Dental disease affects over 80% of dogs over three years of age and causes significant chronic pain. Regular preventive care dramatically reduces disease burden and improves quality of life.
Dental disease is the most prevalent health condition in companion dogs and a major source of chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life. The challenge is that dogs do not show obvious pain from dental disease — they continue eating through severe oral discomfort, meaning owners often do not recognise the problem. Regular veterinary dental assessment at annual wellness checks is essential for early detection. Professional dental cleaning under general anaesthesia provides thorough scaling and polishing that reverses early disease; it requires careful anaesthetic monitoring but is generally safe with appropriate protocols. Prevention through daily toothbrushing is the most cost-effective approach and dramatically reduces disease progression when started early in a dog's life. Dental disease treatment consistently results in marked behaviour improvements as dogs are freed from chronic pain they had adapted to.