All You Need to Know About Puppy Teeth
Most dog lovers agree that puppy breathing is the best. As every dog owner understands, this can change drastically throughout a puppy’s life. This article will discuss the basics of puppy dentition, which is the arrangement or condition that teeth are in a specific species or individual. It also discusses how to maintain healthy adult puppy teeth.
How many teeth do puppies have?
The first litter of puppies is born without teeth. This makes it easier for mom to nurse them. Around 2 to 3 weeks old, the deciduous or ‘baby” teeth begin to appear. A puppy should have 28 complete sets of deciduous teeth by 8-10 weeks.
What happens to baby teeth?
You might notice that these teeth are extremely sharp. The roots of deciduous teeth are very short and have thin enamel. Sharpness is a benefit for dogs to chew on. Their jaws are strengthening, and they can eat food. These razor-sharp adult teeth are usually replaced with less sharp adult teeth. This happens between 4 and 6 months of age. Adult dogs have 42 teeth. Our 28 teeth may seem small.
Monitor the Puppy Teething process
Regular puppy veterinarian visits are crucial for the teeth to be examined and to ensure that the mouth and dentition form correctly. As the adult teeth are coming in, your veterinarian will check for common problems with puppy dentistry. It is important to catch these issues early in your puppy’s development. When it comes to the treatment of deciduous teeth, interceptive orthodontics is used. Intervention is usually necessary to allow adult teeth to grow properly and encourage the jaw and comfortably bite alignment.
Common Puppy Dental Problems
Fractures for Baby Teeth
Fractures are a common problem for puppy teeth. These baby teeth can have thin walls that may break and expose the pulp. The pulp is the living part of the tooth. The nerves and blood supply are contained in the pulp. The pain of removing a deciduous tooth is not immediately felt, but it quickly becomes fatal. The pulp becomes ‘dead’, which is evident by the grey color of the tooth. It is not painful but can lead to problems for the adult tooth.
While it may be possible to wait until your puppy is spayed/neutered to have the baby tooth broken, in some cases, you will need to extract the tooth immediately.
Retained Deciduous Puppy Teeth
Retained deciduous puppy teeth are another common problem in pediatric dentistry. This is more common in small breed dogs such as miniatures. Chihuahuas And Yorkshire Terriers. A persistent baby tooth can trap bacteria and debris against the adult tooth, causing problems. It can also cause misalignment of the adult tooth if two teeth are erupting from the same space. This can lead to problems in the bite.
Retained baby teeth can be addressed at the time of spay/neuter. Under anesthesia, any baby tooth not removed after six to seven months should be professionally extracted.
Jaw Malalignment
Malalignment is another concern in pediatric dentistry. Malalignment can be complicated because many breeds have been genetically modified to have disproportionate mandibular and maxillary jaw components. A look at the Bulldog This is what a smile can do!
Although we may think of an underbite as being ‘cute’, it can cause serious health problems for dogs. An overbite could cause even more problems. Overbite can cause the lower canine (or ‘fangs) and the incisors (smaller front teeth) to touch the roof of your mouth. This causes pain, inflammation, and damage to your palate. To prevent damage to the delicate soft tissue at the roof of your mouth, it is possible to make a crown reduction on the upper teeth in severe cases.
Base Narrow Canines
Interceptive orthodontics may be required for a narrow base mandible. The lower canine teeth shorter than the upper jaw are more likely to hit the roof of your mouth, causing trauma. The adult teeth usually erupt into the interior of the deciduous tooth. If this is not corrected early, it can cause pain and injury.
These narrow deciduous teeth can be extracted early in development, sometimes as early as 8 weeks. This will allow the pup’s mouth to close comfortably. The roots of the deciduous tooth are also removed so that permanent adult teeth can emerge through the opening. This increases the likelihood of normal eruption of lower adult canine teeth.
How to keep your puppy’s teeth healthy?
The most important aspect of juvenile dentistry is establishing a good routine for oral hygiene. Getting your puppy used to brush will ensure that you can continue caring for their adult teeth. Regular brushing will remove plaque which is the precursor of tartar.
