, inflammation of the gums caused by bacterial plaque. AAHA says gingivitis is reversible and preventable. Left untreated it can progress to periodontitis, the loss of the tissues that hold a tooth in place, which AAHA says is not easily reversed and can end in tooth loss.

How common is it? Figures differ by method. In a UK study of 22,333 dogs under primary care, 12.52% had a periodontal disease diagnosis recorded in 2016, and the authors note that some prospective studies suggest prevalence values as high as 44% to 63.6%. WSAVA’s toothbrushing toolkit says current studies show that up to 90% of pets are affected.

Is it only a mouth problem? AAHA says an association has been shown between periodontal disease and systemic health parameters, but the idea that particular mouth bacteria directly infect distant organs is oversimplified and hard to prove. It stresses that dental disease can lower quality of life without obvious signs.

Risk is not equal for every dog. AAHA says owners of puppies that will weigh under about 20 to 25 lb (roughly 9 to 11 kg) as adults should expect more involved dental care, and that flat-faced breeds tend to have more problems because teeth rotate and crowd. In the UK study, Toy Poodles had the highest odds of a diagnosis among the breeds reported, and odds fell steadily as adult bodyweight rose.

What are the signs of dental problems in dogs?

AAHA lists these signs of oral disease: bad breath, drooling, thick or discoloured saliva, difficulty swallowing, inflamed or bleeding gums, teeth that are discoloured, fractured, loose or missing, and pain when the mouth is touched. It warns that dogs and cats often mask oral pain. Indirect signs include teeth chattering, weight loss, a change in eating habits, lethargy and a change in behaviour.

Book a vet visit if you notice any of these. A lump or swelling in the mouth should always be checked, since AAHA says abnormal masses should be sampled and examined. WSAVA says a pet not eating enough to keep its weight should be assessed by a vet as soon as possible.

A normal-looking mouth does not rule out disease. AAHA says that without X-rays the full extent of disease can easily be underestimated, and cites a study in which 28% of grossly normal teeth in dogs had clinically important findings on X-ray.

Is daily tooth brushing really the gold standard?

VOHC says excellent oral health is maintained by daily oral hygiene, and that the gold standard is brushing. AVDC recommends daily home care from an early age, including brushing or other effective techniques such as dental diets and chew materials. AAHA is specific: brushing needs to be daily to benefit, it removes plaque but not calculus (tartar), and even daily brushing does not remove the need for anaesthetised exams, X-rays and treatment.

WSAVA’s toothbrushing toolkit gives a gentle route in. Start once adult teeth have come in, at about 6 to 7 months, or after a professional cleaning, though handling practice can begin from day one.

1. Stroke the face and lift the top lip, rewarding with a treat or toy.
2. Touch one tooth at a time with a finger, adding a tooth each day.
3. Massage along the gumline, the most important area, using a finger brush and a toothpaste your vet recommends.
4. Move to a soft toothbrush (WSAVA says a child’s is an ideal alternative), brushing the outer surfaces and the inner ones if your dog allows.

WSAVA says it takes less than 2 minutes, once a day. If the dog is uncomfortable, stop and try again tomorrow. AAHA warns that brushing already-inflamed gums causes pain and aversion, so have red or sore gums checked first.

Do dental chews and dental diets work?

Some do. AAHA says many products make claims but only those accepted by the VOHC have met preset standards. VOHC reviews data from trials that a product’s sponsor provides and funds, run to VOHC’s protocols, which require two trials of at least 28 days each. For chews and diets that work mechanically, the standard is a plaque or tartar reduction of at least 15% in each trial and at least 20% on average, against a control.

Safety matters as much as effect. VOHC says obstruction risks fall when a chew is right-sized for the dog’s weight and given only when you can watch the dog chew. AAHA’s task force sees no strong rationale for hard treats such as antlers or bones that could damage teeth, and WSAVA advises avoiding antlers, hooves and bones. WSAVA’s FAQ says there is no difference in gum disease between dogs fed raw meat and bones and dogs on conventional diets.

Chews are treats, so they count towards the 10% limit on daily calories: see how to choose a dog food.

What happens at a professional dental cleaning under anaesthesia?

AAHA’s 2019 guidelines set out 12 steps. In outline:

• Your vet examines the awake dog and checks general health. AAHA says a history and pre-anaesthetic examination are needed, with tests chosen for the individual dog.
• Under general anaesthesia, with a breathing tube, monitoring and support, the whole mouth is X-rayed. AAHA strongly recommends full-mouth dental X-rays for all dental patients.
• Plaque and calculus are scaled off above and below the gumline, the teeth are polished, and each tooth is probed.
• Findings, a treatment plan, fees and consent are shared with you before any treatment such as extraction.
• Local nerve blocks and other pain relief are used. The airway stays protected and vital signs are monitored until the dog is awake.
• You are shown how to do home care.

AAHA says fear of anaesthesia is the most common reason owners decline dental procedures, yet the risks in healthy or minimally compromised patients are very low when done by trained people. AVDC says anaesthesia is never 100% risk-free, but modern evaluation and monitoring minimise the risks. Older dogs and those with other illnesses need individual assessment.

Why is dental scaling without anaesthesia not recommended?

AVDC calls it non-professional dental scaling and gives four main reasons. Even slight head movement can injure the mouth, and the operator may be bitten. Scaling below the gumline, where periodontal disease is active, is impossible in an unanaesthetised dog, and cleaning only visible tartar is purely cosmetic. A cuffed breathing tube protects the airway and lungs from accidental aspiration, and a complete exam is not possible without anaesthesia, since surfaces facing the tongue cannot be seen.

AAHA’s 2019 guidelines call anaesthesia-free dentistry unacceptable, say it gives owners a false sense of benefit, and say groomers and others should never scale a pet’s teeth. The AVMA’s 2014 policy, as reported by JAVMA News, says probing, dental X-rays, scaling and extraction should be done under anaesthesia when an oral exam justifies them.

AAHA notes that peer-reviewed data on the procedure are very limited. At the 2014 AVMA vote, one delegate argued that a study (begun by a provider of non-anaesthetic dental care) was under way and a decision was premature.

How often should a dog see the vet for its teeth?

AAHA says oral health should be discussed at the first appointment and every visit after, including routine vaccination visits, and that an awake oral check every 6 months is appropriate. It recommends a first anaesthetised exam, X-rays and cleaning by 1 year of age for small and medium dogs and by 2 years for larger dogs, even if the awake exam looks normal, and then professional care at an interval that best manages periodontal disease.

VOHC says many pets, particularly middle-aged and older ones, need periodic professional scaling on top of daily plaque control. Ask your vet what interval suits your dog, and see why “7 dog years” is a myth for how age works.

Cats need the same care: AAHA gives the same first-cleaning age of 1 year for cats as for small and medium dogs. It also says tooth resorption is common, affecting 27% to 72% of domestic cats. The cat age calculator shows where your cat is in life. This article is general information; see the disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

Is daily tooth brushing really necessary for dogs?

VOHC, AVDC and AAHA all recommend daily home care, and VOHC calls brushing the gold standard. AAHA says brushing removes plaque but not tartar and does not replace vet exams and cleanings.

Is dental scaling without anaesthesia safe for dogs?

AAHA, AVDC and AVMA policy say it is not appropriate. It cannot clean below the gumline or allow a full exam, and carries risks of injury, pain and aspiration. AVDC calls its effect purely cosmetic.

How common is gum disease in dogs?

Figures differ by method. A UK study recorded a diagnosis in 12.52% of dogs in one year, it notes that some prospective studies suggest values as high as 44% to 63.6%, and WSAVA says current studies show that up to 90% of pets are affected.

Do dental chews clean a dog’s teeth?

Chews accepted by VOHC met its plaque or tartar standards in trials. AAHA and WSAVA discourage hard bones and antlers because they can damage teeth, and chews should be sized for the dog and supervised.

Is anaesthesia for a dental cleaning safe?

AAHA says the risks are very low in healthy or minimally compromised patients when done by trained people. AVDC says no anaesthesia is 100% risk-free. Ask your vet about pre-anaesthetic checks and monitoring for your dog.

Sources

• Bellows J, et al. (2019). 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 55:49-69. https://www.aaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019-AAHA-Dental-Care-Guidelines-for-Dogs.pdf
• American Veterinary Dental College (adopted 2004). Position Statement: Companion Animal Dental Scaling Without Anesthesia. https://avdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/AVDC-pos-stmts/Dental_Scaling_Without_Anesthesia.pdf
• Veterinary Oral Health Council. Home page; Protocols and Submissions; Trial Protocol Requirements. https://vohc.org/ , https://vohc.org/protocols-and-submissions/ and https://vohc.org/trial-protocol-requirements/
• WSAVA Global Dental Committee (2022). Introducing Toothbrushing. https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GDC-Toothbrushing-Toolkit-1.pdf
• WSAVA (2018). Frequently Asked Questions & Myths. https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Frequently-Asked-Questions-and-Myths.pdf
• WSAVA (2024). Feeding treats to your dog. https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Feeding-treats-to-your-dog-v2.pdf
• O’Neill DG, et al. (2021). Epidemiology of periodontal disease in dogs in the UK primary-care veterinary setting. J Small Anim Pract 62:1051-1061. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9291557/
• Burns K (2014). Policy says dental procedures should be done under anesthesia. JAVMA News. https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2014-09-15/policy-says-dental-procedures-should-be-done-under-anesthesia