Dental disease is the most common health problem in companion dogs, causing chronic pain that is often unrecognised by owners and undertreated by veterinary teams.
Dental disease causes chronic pain that affects dogs' quality of life in ways owners rarely recognise. A dog eating despite dental pain is not a dog without pain — animals often continue eating out of hunger despite oral discomfort. Signs of dental pain including reluctance to chew hard food, dropping food, rubbing the muzzle, and facial sensitivity are commonly missed. The welfare cost of widespread undertreated dental disease in the companion dog population is substantial. Prevention through regular tooth brushing from puppyhood is highly effective and avoidable suffering is therefore preventable.