It goes without saying that the condition of a dog’s teeth is vital
to the overall health of the animal. If it has bad or rotting teeth, the
dog may stop eating or lose it’s appetite. Bad teeth may also be a sign
of another health issue too. This article will cover the essential
facts about dog dental hygiene including how many teeth does a dog have.
A dog with a full set of teeth will have 42 teeth.
This consists of six incisors on the lower jaw and six incisors on the upper jaw.
The lower jaw has two canines, one on either side of the incisors. The upper jaw has 2 canines either side of the incisors.
At the back of the jaw, the dog has molars and premolars. In the upper and lower jaw, the dog has 6 molars. Three on either side of the jaw.
A dog will have eight premolars on the lower jaw, four each side. It has six premolars on the upper jaw, three each side.
You should examine your dog’s teeth every few months. Young dogs shouldn’t have many problems with their teeth. The gums should look healthy and the teeth should be clean and free of any build ups around the gum line. As the dog gets older the teeth may begin to lose their condition. Tartar build ups can start to occur on the gum line.
Another sign of tooth decay is bad breath. The dog shouldn’t have bad breath for any length of time (it may eat something unpleasant from time to time to give it bad breath but this shouldn’t last). If you smell the dog’s breath and it is not good then examine the teeth. This is more often than not the cause of the smell.
If you spot something wrong with the gums or teeth of your dog then consult your vet on treatment for the problem. You can also get tartar and other build ups on the teeth removed. In terms of long term prevention of the problem, you may also want to look at the diet that you give your pet.
By giving your pet a diet of dry food or kibble, that is naturally crisp and crunchy, the dog has a natural plaque or tartar buster. So giving your dog dry food from time to time can help care for the animals teeth.
You can also get a dog toothbrush and toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste. It can be harmful to the dog and he will hate the taste anyway. Dog toothpaste has a meaty taste and your pet should like the taste of it. A specially designed toothbrush will make it easier for you to clean your pets teeth. However, you should get your pet comfortable with you examining and touching it’s teeth first. If you don’t do this, the dog will not be happy having a toothbrush against it’s teeth.
A dog with a full set of teeth will have 42 teeth.
This consists of six incisors on the lower jaw and six incisors on the upper jaw.
The lower jaw has two canines, one on either side of the incisors. The upper jaw has 2 canines either side of the incisors.
At the back of the jaw, the dog has molars and premolars. In the upper and lower jaw, the dog has 6 molars. Three on either side of the jaw.
A dog will have eight premolars on the lower jaw, four each side. It has six premolars on the upper jaw, three each side.
You should examine your dog’s teeth every few months. Young dogs shouldn’t have many problems with their teeth. The gums should look healthy and the teeth should be clean and free of any build ups around the gum line. As the dog gets older the teeth may begin to lose their condition. Tartar build ups can start to occur on the gum line.
Another sign of tooth decay is bad breath. The dog shouldn’t have bad breath for any length of time (it may eat something unpleasant from time to time to give it bad breath but this shouldn’t last). If you smell the dog’s breath and it is not good then examine the teeth. This is more often than not the cause of the smell.
If you spot something wrong with the gums or teeth of your dog then consult your vet on treatment for the problem. You can also get tartar and other build ups on the teeth removed. In terms of long term prevention of the problem, you may also want to look at the diet that you give your pet.
By giving your pet a diet of dry food or kibble, that is naturally crisp and crunchy, the dog has a natural plaque or tartar buster. So giving your dog dry food from time to time can help care for the animals teeth.
You can also get a dog toothbrush and toothpaste. Never use human toothpaste. It can be harmful to the dog and he will hate the taste anyway. Dog toothpaste has a meaty taste and your pet should like the taste of it. A specially designed toothbrush will make it easier for you to clean your pets teeth. However, you should get your pet comfortable with you examining and touching it’s teeth first. If you don’t do this, the dog will not be happy having a toothbrush against it’s teeth.