Dental disease affects the majority of adult dogs and is a major source of preventable chronic pain. Regular preventive care makes a significant welfare difference.
Canine dental disease causes chronic pain that owners frequently fail to recognise because dogs maintain normal behaviour even with severe oral discomfort. A dog that has been eating carefully or preferring softer foods for months may have advanced periodontal disease that, once treated, results in dramatically improved behaviour and vitality — owners often report their dog seems years younger after dental treatment. The welfare burden of untreated dental disease is real and cumulative, affecting every meal and causing constant low-grade pain. Prevention is straightforward in principle — regular tooth brushing, dental-specific treats and diets, and annual professional examination — but requires owner commitment to establishing and maintaining routines that are often challenging to implement.