Preventive dental care starting in puppyhood dramatically reduces the burden of periodontal disease welfare compromise throughout a dog's life, with tooth brushing as the single most effective intervention.
The welfare burden of periodontal disease in dogs is enormous in scale given the >80% prevalence in adults, yet it is almost entirely preventable through consistent early intervention. Dogs that receive daily tooth brushing from puppyhood have dramatically reduced disease burden throughout their lives. The chronic oral pain of periodontal disease causes ongoing welfare compromise that owners often miss because dogs adapt their behavior to cope. Establishing preventive dental care as a standard puppy husbandry practice is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available to companion animal owners. Veterinary practices that normalize dental home care discussions significantly improve population-level welfare outcomes.