How Many Teeth Do Dogs Have: 28 Baby Teeth, 42 Adult Teeth and When a Tooth Is a Problem
By Cal Hewitt · Published , updated
Health
Most puppies have 28 baby teeth, and most adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars and 10 molars. Puppy teeth start coming in at about 3 to 5 weeks. Adult teeth usually begin arriving around 4 to 5 months and are generally all in by about 7 months. Finding a shed puppy tooth can be normal. Two teeth in one spot, a missing or broken adult tooth, a tooth that has changed color, bad breath, drooling, dropping food, bleeding gums or a swollen face deserves a call to your veterinarian.
Key takeaways
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- Puppies normally have 28 baby teeth, and adult dogs normally have 42 permanent teeth.
- Baby teeth begin at about 3 to 5 weeks, adult teeth begin at about 4 to 5 months, and most adult teeth are in by about 7 months.
- A shed puppy tooth on the floor, or one your puppy swallows, is a normal part of teething.
- Two teeth in one spot means a baby tooth stayed behind, and your vet should look at it promptly.
- A fractured tooth, facial swelling, trouble eating or clear pain behavior needs a vet visit soon.
- Dogs hide dental pain, so a chip, a dark tooth, drooling or dropped food is reason enough to call.
How many teeth does a dog have, and what kinds are they?
If you are standing there counting, here is what you are counting toward. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives 28 baby (deciduous) teeth for a puppy and 42 permanent teeth for an adult dog. Those are general reference numbers, and your own dog's mouth is something a vet should confirm.
The baby set is 12 incisors, 4 canines and 12 premolars. Puppies have no baby molars. The adult set is 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars and 10 molars. Incisors are the small front teeth, canines are the long pointed "fangs," premolars sit behind the canines, and molars are the flat back teeth. You may also hear canines called "eye teeth."
By jaw, VCA Animal Hospitals lists 20 teeth in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower. The upper jaw has 4 molars and the lower jaw has 6, which is why the lower total is higher.
When do puppy teeth come in, fall out and get replaced?
Baby teeth begin to appear at about 3 to 5 weeks, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Incisors and canines lead the way, and the premolars follow a little later, at about 4 to 6 weeks.
Around 14 weeks, the baby teeth start to shed, and the adult teeth replace them over roughly three months. Adult teeth usually begin showing at about 4 to 5 months, and most are present by about 7 months. The adult incisors come first, at about 3 to 5 months. The adult canines follow at about 4 to 6 months, and the adult premolars and the molars arrive at about 4 to 7 months. Molars are new; there were no baby molars to replace.
Those are approximate ranges, and puppies vary. A puppy who is at month 5 with a mix of baby and adult teeth is right on schedule. VCA suggests checking a puppy's mouth weekly through about seven to eight months so you notice a baby tooth that refuses to leave.
What is normal during teething?
Quite a lot of it looks alarming and is ordinary. Gums get tender, so your puppy chews more, and on more things. You may find a tiny, rice-sized tooth on the floor or in the bed. Plenty of puppies lose teeth without anyone seeing them, and many swallow them with their food. VCA describes swallowed and found puppy teeth as a normal part of teething.
A little blood on a chew toy can also happen as teeth loosen and come out. What stands out is the pattern. Blood that keeps coming, real pain, swelling, a puppy who will not eat or a bite that looks off goes beyond normal teething, so call your vet.
Chewing itself is something to steer, not stop. Give your puppy sturdy, size-appropriate toys and trade them for whatever they should not be chewing, like shoes or cords. Mouthing and teething come up together in Puppy Training Tips, and the New Puppy Checklist covers those first vet visits. Hard objects are a different story, and the chew section below covers them.
Why do I see two teeth in one spot?
If your puppy seems to have two canines on one side, or a small tooth standing right beside a bigger one, a baby tooth has probably stayed behind while the adult tooth came in. That is called a retained deciduous tooth. VCA notes that the upper canines are the most commonly retained, followed by the lower canines and incisors.
Two teeth in one position is not something to watch for a few months. According to VCA and the Merck Veterinary Manual, a retained tooth can crowd the adult teeth, push them into the wrong position, change the bite, trap food and plaque, raise the risk of gum disease, and lead to tooth wear or fracture. A retained lower canine can even injure the roof of the mouth.
So, book an exam as soon as you notice it. Removal generally happens while the adult tooth is coming in. It is done under general anesthesia, and the vet works to avoid harming the adult tooth underneath. One qualification: a baby tooth with no adult tooth behind it is sometimes left in place if X-rays show no disease or crowding. That decision belongs to your veterinarian.
What if an adult dog loses, chips, breaks or discolors a tooth?
Adult teeth are not supposed to fall out. A missing, loose, chipped, fractured or darkened adult tooth calls for a vet exam, for a simple reason. Dogs are good at hiding dental pain, so a dog who is eating and wagging can still have a tooth that hurts. The Merck Veterinary Manual and VCA on fractured teeth both make this point, and they list drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side and changes in chewing habits as things to act on.
Color matters too. A tooth that looks red, brown, purple or gray may have disease inside it, and a brown or black tooth is not just a stain. A red or black spot or hole on a tooth is also worth having checked. Only your vet can tell what is going on inside the tooth, which usually takes dental X-rays.
If you find a chipped or broken tooth, try not to poke around in a painful mouth. Call your vet, describe what you see, and ask how soon they want to see your dog. If there is facial swelling, your dog cannot eat, or the pain is obvious, go to the emergency vets near you.
Which signs mean a dental appointment, which are urgent, and how common is dental disease?
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the Merck Veterinary Manual point to these signs that a mouth needs a professional look:
- A visible chip or fracture, or a tooth that has changed color
- A red or black hole in a tooth
- Bad breath
- Red, swollen or bleeding gums
- Heavy drooling
- Dropping food, or chewing on one side
- Turning down hard food, treats or toys
- Pawing at the mouth
- Facial swelling, including swelling under the eye
- Nasal or eye discharge
- Eating less
- Pulling away when you touch the face or mouth
Some of these are same-day problems. A visible fracture, facial swelling, difficulty eating or clear pain behavior should be treated as urgent, so call your vet right away or head to an emergency vet if the office is closed. Bad breath, a dark tooth or red gums that keep showing up are less urgent, but they still call for an appointment. Please do not try to diagnose them at home. Your regular vet is the place to start, and Signs of a Healthy Dog is a good way to get a baseline for what normal looks like.
How common is this? The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) said in 2022 that research indicated at least 80% of dogs were likely to develop periodontal disease by age three. AAHA's owner guidance, published in 2024 and updated in 2026, says most dogs and cats already have some form of periodontal disease by age three. Those are population-level estimates, not a verdict on your dog, but they explain why vets check mouths so routinely. Older dogs are worth extra attention, and Senior Dog Care covers what to watch as they age.
What does a vet dental cleaning involve, and what might it cost?
AAHA describes a professional dental cleaning as a full procedure, not a quick scrape. It includes anesthesia, a complete oral exam, dental X-rays, scaling above and below the gumline, polishing, probing the gum pockets, and treatment such as extraction when a tooth needs it. The anesthesia is what makes the rest possible, because a dog cannot hold still and open wide for X-rays and careful probing.
That is also why AAHA and the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) say anesthesia-free cleaning is not a substitute. Scraping a conscious dog's teeth cannot adequately examine the mouth, take X-rays, probe, clean below the gumline, protect the airway or treat disease. AAHA adds that it brings risks from restraint and sharp instruments. A clean-looking tooth can still be hiding trouble under the gum.
Prices depend on where you live and what your dog needs. PetMD reported in 2025 that a routine professional cleaning commonly runs about $350 to $500. Extractions ran about $500 to $2,500 per tooth, depending on the tooth's size, how complicated it is and how long surgery takes. Advanced care can reach $1,500 or more. One clinic's March 2025 cost sheet from Green Dog Dental listed $550 for dental X-rays with sedation, a full cleaning and X-ray interpretation, and $600 to $5,000 for advanced procedures and extractions. That is one clinic's pricing, not a national rate.
Costs move with your region, your dog's size and age, anesthesia and monitoring, blood work, full-mouth X-rays, how many extractions are needed, whether you see a general vet or a dental specialist, and follow-up care. Ask your clinic for a written estimate before the procedure, and ask which parts are quoted up front and which depend on what the X-rays show.
How do I keep my dog's teeth healthy, and which chews can break teeth?
Brushing is the everyday habit that matters most. The steps are in How to Brush Your Dog's Teeth, so I won't repeat them here. Pair it with regular oral exams at your vet and professional dental care when your vet recommends it.
If you shop for dental chews or treats, look for the seal from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). VOHC gives it to products that meet preset standards for controlling plaque and tartar. It is not a promise that a product is right for every dog, and it does not replace brushing or veterinary care.
The bigger risk is hard chews. Veterinary sources name real bones, antlers, hooves, rocks, cages and hard nylon, along with other objects that do not bend, as things that can fracture teeth. The ASPCA also warns about choking, intestinal blockage and perforation if your dog swallows pieces. Choose chews to fit your dog's size, age and chewing style, and stay with your dog while they chew. Take the chew away if it breaks apart, wears down small, or your dog is swallowing big pieces. "Indestructible" on a label does not mean it cannot crack a tooth, and Indestructible Dog Toys goes through how to choose.
Questions about dog teeth
These are the questions people ask most once they have the count.
How many teeth can a dog lose?
An adult dog is not meant to lose any. If an adult tooth falls out or is missing, call your vet, since an injured or diseased tooth may be the reason. Puppies are different, and losing all 28 baby teeth is normal.
Do dogs feel tooth pain?
Yes, and they tend to hide it. Dogs can keep eating and acting like themselves with a painful tooth. A chip, a dark tooth, drooling or dropped food is enough reason to call.
What are the signs of a tooth problem in a dog?
Watch for bad breath, red or bleeding gums, drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side, pawing at the mouth, eating less and swelling of the face. A visible fracture, swelling, trouble eating or marked pain needs urgent care. The longer list above covers the rest.
When do puppies stop teething?
Most adult teeth are in by about 7 months. Chewing can continue after that, though, because it is a behavior as well as a teething response.
What should I do next?
Open your dog's mouth gently, or just look, and count what you can see. If it matches what you read above, and nothing is crooked, broken, dark, bleeding or swollen, you can relax. If something is off, call your vet and describe it; if the face is swollen or your dog cannot eat, use the emergency vet directory. I am not a veterinarian, so your vet makes the call on any tooth.
Sources
- American Animal Hospital Association: American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
- ASPCA: ASPCA
- greendogdental.com: cost sheet from Green Dog Dental
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Merck Veterinary Manual
- PetMD: PetMD
- VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA Animal Hospitals
- VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA on fractured teeth
- VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA
- VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA
- Veterinary Oral Health Council: VOHC
- wsava.org: WSAVA