When it comes to caring for a dog, dental health might not be the first thing that comes to mind; however, it’s extremely important to be mindful of your pup’s oral hygiene, as it plays a key role in his overall health and happiness. Just like humans, dogs can suffer from complications with their teeth, including decay, gum disease, and tooth loss; conditions that can cause a great deal of discomfort and in some cases, they can even cause serious health problems.
Part of responsible pet ownership is knowing how to properly take care of your furry friend’s teeth. With that said, you might be wondering “How many teeth does my dog have?” That’s a great question, actually! Why? – Because the more you know about your pet’s mouth, the better you can care for his oral health; and part of providing good dental hygiene includes knowing how many teeth a dog has.
So, how many teeth do dogs have? Let’s take a look…
How Many Teeth do Dogs Have?
Just like humans, canines have baby teeth when they are puppies, which are referred to as deciduous teeth (just like the trees). They have a total of 28 baby teeth, and those teeth fall out and are replaced by adult teeth. By the time a puppies are 6 months old, they have all of their adult teeth. In total, dogs have 42 adult teeth.
Caring for a Canines Teeth
Another way that canine teeth are similar to human teeth is that they require proper care. While yes, wild dogs don’t practice dental hygiene and they are less likely to experience oral health issues, wild dogs and domesticated dogs are quite different. In the wild, a dog’s eating habits have a direct effect on their teeth; in other words, the food they eat and the methods that they use to source their food (hunting) means that they aren’t exposed to refined ingredients, like sugars and carbohydrates, which can negatively impact dental health and are things that many domesticated dogs are exposed to. The dry dog food or wet dog food that some canines eat may contain ingredients that are considered less than optimal for tooth health. However, even if your pup eats the highest quality dog food from one of the most reputable dog food brands, it’s still incredibly important to make sure that you get in the habit of practicing proper tooth care with your pet.
Here are some tips that you can use that will help keep your furry pal’s pearly whites strong, healthy, and sparkling clean; not to mention keep his breath smelling fresh.
- Encourage chewing. The more your pet chews, the better. Chewing acts as a natural toothbrush, as it removes built up plaque; plus, it keeps him busy, and a busy pup is a happy pup. So, make sure you offer your pooch dental chews, bully sticks for dogs, puppy teething toys, and chew toys for dogs
- Tooth brushing. You should also try physically brushing your dogs teeth as often as possible; do keep in mind, however, that canines don’t need to brush twice a day, like humans; instead, they can go a week or two between brushes. There are plenty of toothbrushes for dogs and toothpaste for dogs on the market, but we highly recommend Pet Republique Dog and Cat Dual-Headed Toothbrush and Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog Toothpaste. Additionally, try offering him a dog breath freshener to keep that foul odor at bay.
- Professional cleanings. If your pup won’t allow you to brush his teeth and he isn’t keen on chew toys, make sure you schedule regular tooth cleanings with your vet. Your pup will be cleaned while he is under sedation, which will allow his teeth to be fully cleaned.
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