Puppies are born without teeth, and their baby teeth (also known as deciduous teeth) start to come through at around 2-4 weeks of age. Like humans, dogs go through two sets of teeth. They first grow 28 baby teeth by 6 weeks of age, first their incisors (front teeth) and canines (fangs), followed by the premolars. The baby teeth then start to fall out to make room for their adult teeth to start growing.

By the end of the teething process, your adult dog will have 42 permanent teeth. But when do puppy teeth fall out, and how long does it take for the adult teeth to come through? Let's take a closer look at a puppy’s teething timeline...

When Do Puppies Lose Their Teeth?

Don’t be alarmed when you start to notice your puppy’s teeth falling out! Puppies usually start to lose their baby teeth at around 12 weeks of age, so not long after you’ve welcomed them into your home. Some of their baby teeth will be swallowed, and others you’ll find on the floor or in their bed. Soon after their baby teeth have fallen out, their new adult teeth start to emerge, and puppy teething continues.

Why is My Puppy Biting Me?

Puppies experience teething in the same way that human babies do. Biting and chewing are common puppy teething symptoms that bring them some relief from the pain and discomfort of growing new teeth. Unfortunately, your puppy won’t be picky over what it puts in its mouth.

If you want to protect your possessions, you’ll need to invest in some safe puppy teething toys. There are lots of options out there including bones, ropes, and synthetic toys. However, some of these chew toys have been known to cause gastrointestinal blockages or intestinal punctures. These can be life-threatening and often require surgery.

So, you’ll need to choose carefully. Also keep in mind that some objects can be hard enough to break their baby teeth. The recommendation is to not allow your puppy to chew anything that won’t bend. Your vet will be able to advise you further on the best puppy teething toys.

Always supervise your puppy even when it’s chewing a recommended toy. And don't be alarmed if you find some spots of blood on your pup’s toy, this is normal when puppies start teething.

When Do Puppies Stop Teething?

All 42 of our puppy's adult teeth should emerge by the time they’re around 6 to 7 months of age. This is when the teething process ends and chewing usually starts to subside, but some dogs will chew to some extent their whole life. Chewing, licking, and mouthing are normal dog behaviours. It’s their way of exploring and learning, but you can seek advice from your vet if the chewing is excessive and behaviour modification is necessary.

You might think that transitioning away from soft puppy food is necessary once a puppy’s adult teeth come in, but that’s not always the case. Generally, puppies are ready to switch to adult food between 9 to 12 months old; however, this can depend based on their size and breed.

Should I Brush My Puppy’s Teeth?

All dogs need to maintain dental hygiene to prevent plaque build-up and dental issues. Dental problems are the most common and often costly problems seen in dogs.

It’s a good idea to get your puppy used to having its teeth brushed from a young age. It will also get your dog used to having things, other than toys and food, in its mouth. This is useful for retrieving unwanted objects from your dog's mouth, and for checking the condition of their teeth.

When a puppy is teething, they’ll have sore gums so you should first focus on getting them used to having their mouth handled and teeth gently touched. Pair this with treats so they create a positive association with the experience. Don’t start brushing your dog’s teeth properly until teething has stopped. Brushing vigorously when teething will hurt your pup and will likely cause problems with teeth brushing in the future.

How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Firstly, when brushing your dog’s teeth, use a toothpaste that’s safe for dogs. Some ingredients in human toothpaste can be toxic and will make them sick. There are different toothbrushes to choose from, some slip on to one of your fingers and others have a handle. Fingers brushes can give you more control so can be more precise, but they’re not a good option for small dog breeds as their mouth may be too small for your finger.

You need to get your puppy used to having their mouth touched first. Regularly handle their mouth, gently lifting their lip to expose their teeth and rewarding them with a treat every time. Then introduce your puppy to the toothbrush and paste by letting them sniff and lick the brush with a small amount of paste on it.

Once your pup is familiar with the brush, start to introduce it to their mouth. Gentle part their mouth to expose their teeth and rest the brush against them. Don’t progress past this point until your pup has stopped teething and you’re sure their mouth isn’t sore.

Now you can start to brush their teeth. Focus on the outside of their teeth as this is where plaque builds up. You can either sit in front of your dog, or to the side of them. Lift their lip to exposure their teeth and brush over some of the teeth, then reward with a treat before moving on to other teeth.

As your dog gets used to the brushing, you can start to space out the treats, so you brush more teeth before rewarding. Eventually you can just reward at the end of a tooth brushing session. You can ask your vet or veterinary nurse for a tooth brushing demonstration if you’re unsure of exactly what to do.

To keep your dog’s teeth in tip-top condition, aim to brush your dog’s teeth daily or at least 3 times a week. This’ll help to prevent dental disease. Take your puppy to see your vet if you notice any signs of dental problems, like bad breath, difficulty eating or broken teeth.

Common Dental Problems in Puppies

There are few problems associated with puppy teeth. Some puppies will experience retained deciduous teeth, which is when a baby tooth doesn’t fall out like it’s supposed to. This happens most commonly with the incisors but can happen anywhere. Brachycephalic (short-nosed) dog breeds are prone to this problem.

Retained teeth can cause malocclusion, where the teeth become misaligned creating a poor bite. They can also cause discomfort and predispose the dog to future dental problems. It’s best to remove any retained teeth, which is a simple procedure that can be performed at the same time as neutering.

The teething process lasts for 6-7 months, in which time baby teeth fall out to make room for adult dog teeth to emerge. Puppy teething toys will help to relieve any pain or discomfort they’re feeling during this time and will help to prevent them from chewing your prized possessions!

Brushing your puppy’s teeth daily will protect them from dental problems, so it’s a good idea to get them used to it from a young age. But it can cause them pain if their gums are sore, so make sure they’ve finished teething before you start brushing properly. A good time to start brushing properly is from 6 months old.

Keep an eye out during this period to ensure your puppy is safe. There are few dental problems associated with puppies' baby teeth but speak to your vet if you have any concerns.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.