How to Determine a Dog’s Age by Teeth

Did you know we can approximate a dog’s age by examining their teeth? In adult dogs, a dental exam will help you estimate age. For puppies, the age can be more accurately estimated because at a certain point they will lose their baby teeth. ^{[1] X Kirk and Bistner’s Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment . Ford and Mazzaferro. Elsevier.} Teeth are a good starting point from which you can roughly estimate your dog’s age.

Table of Contents

Know about dog teeth

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Understand the structure and organization of a dog’s teeth. All dogs have four basic types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. They grow on the upper and lower jaw, left and right.

Incisors are small teeth that run along the front of the mouth. Adult dogs have six upper and lower incisors. The two incisors (next to the canines) are slightly larger than the central incisors; The upper incisors tend to protrude to the side.
The canines are located behind the incisors, four on each side. These are large and pointed teeth.
The premolars are located behind the canines. There are four premolars both in the upper and lower jaws. The top fourth premolar is very large.
Finally behind the premolars are the molars. The upper jaw of a dog has two molars. In the lower jaw there are three. The first one is larger than the other two.

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Understand how dog teeth develop. Puppies usually have about 28 teeth. For the first 2-4 weeks, the teeth are not noticeable. Small canines begin to grow in 3-4 weeks. Small incisors and premolars begin to erupt after 4-6 weeks. By week eight, all incisors are formed. For the next three months, there will be no significant changes.

After five months, the permanent teeth will begin to erupt, usually the first canines and molars. Seven months, all the permanent teeth will have erupted. If your puppy has all the permanent teeth, chances are he’s more than 7 months old. Adult dogs usually have about 42 teeth.
After the puppy stage, age is marked by tooth wear. One year old, very white and clean teeth. At the end of the second year, whiteness will decrease and tartar begins to develop. This will cause yellowing on the back teeth. After 3-5 years, the yellowness will increase and be clearly visible on all teeth. It is a sign that the tooth is being worn down.

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Understand how, why dog teeth wear and decay? Tooth wear is a natural phenomenon, but it can happen faster due to some habits such as frequent chewing on hard objects (bones, rocks, sticks) or because the dog did not have good oral care when it was young. On the other hand, some other chewing activities are great for your dog’s oral health. Rawhide or “dental” rubber can help dogs remove plaque and material from their teeth.

Understand how the disease manifests itself. By the age of three, nearly 80% of dogs will show signs of gum disease. This can be seen in yellow and brown tartar buildup, inflamed gums, bad breath, which is more common in small breeds.
Food also plays an important role in your dog’s oral health. Dry foods can help remove some of the plaque on your teeth, slowing tooth decay and other damage. There are foods that are specially formulated for oral health. Your veterinarian can advise you on an appropriate diet for your dog if you are concerned about his teeth. Oral care water for dogs can also be used to combat tooth decay and aging bacteria.
Worn teeth can break, although normal tooth wear is less harmful to health. Excessive tooth wear can damage the roots of the teeth, potentially requiring minor surgery.

Estimated age of the dog

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Estimate a puppy’s age by assessing its tooth development. Teeth grow rapidly at the puppy stage. Because change happens so quickly, this is the most accurate time to tell a dog’s age. Count the type and position of your puppy’s teeth to estimate age.

Newborn dogs will have teeth emerging from their gums. At a certain time teeth will erupt. The first baby teeth appear, 3-4 weeks old begin to appear canines. Weeks 4 and 5, two central incisors emerge. At 4-6 weeks, the first two molars will erupt. At 5-6 weeks of age, the third incisors begin to appear. And at 6-8 weeks wisdom teeth will erupt. Premolars do not appear until much later.
At 8 weeks old, the dog will have 28 baby teeth. At about 4 months of age, a small dog will begin to lose baby teeth because the larger teeth will erupt. Most of the times, dogs will swallow these teeth but sometimes homeowners will find a baby tooth or see bleeding gums where a tooth has erupted. Just like babies, dogs will enjoy chewing on many things at this stage!
At 4-5 months the incisors mature, first the premolars, and the first molars emerge. At 5-6 months canines develop, premolars 2-4, and two molars erupt. Finally, at 6-7 months wisdom teeth will erupt. All will have 42 teeth formed.

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Assess the condition of an adult dog’s teeth to estimate its age. During the first two years, teeth are usually white with very little wear. By the end of the second year the white color will fade and tartar will begin to form. This will cause yellow teeth. Eventually the wear and tear along with the accumulation of plaque and bacteria will cause teeth to begin to age. This is how we estimate an adult dog’s age.

By the age of three, most dogs will have some signs of dental disease: yellow and brown tartar buildup, red gums, bad breath. Of course, dogs that are brushed daily by their owners and taken to the dog dentist regularly will not show these signs.
After 3-5 years, the yellowness will increase and be clearly visible on all teeth. There are things to keep in mind when it comes to tooth wear. At this age, teeth will continue to wear down. Receding gums is the leading cause of tooth loss. The yellowing of teeth will become more pronounced, from yellow to brown.
From 5 to 10 years, teeth will continue to wear down. Signs of the disease may appear. From 10 to 15 years, some teeth may be missing and decay will spread.

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Consult your veterinarian if you want a more accurate estimate of your dog’s age. All told, it can be difficult to determine a dog’s age by just looking at its teeth. Food, routine, dental care (or none) can all play a role in accelerating or slowing tooth wear in all dogs.

Advice

Judging a dog’s age by examining its teeth gives only a very rough estimate. Tooth condition is greatly influenced by habits, diet, and even chewing on toys.

Warning

Dogs don’t always let you check your teeth. Always use caution near a dog’s mouth, and never put your hand in an unknown or unknown dog’s mouth.
A good owner will not be so indifferent to a pet’s dental problem that his dog’s teeth are lost (shown in holes and pits) or his gums bleed without knowing it. This is the dog’s pain and the owner’s indifference.

Steps

Know about dog teeth

Estimated age of the dog

Advice

Warning

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