Could we not do a scale without anaesthesia?

No. An anaesthesia-free clean removes only the tartar on the visible surface of the tooth. The disease sits below the gum line, and that cannot be cleaned in a conscious animal, the roots cannot be assessed and dental radiographs cannot be taken. The teeth look clean and the disease stays where it was.

My dog is old. Is anaesthesia not risky?

Every anaesthetic carries risk, and that risk is reduced by examination, blood testing and monitoring throughout. What sits on the other side is also real: years of pain and a continuing infection. Age alone is not a barrier.

Can an animal eat after extractions?

Yes. Animals eat surprisingly well after extractions, often better than before, because the pain has gone. The consistency of the food is adjusted if needed.

How often is it needed?

It varies by animal. More often in small breed dogs and some cats, every few years in others. We assess the mouth at each annual check and tell you.

Dental Care | Karanfil Veteriner Kliniği

Dental disease is among the most common and most overlooked problems in cats and dogs. By the age of three, most animals have some degree of it.

The reason it is missed is simple: animals do not show mouth pain. They carry on eating, they play, and the owner concludes that a good appetite means no pain. The sentence we hear most often after a dental is that the animal has picked up a toy for the first time in years.

Why tartar is a disease

Tartar is not a cosmetic problem. The layer of bacteria growing below the gum line dissolves the tissue anchoring the tooth to bone. The tooth loosens, an abscess develops around the root, and the pain becomes constant. The burden this inflammation places on the heart, kidneys and liver is well recognised.

What to look for at home is described in my dog’s breath smells.

Scaling

The procedure is done under general anaesthesia and includes:

Assessment of the whole mouth, each tooth checked individually
Removal of tartar above and, crucially, below the gum line with an ultrasonic scaler
Measurement of the gum pockets
Dental radiographs where needed, to assess the roots
Extraction of teeth that cannot be saved
Polishing; plaque adheres more slowly to a smooth surface

The work that matters is below the gum line. Cleaning the visible surface makes the mouth look clean and leaves the disease where it was.

Why dental radiographs

The visible crown can look sound while the root is dissolving. Tooth resorption is common in cats: the surface of the tooth erodes near the gum, it is very painful to touch, and nothing shows from outside.

Without radiographs it is not possible to decide properly which teeth stay and which go.

Oral surgery

Beyond cleaning: extraction of fractured teeth, drainage of root abscesses, retained and supernumerary teeth, removal of gum and oral masses, repair of jaw fractures, cleft palate repair, and the extractions carried out in cats with stomatitis, where the whole mouth is severely inflamed.

Preparation, monitoring and pain management follow the same pattern as on the surgery page.

Anaesthesia

This is the most common concern we hear, and it deserves a proper answer.

Anaesthesia carries risk and we do not pretend otherwise. What reduces it is preparation: examination beforehand, blood tests, cardiac assessment where indicated, intravenous access, monitoring of breathing and heart throughout, maintaining body temperature, and observation during recovery.

In an animal suspected of heart disease, an echocardiogram before anaesthesia can change the plan.

Afterwards, at home

The most effective thing after a dental is regular brushing, and most animals accept it once the habit is built.

Use paste made for cats and dogs. Human toothpaste is not used: it contains fluoride and sometimes xylitol, which is toxic
For the first few days offer only the paste on your finger; the brush comes later
Focus on the outer surface; the tongue largely cleans the inner one
Once a day, thirty seconds, is enough. A long session once a week does nothing

Dental chews and water additives slow new plaque from hardening. None of them removes tartar that has already formed.