Dental disease is the most common health problem in companion animals, affecting over 80% of dogs and cats by age three. Its welfare impact is significant and largely preventable.
Dental disease represents one of the most widespread and underrecognized sources of chronic suffering in companion animals. Because animals hide pain as a survival strategy and continue eating despite dental discomfort, owners rarely identify the problem until it is advanced. A dog with severe dental disease may be living with months or years of constant oral pain that is invisible to its owner. The welfare improvement from treating dental disease — the change in animal behavior, energy, and apparent wellbeing after cleaning — is one of the most dramatic visible welfare interventions available to pet owners. Prevention through brushing is highly effective but poorly adopted due to underestimation of the problem.