A bite block and method of using the same in an animal's mouth. The bite block includes a gripping region, a bite receiving region and a transition region therebetween. A person's middle finger is inserted through an aperture defined in the gripping region. The person's index finger rests in an indentation in a top of the gripping region above the aperture. A lingual plate on the bite receiving region is elliptically-shaped and has a concave end wall that rests against the animal's tongue. Upper and lower troughs are located between the bite receiving and transition regions to receive maxillary and mandibular teeth, respectively, therein. The lingual plate is transversely-oriented relative to the bite block's longitudinal axis. The lingual plate is generally elliptical in shape when the bite block is viewed from a second end, being wider than tall, and includes a concave end face that is seated against the tongue.