how many teeth do dogs have?

How many teeth do dogs have? Like humans, dogs also have puppy teeth as they grow up. Because of their rapid growth and maturation, they shed those puppy teeth and then eventually have an entire set of adult natural teeth at the age of six months. Puppy teeth are sometimes also known as deciduous teeth.

Dogs Teeth.

As puppies, humans have baby teeth that can stay in place until they turn into adult teeth. This is true for dogs as well. If you watch television or go to the movies, you will see that puppies will gnaw on their baby tooth toys as they grow. Of course, puppies also like to chew on their adult teeth, but if they have just one, they may not bother.

To determine how many teeth dogs have, take a look at the teeth around their mouths. If you see two separate rows of adult dogs’ teeth around their mouth, they probably have just one set of permanent adult teeth. This means that there are only around four incisors on each side. As they age, the number of incisors increases, and they reach about 42 teeth. This is the minimum number of incisors that you should see on an adult dog.

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Here are the four dog teeth types.

Incisors.

If you look at your dog’s mouth, you will notice the incisors. These are the small teeth located at the front of the dog’s mouth. Because of their unique shape, they are ideal for scraping meat from bones. When grooming their dogs, they also use their incisors. Dogs will often attempt to get rid of ticks and fleas by biting their fur and using their incisors.

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Canines tooth.

The canines are long, pointed teeth located in the front of your dog’s mouth. They are behind the incisor. These teeth can be used to cut apart food, such as meat. These teeth can also be used to secure any chew toys or bones a dog might have in its mouth. Dogs have 4 canine tooth in their mouths (2 on the upper jaw and 2 on the lower jaw). These teeth are well-developed and slightly curved to better grip objects.

Premolars tooth.

Pre molar tooth refer to sharp-edged teeth. These are located behind the canines. These teeth are used to chew and shave any food that a dog eats. Your dog may chew toy or a bone of meat with their side. This is because their premolars eat the bone.

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Molar.

Molars can be used to help dogs chew hard foods. These include dry dog biscuits and dry dog kibble. These molars can be found behind the dog’s premolars. There are 4 molars on the top jaw and 6 on the lower jaw.

The number of adult and permanent teeth may be different!

Of course, we can’t count how many teeth dogs have because puppies grow new permanent teeth and their regular teeth as they age. Puppies also put their permanent teeth into place as they develop, so the number of permanent teeth can be a lot more than the number of adult dogs. Of course, you’ll never know how many adult dogs have lost their permanent teeth. But when you have an adult dog, the older teeth you see may be permanent teeth or just adult dog wisdom teeth that won’t cause any pain for the dog.

Why Dogs missing tooth?

Aside from the transition from puppy teeth to adult teeth, it is not normal for dogs to lose teeth. If you notice that your dog is losing their adult teeth, you should call your veterinarian and schedule an appointment. Here are the most common reasons for dogs to lose their adult teeth.

Periodontal Disease.

The most common reason for a dog to lose teeth is advanced dental disease in its mouth. Without proper dental care-like brushing and veterinary dental cleanings-periodontal disease can lead to diseased gums and decaying teeth. Dental disease has further been associated with systemic effects on organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Gum Disease.

Canine periodontitis is a bacterial infection that develops in your dog’s mouth. It begins from a build-up of plaque. This plaque then mixes with saliva and hardens, becoming tartar. When tartar and plaque spread under the gum line, it may lead to periodontal disease. Gum disease can lead to severe problems such as dogs tooth loss or even bone loss. It is the most prevalent oral disease in the canine, even though it is highly under-diagnosed.

Tooth Decay.

Dogs’ teeth are prone to decay and wear and tear at a much faster rate than our own, partly because they use their mouths for more than just eating and drinking. Some dogs (especially small breed dogs and Greyhounds) experience dog tooth decay at an extraordinarily fast rate, requiring many teeth to be extracted by a vet throughout their lifetime.

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Teeth counts are somehow related to wrinkles!

“How many teeth do dogs?” have is directly correlated to “how many wrinkles there are in their mouth.” Because dogs are constantly moving, their mouths can get wrinkled easily. As they get older, they eventually start losing the temporary ones, and their permanent teeth show through, causing them to have many wrinkled mouths. Their food gets stuck between their permanent teeth and the wrinkles; thus, how many adult dogs do you think have wrinkly mouths?

Conclusion.

You’ll never know how many teeth dogs have until you give them a thorough exam at the veterinarian. Your vet will take x-rays and even complete a canine genome study to determine the healthiest dog. It’s important to find out because knowledgeable veterinarians always provide the best care. Ensure your puppy receives the best care by knowing how many teeth he has before considering him unhealthy.