Dental disease is the most common health problem in dogs and cats. Preventive dental care significantly reduces pain and improves quality and length of life.
Dental disease causes chronic pain that significantly reduces quality of life in companion animals. Because pets cannot complain about toothache and adapt their behaviour to manage pain, disease progresses undetected. The welfare opportunity is significant: regular professional dental assessment, prompt treatment of disease, and consistent home care can prevent or manage the most common chronic pain source in pet populations. Cost and anaesthetic concerns are real but frequently exaggerated relative to the welfare benefit of treatment — modern anaesthetic monitoring makes professional dental cleaning very safe for healthy animals.