There are many health concerns (other than tartar and bad breath) that involve the mouth. Oral tumors do occur in dogs and cats. Not all pets are willing to allow us to fully examine their mouth while they are awake so many times tumors are only found when they are having a dental procedure performed under general anesthesia (or worse, when the tumor has enlarged and is starting to cause issues). All tumors are best treated sooner than later, so be sure to periodically examine your pets mouth, note any changes in their chewing and eating habits, and bring them in for yearly check ups.