Dental disease causes chronic pain in companion animals that is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated, but is largely preventable with appropriate preventive care from an early age.
Dental disease in companion animals represents one of the most prevalent yet underrecognized welfare problems in veterinary medicine. The stoic nature of most pets means that animals with severe oral disease continue eating and behaving apparently normally until disease is advanced. Chronic pain from infected teeth and inflamed gums affects quality of life in ways owners typically attribute to normal aging. Prevention from puppyhood and kittenhood through regular toothbrushing and annual dental examinations provides the most welfare benefit at the lowest lifetime cost. Professional cleaning under anesthesia, while requiring anesthetic risk assessment, dramatically improves quality of life for animals with established disease.