Pet Dental Disease Statistics USA

Dental disease is one of the most common health conditions veterinarians see in dogs and cats — more common than obesity, more common than allergies, and largely preventable. Here's what national veterinary hospital data and peer-reviewed research actually show about how widespread it is, which pets are most at risk, and why it matters beyond bad breath.

How Common Is Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats?

Banfield Pet Hospital, one of the largest veterinary hospital networks in the U.S., tracks dental disease across more than 1,000 hospital locations. Its most recent analysis, covering over 3 million pets, found 73% of dogs and 64% of cats were diagnosed with a dental-related issue. That's roughly in line with Banfield's earlier reports: 76% of dogs and 63% of cats in 2016, and 78% of dogs and 68% of cats over age 3 in 2011 — suggesting dental disease has remained one of the most persistent chronic health issues in U.S. pets for well over a decade, without a clear improving or worsening trend.

The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) frames the risk even more starkly at the individual level: by the time a dog or cat reaches 3 years old, it will very likely already show some early evidence of periodontal disease if it hasn't received preventive dental care.

Which Dogs Are Most at Risk?

A large peer-reviewed study of more than 3 million client-owned dogs across 60 breeds, tracked over 5 years, found an overall periodontal disease prevalence of 18.2% — a narrower, clinically diagnosed measure than Banfield's broader "dental-related issue" figure above, so the two numbers aren't directly comparable. What the study does show clearly is a strong breed-size effect: extra-small dogs (under 14.3 lbs) were up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with periodontal disease than giant breeds (over 55 lbs). The individual breeds with the highest prevalence in the study were the Greyhound (38.7%), Shetland Sheepdog (30.6%), Papillon (29.7%), Toy Poodle (28.9%), and Miniature Poodle (28.2%).

Does Dental Disease Affect More Than the Mouth?

Peer-reviewed veterinary research has found that periodontal disease severity in dogs is positively associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, and separately, that dogs with more severe periodontal disease face a higher risk of cardiovascular events, including endocarditis. These are large-scale retrospective studies (one comparing over 160,000 dogs with periodontal disease against age-matched controls), and while they establish a clear statistical association, they don't by themselves prove periodontal disease directly causes these conditions.

The Big Picture

Dental disease affects roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of U.S. dogs and cats depending on how it's measured, has stayed persistently common for over a decade of Banfield's tracking, and carries real breed-specific risk — small dogs face up to 5x the periodontal disease risk of giant breeds. It's also one of the more preventable chronic conditions pets face, since routine brushing and professional cleanings measurably reduce risk. The figures on this page combine Banfield's national hospital-network data, AVDC's professional guidance, and peer-reviewed veterinary research — we've kept each source's specific measure distinct rather than blending different definitions of "dental disease" into one number.