Periodontal disease affects the majority of adult dogs and cats, causing chronic oral pain that is massively underdiagnosed and undertreated in companion animal medicine.
Dental disease is the most prevalent chronic welfare problem in companion animals and the most widely ignored. Pets with severe periodontal disease continue eating — sometimes favoring one side of the mouth, dropping food, or showing facial sensitivity — but do not overtly signal pain. This behavioral stoicism leads owners and sometimes veterinarians to underestimate severity. Chronic oral pain from exposed roots, gingival recession, and tooth root abscesses is continuous, not episodic. Animals that undergo dental treatment consistently show behavioral improvements — increased activity, more interest in play — suggesting that even "normal" behavior was occurring against a background of persistent discomfort. Prevention and early treatment prevent suffering at the most prevalent scale in pet medicine.