Dental procedures for dogs at groomers - good or bad?

In the last few years, more and more groomers have been offering 'anaesthetic-free teeth cleaning' services, where a dog's teeth are cleaned using an ultrasonic toothbrush while they are conscious, usually as part of a grooming session. But do these services work, are they safe, and are they a reasonable alternative to traditional veterinary dental procedures carried out under a general anaesthetic?

One of the main objections to routine dental procedures for pets is the perceived risk related to the general anaesthetic involved, with many pet parents feeling that the benefits of the procedure are outweighed by the potential risks involved. In our recent survey of pet parents, anaesthetic risk was the number 3 reason why people hadn't had their dog's teeth cleaned by their vets, behind cost and a belief that it was not necessary.

So, what is the real risk? According to a 2022 study of 150,000 cases by the Royal Veterinary College, the overall fatality rate for dogs undergoing general anaesthesia was 14 in 10,000 or 0.14%. However, this figure includes all types of cases from routine to emergency operations, so is much higher than for dogs undergoing routine procedures such as dentals. For these cases the risk is thought to be around 0.009% or 9 in 100,000, so in reality, very low indeed.

With anaesthetic risk almost certainly much less of an issue than pet owners believe (and groomers would have them believe), the other question then is do these complimentary dental procedures actually work and are they safe?

Here there is less clear cut evidence, with no properly clinical studies to support the efficacy of the type of dental procedures carried out by groomers. While there may be superficial evidence of improvements in tooth colour and plaque and tartar levels, this doesn't necessarily equate to significantly positive dental health outcomes. One of the main reasons for this is that the type of dental cleaning carried out by groomers can only reach the easily accessible areas of the mouth and it usually leaves the internal faces of the teeth untouched, as well as any plaque build up below the gum line. And in addition to a lack of positive results, in some cases the outcomes can actually be damaging, with hand dental scaling tools causing deep scratches in the tooth enamel. Inexperienced (and usually unqualified) groomers are also not trained to identify and deal with more serious dental issues such as damaged teeth, infections, retained deciduous teeth or many more oral health issues that would be identified and treated by a qualified vet.

Veterinary surgeon Dr Dave Nicol is even more forthright in his thoughts on groomers performing dental treatments:

"60% of a dog's tooth is hidden beneath the gum and cannot be seen or explored using the naked eye. 80% of all tooth problems happen in this area. A good dental examination absolutely cannot be performed on an awake animal. After 20 years as a veterinary dental specialist, I still could not assess teeth well when the conscious patient.

There is absolutely no doubt that a groomer performing a "dental" will miss almost every problem and leave your dog's mouth untreated but leave you [the pet owner] thinking they're ok.

The only way to check your dog’s teeth fully is through X-rays under sedation at a veterinary practice.

Absolutely do not have your pet’s teeth cleaned by a groomer."

Personally, I can absolutely understand why pet owners would be tempted by the option of a low-cost dental procedure carried out while their dog is having a hair cut, and in some cases where the dog is relaxed enough to permit a thorough cleaning session, these procedures can play a positive role in preventing or at least slowing down the onset of dental disease. However, I would also say that given the incredibly low risk of modern anaesthetics, and the clear advantages of a veterinary-led dental procedure in terms of clinical outcomes and safety, that where possible, pet parents should look to their vet for dental treatment, not their groomer.

And with Luna set to make veterinary dentistry much more affordable, there will be no reason to opt for the budget groomer option for much longer.

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