We like to see when a dog owner is trying to learn all the things he or she can about a dog. This will help you become a much better owner and a better friend to your pet. If you are one of those people, here is one question you will want to know all about. How many teeth do dogs have? Some will say a lot, while others will even believe that dogs get permanent teeth a few weeks after birth. Let’s discover the answers together.
Milk And Permanent Teeth
Let’s start with the most basic and the main part of the question here. How many teeth do dogs have? Puppies will have 28 milk teeth. These are very sharp, like small razors. If you play with a puppy, you will find out how sharp the teeth are. These teeth will come out quickly. They will be present 2 weeks after the birth. Milk teeth are ready and big at age 10-12 weeks (after birth).
The main reason why these teeth are so sharp is actually simple. They are sharp in order to help a puppy eat solid food. Yes, they drink milk first, but they will need to start adjusting to solid food quickly. The teeth make this transition more effective and easier for a puppy. As you may know, their jaws are not very strong nor are they properly developed so any type of help they can get is good help.
Your puppy will start losing his milk teeth at age 4 months. Incisors will start falling out first. Then, canine teeth will soon start to fall out as well. This happens at age 5-6 months.
The first new teeth or permanent teeth to come out are premolars and also molars. They will start growing at age 5-8 months. Soon your dog will have 42 teeth. These are permanent teeth and they are very strong.
Keep in mind that all dogs have 42 teeth. This simply means that a Great Dane and a Chihuahua have the same number of permanent teeth. Yes, they are different in size but the count is still the same.
Types Of Teeth Your Dog Has
Now all the teeth of your pet are the same nor do they have the same purpose. As a matter of fact, there are 4 main types and here we will explain each one. We like to add that a dog needs these 4 types of teeth due to the fact he will use each type for each specific purpose. It makes dogs more capable than you may believe.
- Incisors- A dog will have 12 incisors. 6 of them are on the upper =jaw while 6 are on the lower jaw. Dogs have been using these to groom themselves and to tear meat from the bones. These are teeth on the front part of the jaw and you can easily see them.
- Canines- These are interesting teeth. They are fangs actually and you can see them easily. These are large, sharp, and pointy teeth on the upper and lower jaw. There are 4 of these. The purpose is to pierce something and lock it onto it.
- Premolars- After canine teeth in the mouth of a dog you will see premolar teeth. There are 16 teeth of this kind in total. The main purpose is shearing. Simply said, if your dog is chewing something with the side part of the jaw, he uses premolars.
- Molars- These are flat and have extremely strong teeth at the end of the jaws. Dogs use them for chewing and grinding. 4 of these are on the top jaw. 6 of them are on the lower jaw.
Keeping His Teeth Healthy
The dental health of dogs is extremely important. You will have to make sure they are healthy all the time and your dog can use the teeth properly. The first thing you need to know is that if one of the milk teeth remains, a vet will have to extract it. There is no way that tooth will fall out by itself so you will need to help. This is not a scary issue and a complicated one. It is rather simple and painless.
The main thing here to know is that 80% of dogs at age 3 will have poor or bad dental health. This is a huge problem. The best way to prevent that is by brushing his teeth. Start when he is young, a puppy even. This will make things much easier and once he is a big dog, you won’t have a hard time brushing his teeth. Use a special toothpaste for dogs and brush his teeth 2 times a day.
Some dog owners believe that brushing their teeth is not important or that they should do it once per week. This is not true and don’t make this mistake. The proper dental health of your dog is mandatory and more important than you may actually believe.
In addition, you can use toys for chewing that will clean his teeth and so much more. But you will still need to brush them on a daily basis. Yes, there are a lot of other methods you can use like wipes and finger brushes but they are more complicated to use and don’t always work perfectly. A regular toothbrush (for dogs, not humans) will work in this case scenario the best.
The Final Word
Now you know the answer to how many teeth do dogs have? All you need to know is that puppies will replace their teeth and get permanent ones. Once this is done, you will have to start his teeth and help him maintain proper dental health. This is something that many dog owners avoid or simply forget to do but it is extremely important and will help your dog stay healthy and happy. Brush his teeth at least 2 times a day using special toothpaste and toothbrush.