Dental disease is the most common preventable health condition in companion animals. This practical guide brings together the evidence on what works and how to implement effective dental prevention.
Dental disease prevention is the highest-impact routine welfare intervention available to companion animal owners. The disease is almost universal without active prevention, causes chronic oral pain that animals hide effectively, and results in systemic health consequences including kidney and heart disease from chronic bacteraemia. Yet most owners do not brush their pet's teeth and many rely on dental chews as a substitute rather than supplement. The veterinary profession needs to communicate dental disease as a welfare priority rather than an aesthetic concern, and normalise daily tooth brushing in the same way that vaccination and annual checks are normalised. Starting dental handling training in puppies and kittens makes lifelong prevention achievable.