When it comes to dogs, there are so many questions one will love to ask as it relates to the dog’s canine anatomy. One of those questions is how many teeth do dogs and puppies have?
Adult dogs have 42 teeth! They have ten extra teeth compared to humans who have 32 teeth. On the other hand, puppies have 28 teeth whereas baby humans have 20 teeth.
The canine anatomy is so exciting to learn. The number of teeth your dog may have is an excellent point to begin this discussion. Still, it doesn’t end there.
And of course, we will love to know everything about the canine anatomy. It’s because the teeth are an essential part of a dog’s life. Dogs use their teeth for virtually everything, which includes picking, eating, nibbling, only to name a few. So, let’s open the discussion.
Table of Contents
How Many Teeth Do Dogs and Puppies Have?
Dogs fall into two categories, the adult dogs and the young dogs. The young dogs are referred to as puppies. An adult dog passes through the puppy stage before arriving at the adult stage. Thus, an adult dog does not reach to that stage in a day; it goes through different developmental stages.
Of course, you can inherit an adult dog, and someone can give it to you. But remember, the adult dog doesn’t arrive at maturity stage in a day.
People who plan to keep dogs as a pet are most likely to buy a puppy. A puppy has 28 baby teeth. Within six months of maturity, the dog should have the permanent 42 adult dog teeth. However, you can’t judge your dog’s age by the number of teeth it has. Full maturity neither depends on the sexual maturity nor the physical development.
Sexual maturity is a stage of maturity at which a dog can give birth to puppies, and a dog doesn’t have to come to full maturity to achieve this.
As early as six months, a dog can give birth to puppies, and six months is too short for a puppy to experience full maturity. However, at around six months old the dog is capable of possessing the 42 permanent teeth or most of it.
Averagely, irrespective of breed, it takes a puppy at least 12 months for it to come full maturity. It is for small dog breeds, while big breeds take one whole year or about 1 ½ or two years before it comes to full maturity.
The full maturity does not connote real sophistication, in which your dog reaches the adult height or has the 42 full permanent teeth.
How Much Time Does It Take to Get Permanent Teeth?
It takes 1 to 2 years, and that is when you can say your dog has become an adult with 42 adult teeth without controversy.
The transformation of the puppy baby teeth to adult dog teeth takes time. It varies greatly depending on many factors.
Puppy’s baby teeth, in scientific terms, means deciduous teeth. It is commonly referred to as milk teeth. These teeth begin to shed from around 12 to 16 weeks of age. It takes four months for the puppy to lose all of the milk teeth.
After the four months, many of the adult dog teeth will begin to replace the milk teeth. After six months, the dog should have the complete adult dog teeth of 42 or majority of the permanent teeth must have become visible.
Difference Between the Puppy Teeth and the Adult Dog Teeth
The baby teeth are the first teeth set of a puppy. We call them as milk teeth because the teeth come through the gums while the puppies are dependent or still receiving external care.
They are small and sharp, and it has a small root, which makes shedding easier before it begins to develop the adult dog teeth. These teeth are void of molar because the puppies do not need them at this time.
In contrast, the adult dog teeth are large in size, sharper, and it has a firm root, which holds and secures dog’s teeth for the rest of their life.
An adult dog has 42 set of teeth; however, an adult dog can lose a tooth just like a human can also lose theirs. When a human loses a tooth, it can grow back naturally. The same thing doesn’t happen in adult dogs.
If an adult dog loses a tooth, it can’t grow back. The dog loses it forever. It is the reason you should take good care of your dog’s teeth. It is all that the dog has for a lifetime, and the dog will thank you for it by wagging its tail.
How to Care for Dog’s Teeth?
You can care for your dog’s teeth by cleaning them regularly. However, dogs can clean their teeth from what they chew, which includes bones and biscuit. These meals help them clean the tartar in the gum line.
However, there is a need to brush the dog’s teeth that often eat softer food such as canned dog foods. You can likewise brush their teeth if you see it necessary, but, cleaning dog’s teeth is not as simple as it seems.
How to Brush Dog’s Teeth?
Before attempting to brush your dog’s teeth, you have to train the dog to get attuned to this practice. You can achieve this by trying to clean the dog every day, right from the puppy stage.
You can speak with your vet to give some essential tips or demonstrate to you how to instruct your dog to brush its teeth.
Do not use toothpaste meant for humans to brush the dog’s teeth; it is not good for their health. It is better to purchase the specially made toothpaste and toothbrush for dogs to clean its teeth. Let’s check out these steps to your clean dog’s teeth.
Steps to Clean Dog’s Teeth
- Apply the dog toothpaste to the toothbrush
- Carefully and gently open the dog’s mouth and place the toothbrush inside the mouth
- Begin to brush the teeth around the gum line
- Then, take it to the molar (the back tooth)
- Now, move it to the incisors (flat, sharp front tooth)
- Put the brush inside the water to rinse the teeth
- Close the mouth
- Release the dog to play: you are done!
Conclusion
Here’s a quick recap! Dogs are either puppy or adult. The puppy is a baby dog, and it has 28 baby teeth. The adult dog has 42 set of teeth. The puppy teeth begin to shed the baby teeth from around 14 to 16 weeks. The permanent 42 adult dog teeth replace within six months or alongside.
The teeth are all the dog has for a lifetime. If any of the dog teeth break by an accident or any unforeseen event, then a dog loses that tooth permanently. So you need to help the dogs by taking good care of their teeth.
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