Dental disease affects the vast majority of adult dogs and causes chronic pain that significantly reduces quality of life. Prevention through home care and regular professional cleaning dramatically improves welfare.
Canine dental disease is a welfare crisis hiding in plain sight. The vast majority of adult dogs carry chronic oral pain that manifests subtly — slight preference for soft food, reduced enthusiasm for chewing, occasional pawing at the mouth — rather than obvious distress. Studies have shown that dogs with dental disease show measurable behavioral improvements after professional treatment, confirming that dental pain reduces quality of life. Prevention is far preferable to treatment — daily brushing from puppyhood establishes the habit when it is easiest to introduce. For dogs that will not tolerate brushing, dental chews, water additives, and dental diets provide partial but meaningful benefit.