17/06/2026
🦷 Why a "simple scale and polish" can sometimes become more than expected 🦷
When pets are booked in for a dental scale and polish, our team will perform a full oral examination once they are under a general anaesthetic. This allows us to thoroughly assess parts of your pets mouth that may not be visible while a pet is awake during an appointment. This is why treatment plans can sometimes change while your pet is in with us.
Recently, one of our clients' pets, George, attended for a routine dental clean. However, after examining inside George's mouth our team found some tooth decay which was not visible during a consultation appointment. Once under anaesthetic, a detailed examination revealed the affected tooth, allowing us to provide the most appropriate treatment.
This highlights why a dental procedure involves much more than cleaning the visible surfaces of the teeth. A thorough assessment under anaesthetic helps us identify hidden problems such as decay, fractured teeth, pockets of infection, mobile teeth and other painful conditions that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Regular dental checks remain important but some dental disease can only be diagnosed once a pet is safely anaesthetised and a complete examination can be carried out.
If you have any questions about your pet's dental health, our team is always happy to help. 🐾
