Dental disease is the most common health problem in dogs and cats, causing chronic pain that is frequently unrecognized by owners and undertreated by the veterinary profession.
Dental pain in companion animals is a chronic, pervasive welfare problem that hides in plain sight. Animals cannot communicate oral discomfort clearly, and behavioral changes associated with pain are often attributed to aging or personality. The result is millions of animals living with ongoing pain from periodontal disease, tooth root abscesses, and oral infections. Routine veterinary dental care and basic home prevention significantly extend pain-free life. The welfare impact of dental disease is comparable in scale to better-recognized conditions but receives far less attention.