Dental disease is the most common health problem in companion animals, causing chronic pain that profoundly affects quality of life but is frequently undetected because animals rarely display obvious pain signals.
Dental disease represents one of the most pervasive and underappreciated welfare problems in companion animals. The chronic pain of periodontal disease affects daily life through discomfort during eating, facial pain, and the systemic effects of constant oral infection. Animals continue eating because the alternative is starvation, not because they are pain-free. Studies examining behavior before and after dental treatment consistently show improvements in activity, playfulness, and demeanor that reveal how much chronic dental pain had been affecting quality of life. Regular veterinary dental examination, professional cleaning when needed, and preventive home care are essential welfare interventions that extend both the length and quality of companion animal lives.