Teeth line the upper and lower jaws of dogs and are used for tearing and shredding food. Puppies have 28 teeth, while adults have a total of 42 teeth. The exact number can vary slightly. The teeth are living tissue and are covered with enamel, the hardest substance in the dog's body. Dentin is the next layer, and the core is called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. The root of the tooth is buried beneath the gums in the jaw bone. Some teeth, such as incisors, have one root, while the others, such as the upper fourth premolars, have as many as three roots.
What is Teething?
Teething in the puppy refers to the process of growing baby teeth (deciduous teeth) and ends with the eruption of the adult or permanent teeth. Puppies are born without any teeth. The first baby teeth, sometimes referred to as 'milk teeth,' erupt from the gumline around three weeks of age. These teeth are small and very sharp. By about six weeks of age, all of the baby teeth have erupted. The baby teeth will eventually fall out and be replaced by the permanent or adult teeth.
The first deciduous teeth to come in are the incisors, followed by the canine teeth and finally the premolars. Puppies do not have deciduous molars. Puppies generally start to lose their deciduous teeth around 3 months of age. As with the deciduous teeth, the incisors are the first permanent teeth to erupt. They are followed by the premolars, molars, and canine teeth. Usually all of the permanent teeth have erupted around 6 months of age.
How to Help a Teething Puppy
Teething puppies love to chew. This may be an attempt to relieve the irritation associated with raw and occasionally bleeding gums. It is best to provide the puppy with things to chew on such as nutritional treats, toys, and rawhide. Be sure to only give your puppy appropriate chew items. Don't give your puppy an old shoe or sock to chew on because this will teach him that all shoes and socks are chew toys. He cannot tell the difference between the old shoe you gave him versus the brand new shoes you just bought. Also remember that puppies learn about the world around them by chewing on different objects. Be vigilant in helping your puppy understand what he is allowed to chew.
Having a puppy in the house is a fun and exciting time. Knowing the teething process can help pet parents understand why their puppy is chewing on everything in sight and can teach their pup at an early age what is an appropriate chew item.
Article by: Race Foster, DVM and Angela Walter, DVM