Top 5 questions about dog teeth

…and the answers you need

As people, we care about how our teeth look like, we brush our teeth and overall want to have a beautiful smile. But when it comes to dogs, then the only thing most dog owners know is… well, not much really.

That’s why we have gathered 5 questions and answers about dog teeth, because dog’s dental care is crucial for a happy and healthy dog.

Why does my dog have bad breath?

Let me ask you this first - do you brush your dog’s teeth regularly or at all?

Bad breath usually comes because of the bacteria buildup. It might just mean that your dog’s teeth are very dirty or a sign of a dental disease.

If your dog’s teeth have turned from white to yellow or even brown from dog plaque or tartar, then paying a visit to the vet is a good idea.

Do puppy teeth fall out on their own?

Puppies are born without any teeth, but around 3 weeks of age, they start developing baby teeth or deciduous teeth. By the time puppy is around 6-8 weeks old, they have 28 pretty sharp teeth.

By the time puppy is around 6-8 weeks old, they have 28 pretty sharp teeth.

Now, yes, puppy teeth usually fall out on their own and this process begins at around 3 to 4 month old puppies.

Since it is quite uncomfortable for puppies, they need some safe, but durable and cooling chew toys to relieve the gums.

Kong chew toys are usually pretty good choise. We have used different ones ever since we got our dog. You can fill them with treats or fruits and freeze, to ease puppy during teething period.

When everything goes smoothly, by the age of 6 to 7 months, your puppy should have 42 adult teeth. Do monitor the process and if you notice an abnormal toots growing then consult with the vet for some extra advice.

For our husky, all of her teeth fell out by themselves, but one final puppy tooth didn’t want to come out and needed a little human help.

How often should I brush my dog’s teeth?

You want to do it daily, once is enough. But if you haven’t done it so far, then slowly start introducing tooth brushing process top your dog with 2-3 times a week.

Then step by step start doing it more often, until it has become a daily habit for you and for your dog. If your dog really hates tooth brushing, then try changing up the toothpaste.

We are using beef flavoured dog’s toothpaste daily and our dog LOVES this. She would eat the whole tube, if she could. 😆

Brushing your dog’s teeth is basically like a gold standard when it comes to at home dog dental care. It helps to prevent diseases and keep away bad breath.

Are dental chews effective?

Now, one thing needs to be cleared. Dental chews do not replace brushing your dog’s teeth.

But do they actually help to remove dirt or buildup from your dog’s teeth? It depends on the dental chew, but simply the mechanical action of chewing and rubbing the rougher texture of the chew can rub off some of the buildup from the teeth. But what these things cost…we don’t really think they are worth it.

As a yummy treat, why not, but as a tooth brushing replacement - definitely no.

One rather unpopular thing to use, and what we sometimes also use, is frozen pig’s leg/ear. Especially chewing the skin part helps to gently rub not only your dog’s teeth, but also it’s gums, which need more gentle approach than the teeth.

So from time to time giving some frozen pig ear or leg or a dental chew will definitely support better oral care, but again, it won’t replace the actual daily tooth brushing.

What are the signs of a dog’s dental problem?

Dog owners usually first notice bad breath, which definitely can be a sign of a dental problem, but might not necessarily be the case - especially when the owner hasn’t done any tooth brushing.

One other symptom is teeth changing colour or gums being red.

But when you do feel like your dog might have something, be more observant for a few days. Keep track of if your dog has difficulties eating, are your dog’s gums swollen, red or maybe any of the teeth is actually loose or even missing.

If there are any of these symptoms, it is always wise to consult with the vet for a more thorough examination… even when you do brush your dog’s teeth.

Even a healthy dog can get an infection or simply damage a tooth or their gums, just by playing.

Taking care of dog teeth is important

I don’t think that we, as dog owners, will ever get tired of talking how important your dog’s daily oral care is. It is an essential part of their overall health and life quality.

By understanding the answers of some of the questions about dog’s dental health and care, using the right products and knowing what to keep in mind, you can help ensure that your dog can live a happy life with a big and healthy smile.

Before we started brushing and monitoring our dog’s teeth, we too suffered from bad doggy breath. But after learning about it, not only do our dog’s kisses won’t trouble our noses any more, but we also actually saved our dog’s life. Read more here.

Haven’t heard about Pocket Puppy School before?

Pocket Puppy School is a completely free dog training app. Our mission is to make information about raising dogs accessible to everyone in the world.

But in addition to our app, we have a blog (that you are currently reading 🤓) where we talk all things about dogs.

We post some informational and fun content to our Instagram page and believe it or not, we even have a merch store. 🥹 In the store you can get a t-shirt or a hoodie with your own dog picture that we will make into an awesome design.

Feel free to check out all of our channels, and if you have any questions, leave a comment down below.

Thank you!