Teeth in dogs: number, structure and care

When deciding whether to have a dog in the house as a pet, you need to weigh the pros and cons very well, familiarize yourself with the history of the dog's breed and be sure that the pet will be surrounded by the necessary care and attention from the owner.

It is very important to learn as much as possible about the animal: about how to feed, care for, and how a pet should develop with age. One of the stages of caring for a dog is taking care of the oral cavity and teeth as well. In our article, all the information will be devoted specifically to the teeth of a dog: we will talk about how a dog's jaw is arranged, at what age and what teeth appear, and most importantly, we will find out how to properly care for the oral cavity.

Each breed is individual in its appearance and structure. This also applies to the jaws. Cynologists and experts say that on average, all dogs should have 42 teeth: 22 located in the upper jaw, 20 in the lower.

More detailed information can be found by looking at the table:

The number of incisors, of course, may differ, but the structure of the canine jaw is exactly the same in all breeds of dogs. It consists of:

• from the root located inside the bone tissue;
• the neck, located on top of the soft tissue;
• crowns are an extension of the dental neck, the constituent and main element of which is hard enamel, which is responsible for the strength of the teeth and allows the dog to easily gnaw bones and bite off meat.

Like any other living creature, babies are the first to have milk teeth. Their total number at the age of 2 months should be 28 pieces: 14 on the lower jaw and 14 on the upper jaw. The first should appear at the age of 2-3 weeks of age. Milk incisors appear in the following sequence:

• fangs first - 4 pieces;
• further, after the canines, there are incisors - 6;
• after the premolars (false-rooted) erupt, they should erupt almost everything.

Particular attention should be paid to the premolars that grow behind the canines. If these teeth appeared together with milk teeth, most likely they will not fall out and strong molars will not appear in their place. The early appearance of the premolar behind the canine may result in incomplete teeth.

There are numerous cases when a puppy may have problems with the appearance of milk incisors. This happens due to the following:

• the wrong structure of the jaw - there can be a lot of space for the growth of teeth, or, conversely, it is not enough;
• unbalanced nutrition, this also applies to the time that the puppy spends in the womb - a large amount of calcium and D vitamins or their lack;
• heredity.

All the reasons that have been listed above can lead to the appearance of:

• "Double teeth";
• bad enamel;
• wrong bite;
• death of the rudiments of the root system.

Inexperienced owners may have a question about how to distinguish a milk tooth from a molar. This is not at all difficult to do:

• milky may appear transparent;
• has a cold tint;
• has a bizarre shape.

At the age of 4 months, the dog begins to lose milk teeth and the so-called molars - molars - appear. Most often, the following happens - the milk does not fall out, but is displaced by the root, which means that a molar immediately appears in its place. It is categorically not recommended to pull out a milk tooth that is staggering on your own. - the jaw can be damaged.

In most cases, the owner may not notice that the pet is changing the incisors. But it is advisable, of course, to monitor this process to make sure that it is happening correctly. After 4 months, you need to visually inspect the dog's oral cavity in order to make sure that the teeth are falling out, and new ones appear in their place. You also need to ensure that the number of molars corresponds to the age of the animal.

Already at 7 months, most dog breeds should have a complete set of molars:

• there should be 12 incisors at 5 months;
• at 6 months - 16 premolar teeth;
• at 7 months - 4 canines, 10 molar teeth.

The owner of the animal must ensure that the molars appear in the correct sequence. If growth disorders are noticed, it is imperative to consult a veterinarian, because this may be a clear sign of a disease such as rickets. If you do not understand the situation in time, and the diagnosis is confirmed, there is a high probability that the dog may become disabled.

Every dog ​​owner should know important information: when the milk teeth change to molars, the immune system becomes weakened. During this period, you need to monitor the diet, adhere to a correct and balanced diet, and organize a comfortable living environment for the animal. Be sure to visit a veterinary clinic and clarify information on vaccinations.There are cases that those that were made to the pet before the period of changing teeth need to be done again.

Strong and healthy teeth are the key to good health and well-being. If an animal has bad teeth, it does not have the opportunity to eat normally, to defend itself. Also, the animal becomes susceptible to various infectious diseases.

It is necessary to teach your puppy to oral hygiene from a very early age. The pet will get used to certain procedures, which should be regular, and will no longer resist them at a more mature age.

As soon as the dog has milk incisors, they need to be looked after. To do this, you should purchase the following.

• Toothpaste. The usual one, which people use, is prohibited, since it contains fluoride, which is contraindicated for animals. You need to buy a special toothpaste for dogs, it may even have a meaty aroma and the animal will like it.
• Toothbrush. Brushing your teeth is allowed with a special brush for dog teeth or a nursery. It should be equipped with soft bristles to avoid scratching the gums.

We clean correctly:

• the brush must be moved parallel to the gums, vertical movements are unacceptable - they can damage soft tissues;
• the first step is to clean the front surface, then the inner one;
• brushing your teeth must be done 2 times a week.

There are two ways to get rid of stone and plaque.

1. Periodically carry out prophylaxis at home: feed the dog with dry food, special treats, hard apples, carrots. These foods are dense enough that chewing can remove calculus from teeth.
2. Contact a veterinary clinic, where plaque can be removed using ultrasound, mechanical intervention or abrasive substances.

You need to contact a veterinarian if:

• improper growth;
• detecting plaque and calculus;
• if the gums are inflamed;
• the oral mucosa became inflamed, erosion and ulcers appeared;
• gums bleed;
• the neck of the tooth is exposed;
• destruction of tooth enamel;
• teeth discolored.

If you find any of the above problems, you need to go to a specialist without wasting time and take care of your pet's health.

There are numerous cases when people decide to take a dog from a kennel or shelter. In this case, there is no way to be sure of the age of the animal. You can determine the age of a dog by the number of teeth. This is not difficult to do. You need to take a close look at the incisors, and to be precise, at which ones have worn off.

Information is shown in the table below:

You also need to examine the fangs. At the age of 8 years in a dog, they can become dull and start to hurt. From 12 to 16 years old, only canines remain of all teeth, all the rest fall out. And already at the age of 20, the animal becomes completely toothless.

For information on how to properly brush your dog's teeth at home, see below.