Dental disease is the most common health condition in dogs yet remains vastly undertreated, causing chronic pain and systemic illness.
Periodontal disease causes progressive chronic pain that significantly reduces quality of life in affected dogs. Because dogs instinctively mask pain, owners often do not recognise the suffering caused by diseased gums and teeth. Signs such as reluctance to eat hard food, head-shaking, or facial swelling may only appear when disease is advanced. Untreated dental disease creates a cycle of bacterial infection, tissue destruction, tooth loss, and systemic inflammation. The welfare implications are compounded by the fact that dental treatment requires general anaesthesia, which some owners avoid out of cost or anaesthetic concern, allowing disease to progress further. Prevention through brushing and regular veterinary checks is far less costly and stressful than treating advanced disease.