Dental disease (periodontal disease)
Inflammation of the tissues supporting the teeth, caused by plaque and tartar. Present in around 80% of dogs and 70% of cats by age 3. Painful and shortens lifespan.
Periodontal disease is the most common health condition in adult pets. Plaque on the teeth hardens to tartar, which inflames the gums (gingivitis) and progressively destroys the bone supporting the tooth. End-stage disease causes tooth loss, abscesses, jaw fractures, and contributes to heart, kidney, and liver problems.
Pets hide dental pain expertly. Common signs are subtle: bad breath, reluctance to chew hard food, dropping food, chewing on one side, head shy when touched on the face, irritability, weight loss. "Slowing down with age" is sometimes simply chronic dental pain.
Treatment combines home care (daily tooth brushing is gold standard; VOHC-approved dental chews are partial replacement) with professional scaling under anaesthesia every 1–3 years. "Anaesthetic-free" dental cleaning is cosmetic only — it cannot address the under-gum disease that actually matters.
Dental health is one of the highest-leverage longevity interventions for pets. Multiple studies link dental care to 1–2 extra years of life on average.