ANATOMY OF DOG TEETH
Do you wonder at times when your puppy's milk teeth should fall out? You want to know how many permanent teeth your dog will have? You're not the only one asking yourself these questions. Check out our guide to canine teeth anatomy to find answers to more than just these two questions.
Types of dog teeth
Like humans, dogs have a number of different types of teeth. These different teeth do different jobs and help dogs grind food as they chew. Each dog has the following types of teeth in their mouths:
Incisors
The incisors are the small teeth at the front of a dog's mouth. They are used for scraping, as their shape makes them ideal for scraping meat from bones. Dogs also use incisors when grooming themselves. They often try to remove fleas and ticks by gnawing on their fur and using their incisors to select and kill parasites.
Fangs
The canines are the long, pointed teeth located at the front of the dog's mouth, located behind the incisors. These teeth are used to rip apart food, e.g. meat. They can also be used to hold an object that will end up in a dog's mouth, e.g. bone or teether. Dogs develop four canines - two in the upper and lower jaws.
Premolars
Premolars are sharp-edged teeth that are located behind a dog's fangs. As a rule, they are used to chew and grind the food consumed by the dog. You may notice your dog chewing the fleshy bone with the side of its mouth; this is how his premolars separate the flesh from the bones.
Diagram of a dog's dentition
Now that you know what kind of teeth your dog has, it's worth taking a look at where each of them is located in his mouth. For this purpose, you can use the following canine dentition diagram:
When does teething begin in puppies?
All mammals go through the teething stage - both you and your pup.
Unlike humans, puppies begin teething at around 16 weeks of age. This means that their milk teeth will begin to fall out and new permanent teeth will erupt.
Once the teething process has started, don't be surprised if your dog chews everything
in sight. This behavior is perfectly normal. We advise you to provide your dog with plenty of chew toys during this period and praise him for using them.
When puppies lose their teeth?
Usually it takes approx. 4 months before puppies go through the entire teething process. Up to the age of approx. 7-8 months old puppy should have all permanent teeth. If not all of them have emerged yet, then there is little need for concern. However, if the dog reaches
9 months, and some permanent teeth are still missing, we advise you to contact us
with the vet. A specialist will be able to assess the condition of the dog's oral cavity and determine if it requires dental intervention.
How many teeth does a dog have?
Most dogs have the same number of teeth. However, the number of teeth in adult dogs is different than in puppies. Puppies generally have a total of 28 teeth when all the milk teeth have grown out. There are 14 of them in the upper jaw and 14 in the lower jaw.
When the dog reaches adulthood, it will have completely new and more numerous teeth. An adult dog should have 42 teeth in total: i.e. 20 in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower jaw. If an adult dog has fewer than 42 teeth, it could be because he has lost or broken a tooth. This usually happens when the dog carries items in its mouth that it cannot break, such as. stones or thick sticks. If you notice that your dog has a broken or missing tooth, we recommend that you contact us
with a vet who should be able to help your pet.
If you're looking for a healthy way to keep your dog's mouth clean, consider a tasty dental treat such as. Purina DentaLife. Each delicacy is not only appetizing, but also helps to clean the dog's teeth. For more information about DentaLife and its health benefits, please see our products. If you are looking for more information on canine teeth health, visit our dental care page.