Routine dental cleanings are paramount to your pet's health.

Last updated 2026-06-03

Routine dental cleanings are paramount to your pet's health. Without healthy teeth and gums, your pet is liable to suffer from pain and inability to eat, as well as heart and kidney problems.

At Lucks Lane Veterinary Clinic, we believe that oral health is inseparable from whole-body health. Periodontal disease is the most common clinical condition in adult dogs and cats, yet it remains one of the most under-treated. Tartar buildup, gingivitis, and tooth decay don't just cause bad breath — they introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, where those bacteria can seed infections in the heart valves, kidneys, and liver.

Be sure to discuss dental cleanings with our doctors and staff to maintain a healthy pet. We will assess your pet's oral health at every wellness exam and recommend a cleaning when the benefits outweigh the risks of anesthesia. Most pets need their first professional cleaning between ages two and four, and every one to three years thereafter depending on breed, diet, and home-care compliance.

What's included in a dental cleaning.

Pre-anesthetic examination

Full physical exam and bloodwork to assess anesthetic risk. We will not proceed with a dental procedure if your pet is not a good anesthetic candidate.

General anesthesia

Required for safe, thorough cleaning. Awake dentistry is ineffective and dangerous. Your pet is intubated, monitored continuously, and kept warm throughout the procedure.

Full-mouth scaling

Ultrasonic scaler removes tartar above and below the gum line on every tooth surface. This is the step that prevents periodontal disease from progressing.

Polishing

After scaling, teeth are polished to smooth microscopic roughness on the enamel surface. Smooth teeth resist plaque accumulation longer than rough teeth.

Dental radiographs

Full-mouth digital x-rays allow us to evaluate tooth roots, bone loss, abscesses, and resorptive lesions that are invisible on the surface. Most serious dental disease happens below the gum line.

Extraction if necessary

If a tooth is fractured, abscessed, or has significant bone loss, extraction is the only humane option. We do not leave painful teeth in place. Extraction sites are closed with dissolvable sutures.

Pain management

Every dental patient receives multimodal pain control: local nerve blocks during the procedure, injectable pain medication during recovery, and oral pain medication to go home.

Post-procedure report

Written summary with photographs of findings, list of extractions performed, home-care instructions, and recheck plan. Emailed the day of the procedure.

When does my pet need a dental cleaning?

We stage dental disease on a 0–4 scale. Stage 0 is a clean mouth with no tartar. Stage 1 is mild tartar with no gingivitis. Stage 2 is moderate tartar with early gingivitis — this is where we typically recommend the first cleaning. Stage 3 is established periodontal disease with gum recession and bone loss. Stage 4 is severe disease with tooth mobility, root exposure, or oronasal fistulas.

We assess your pet's oral health at every wellness exam. If we see Stage 2 disease, we will recommend a cleaning. If we see Stage 3 or 4, we will recommend a cleaning urgently. Most clients are surprised by how much disease is present — tartar on the visible surfaces of the teeth is only a fraction of the problem. The real damage is happening under the gum line, where bacteria erode bone and destroy the periodontal ligament.

Small-breed dogs and brachycephalic breeds tend to need more frequent cleanings. Cats are prone to tooth resorption, a painful condition where the body destroys its own tooth structure from the inside out. Dental radiographs are the only way to diagnose resorptive lesions before they become symptomatic.

"The real damage is happening under the gum line, where bacteria erode bone and destroy the periodontal ligament."

Home dental care between cleanings.

Professional cleanings address existing disease, but they don't prevent future buildup. Daily tooth brushing is the gold standard for home care. We know that most clients will not brush their pet's teeth every day — or even most days. That's fine. Brushing three times a week still makes a measurable difference. Use veterinary enzymatic toothpaste; human toothpaste contains ingredients that are toxic to pets.

If brushing is not realistic for your household, consider dental chews, water additives, or prescription dental diets. These are less effective than brushing, but they are better than nothing. We will discuss realistic options at your pet's wellness exam. We do not sell dental products that have no evidence behind them.