Is Dental Cleaning A Scam?

Every time I take my dog to the vet, she says my dog's teeth need to be professionally cleaned, which costs about $400. This conversation has taken place three times for the last two years during annual check up, the most recent being last week. Our dog is only 5 years old now so the first time the vet said this she was only 3. Neither my husband nor I have ever heard of a dog getting a professional dental cleaning. They have to use general anaesthetic to do it which is why the cost is so high, the vet says. Does anyone have the scoop on this whole idea? If it's a legitimately necessary procedure, I would have it done. If not, I may change vets because I don't like being taken advantage of. Thanks for your info and opinions.

Thanks, gsicard. I was reading the raw food thread today because lynnix mentioned how pleased she was with it for her dogs. I think we'll finish out the kibble she's on or feed that once a day with the raw food (as soon as I shop for it) for the other meal until the kibble runs out. We'll see if that improves her teeth. The vet said they were "Borderline" needing cleaning and actually do have the hardened plaque (or it tartar? one is the mushy stuff and the other is the mushy stuff after it hardens) on them now. I'm glad to know there's some legitimate basis for the vet's urging.

Kit2009 I would mix slowly with the kibble the raw diet until finished as with one of my dogs it was the only way I could switch her. The others took to it like ducks to water but her, she was having none of the change. Now she is the first one finished when feeding. Although she still hates carrots and picks them out no matter how small. :lol: And she was the hardest dog to get to eat anything from the day I got her. Just got another from the same breeder and same fussy eater for 5 days and she was put on a raw diet from when arriving and due to the experience with the older dog I didnt give in so easily. Variety is the key. My vet seems to always cleaning dogs teeth when I go to his rooms and he has never suggested to me that any of my dogs need it. A good bone twice a week takes care of that (although the fussy eater wont touch bones other than chicken) and she still has good teeth.

Periodontal disease is a legitimate concern in all mammals- dogs included. Some breeds seem to be more prone to it- such as Poodles. The basics of tartar formation in humans is that whenever you eat something, the bacteria naturally present in your mouth work on the sugars in the food, and produce plaque. The plaque sticks to your teeth. If you don't brush it off then it calcifies/hardens and becomes "tartar" or "calculus". The tartar is hard and adheres to the teeth like barnacles, and provides a great place to trap more food, plaque and bacteria. Let it go long enough, and the bacteria levels become an infection, and destroy bone and gum tissue. Now, consider that your dog NEVER brushes his teeth, and since you said you hadn't heard of a dental cleaning for a dog, I'm going to guess you haven't been brushing for him... AS I said, some breeds are very prone to this being a major problem, and loose teeth due to it. We've had 2 poodles in my childhood, and they both had to have regular cleanings, and it usually included an extraction or two each time. My presas have all been on kibble since they've arrived here, or been weaned. We have never had a professional cleaning done, but I did have one dog that had gum problems. However, since I'm a dental professional, I was able to do a little home cleaning of her teeth myself, using my instruments from school (after I was done with school of course :wink: ) Some of the thought process behind raw vs kibble and teeth is the fact that there's so much grain (carbohydrates=sugars) in the kibble that it feeds the tartar buildup and the gum disease process. And I can't argue with that. But I think ultimately it depends on your individual dog's teeth. Do your dog's teeth have a brownish-gray cement/mortar looking substance around the gum line? Are the gum tissures very bright red? Does your dog bleed all over the toys and bones he chews on? If so, it might be worth considering the cleaning procedure, to start off with a fresh healthy mouth, and then make whatever diet changes you feel are neccessary