Mary Allen
As a number, the question can be answered very easily:
Forty-two, so
a dog has 42 teeth
Every adult dog has 42 teeth in its snout. There are 20 teeth in the upper jaw and 22 teeth in the lower jaw.
Twelve teeth serve as incisors and four as canines. The remaining canine teeth are the so-called premolars and molars in the back of the jaw. They are also called small and large molars.
This applies regardless of size, dog breed, age, or gender.
The dog bite
Have you ever counted your dog? If your dog has fewer than 42 teeth, he may have lost one or more of them during his adult life.
This can be caused by tooth decay or decay. Or because your four-legged friend chewed on a hard object and injured himself.
How many teeth does a dog have at birth?
But let’s start at the beginning. When the little dogs are born blind and deaf on the day they are born, they are initially completely toothless. Anything else would be painful for the nursing mother.
As a rule, the milk teeth break through in the fourth week of life. There are 28 milk teeth in number.
The difference in numbers compared to the teeth of the adult dog can only be found in the molars. Puppies only have 6 each in the upper and lower jaws, while the adult dog has 12 and 14, respectively.
When do puppies lose their fangs?
The milk teeth are smaller and more pointed than the permanent teeth and, depending on the dog breed, stay with the puppy until about the fourth month. Then the teething begins. This is the time when the milk teeth are replaced by larger, adult teeth.
During these months it is normal for the young dog to put everything in its mouth, from shoes to stones and sticks.
You should not punish your dog at this stage. And putting anything chewable out of reach will do little good. Instead, you can support the sometimes painful change of teeth by providing more suitable chew toys.
Otherwise, the change should be as smooth as possible. The teeth that fall out often simply get stuck in the toy. Or the young dog simply swallows the milk teeth. Then you as the owner will not notice much of it.
Here you will find a detailed article about the change of teeth in dogs.
When are all the teeth in a dog?
Dog teeth are fully developed between the seventh and ninth months. From now on, an adult dog will keep the new teeth for the rest of his life. For once, the large dog breeds are faster in development.
In the future, good care of the teeth will be the be-all and end-all. Here you will find tips for brushing teeth for dogs, for example.
And this should be as painless and stress-free as possible for you and your dog. Therefore, a good knowledge of the dog’s teeth can not hurt under any circumstances.
Do dogs have more teeth than humans?
Dogs have 10 more teeth than humans. While adults have 32 teeth, a full-grown dog has 42 teeth.
The number of teeth even differs between humans and dogs in milk teeth. Young dogs have 28 milk teeth. Children, on the other hand, only have 20 teeth.
Canine teeth in the upper and lower jaw
As carnivores, dogs primarily have teeth that are used to grasp and chop up prey. The canines or fangs are visually striking. In between are the front incisors.
The upper jaw, each side/half:
- 3 incisors
- 1 canine
- 4 front molars
- 2 back molars
- = 10 teeth per side, give 20 teeth in the upper jaw
The lower jaw, each side/half:
- 3 incisors
- 1 canine
- 4 front molars
- 3 back molars
- = 11 teeth per side, results in 22 teeth in the lower jaw
The incisors are relatively small and rather flat. They are primarily used for nibbling and scraping, for example, to loosen the meat from the bone. At the same time, your dog can use it to remove parasites.
The characteristically large and pointed fangs in the front part of the teeth, on the other hand, serve to seize and hold the prey. Domestic dogs are mainly used to hold bones and toys.
The following premolars, i.e. the front molars and the large, fixed fangs are the most important teeth in a dog’s teeth.
You can easily see the fangs when you pull back your dog’s lips. It is always the third to last tooth they are used to cut up and shred meat and vegetables.
Harder food components such as biscuits, bones, or dry food, on the other hand, are broken up and crushed by flatter, rear molars. These are the so-called molars.
The adult dog has two more molars in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw.
Dental problems due to misalignment of the jaw
The so-called scissor bite is desirable for the dog. The upper jaw protrudes slightly over the lower jaw. If the jaws sit exactly on top of each other, this is called a pincer bite. If the difference is very clear, this is called an overbite or underbite.
If your dog has a misaligned jaw, it can easily happen that certain teeth wear out more quickly or are not used at all.
Such malpositions of the jaw can cause various problems in older dogs. Dog breeds with backward-bred snouts are particularly affected, such as pugs, bulldogs, boxers, or Pekingese. If in doubt, ask your veterinarian.
So much knowledge about something that seems so small. But it is an important factor in the health of your four-legged friend.
Dental care tips for dogs
To maintain his dental health, you should always provide enough opportunities to chew and bite. Also, make sure that ready-to-eat food does not contain too much sugar. This can cause cavities and accelerate tooth decay.
Dog toothbrushes and suitable toothpaste can also help to ensure the cleanliness of the dog’s teeth. However, the top priority should always be a balanced, low-sugar diet for your four-legged partner.
With this, you can easily help your darling to have a long and happy life in front of their paws – with you at their side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dog have more teeth than a human?
An adult dog has 42 teeth, while a puppy only has 28 milk teeth, which are slightly more pointed than permanent dog teeth. Similar to humans, dogs also have a change of teeth.
Are dog teeth harder than human teeth?
In dogs, the tooth enamel is about 0.1-1 mm thick, depending on the tooth. Although the enamel layer of human teeth is thicker than that of dogs, few people would “dare” to chew on objects that they give their dogs for granted.
What teeth do dogs lose?
First, the two front incisors come off and are replaced with permanent teeth. This happens around the third to the fifth month of life. Between the fourth and seventh months come the third incisor and the canine.
How many teeth does a dog lose?
If your puppy moves in with you at the age of 9 weeks, it already has its complete milk teeth with 28 teeth. The change of teeth to a permanent set of teeth (with 42 teeth) begins around the 16th week of life in the dog, extends over about 3 months, and is usually completed around the 9th month of life.
What if a dog loses teeth?
A very common reason dogs lose teeth is gum disease and periodontal disease. However, injuries can also be behind it – sometimes it is enough for your four-legged friend to bite on something particularly hard and damage a tooth as a result.
How do I know if my dog has a toothache?
Recognizing symptoms as an indication of toothache in dogs
Especially if your dog does not want to eat or spits out the food, you should check its teeth. Sticky fur in the mouth area and one-sided chewing can also be taken as an indication of toothache.
What to do if your dog’s tooth wobbles?
Acutely, it is advisable to have your pet’s teeth cleaned first. This means removing tartar, checking for periodontal pockets, taking dental X-rays of questionable teeth, removing unsustainable teeth, and then polishing permanent teeth.
When are all the teeth in a dog?
The teeth of the puppy and its development
Depending on the breed, the dog retains these deciduous teeth for around the third month of life. After that, the milk teeth fall out over around three months and the 42 teeth of the final set of teeth break through.
