Dental health is very important for your dog. While it’s normal for your puppy to lose their primary teeth, a loose tooth may be a sign of an injury or dental disease in an adult dog. Dental disease can take a long time to develop, so prevention is the best way to avoid dental problems. Here’s what to do if your dog has a loose tooth:

When Do Puppies Lose Their Teeth?

A puppy is born without their teeth, but when they’re about 2-4 weeks old, baby teeth begin to erupt from the gums. If you’re unprepared for it, it can be alarming, so it’s one of the things you need to know about puppy teething. They usually have about 28 baby teeth, and around 3-4 months of age, a puppy will start losing those baby teeth to make room for 42 adult teeth. This tooth loss is completely normal and essential for their adult teeth to come in.

As a puppy begins this process of losing their baby teeth, you might notice some signs. You might see your dog rubbing their face on furniture or chewing on things. You might also notice a little bit of blood on toys or even in their water bowl. Some teething puppies even grind their teeth because of the oral discomfort.

Sometimes, a puppy’s baby teeth don’t fall out like they should. If this happens, these retained teeth can cause adult tooth issues. Oftentimes, retained teeth occur in the upper canines. If this occurs in your puppy, make sure to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

What Causes Tooth Loss in Dogs?

If your adult dog has a loose tooth, there are a few main reasons why. The most common reasons are injury or dental disease. Sometimes a dog might bump their mouth against something, knocking a tooth loose, which might be a reason your dog’s face is swollen. They might also chew something extra hard, like a rock, a stick, or a chew that is too hard, causing a tooth to become loose.

Dental and gum disease in dogs is a common cause of tooth loss. Even though a dog’s diet has much less sugar than a human’s, dogs can still develop tartar buildup and tooth decay. When tartar builds up and hardens on the tooth, it becomes a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. A dog’s gum can also become inflamed on the root. If this happens, the root can begin decaying, causing the tooth to become loose.

Another reason your dog might have a loose tooth is cancer. If your dog has cancer of the jawbone or their tongue, a loose tooth might be one of the first signs you notice.

Symptoms of Loose Teeth in Dogs

If your dog has a loose tooth, there are some signs and symptoms you might notice. Symptoms of loose teeth in dogs can include:

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Bleeding of the gums
• Bright red gums
• Excessive drooling, as well as blood-tinged drool
• Blood on chew toys
• Pawing or scratching at the mouth
• Difficulty chewing or only wanting to eat soft food
• Swelling of the face
• Lack of appetite
• Sneezing and/or nasal discharge of the nose
• Bumps found in the mouth
• Pain or tenderness in the mouth

Certain symptoms, like swelling of the face and lack of appetite, are symptoms you should never ignore in your dog.

What to Do If Your Dog Has a Loose Tooth

If you have a puppy, losing teeth is just a normal part of puppyhood. However, if you have an adult dog with a loose tooth, you should see a veterinarian. This issue will not improve without medical attention. Follow these steps:

1. Contact your vet.
2. Protect your dog’s teeth until your vet visit.
3. Be prepared for tests and exams at the vet.
4. Follow post-treatment care advice.

1. Contact Your Vet

If you notice any of the signs and symptoms that your dog might have a loose tooth, try to get a look inside their mouth. If it appears that a tooth is loose, contact your veterinarian immediately. They can help you form a plan and decide if you need to seek emergency medical attention or if you can wait for an appointment.

2. Protect Your Dog’s Teeth Until Your Vet Visit

If your veterinarian decides to schedule an appointment rather than advising you to seek emergency services, do your best to help your dog protect the tooth. Don’t let your dog use any chew toys, chew any furniture, or engage in any rough and tumble playtime. You should also avoid giving them any hard kibble. Stick to pates or other soft dog food.

3. Be Prepared For Tests and Exams at the Vet

When your dog can go to the veterinarian, they will likely do an exam and possibly an X-ray to determine the best course of action. Typically, a tooth extraction done under anesthesia is recommended. They may also do dental cleaning while your dog is under anesthesia.

Your veterinarian will also run blood tests at the initial examination to make sure that your dog is healthy enough for the anesthesia and procedure. Anesthesia is often necessary for dental examinations and care.

Anesthesia keeps dogs completely still and also helps reduce anxiety and stress. This allows veterinarians to do a thorough cleaning and prevents water and other debris from getting into the lungs during the procedure.

4. Follow Post-Treatment Care Advice

After the procedure, your veterinarian will probably prescribe some pain relief for your dog as well as antibiotics if necessary. Your veterinarian will go over the healing process with you for your dog’s specific needs, but typically, your dog should avoid chewing activities and hard food until everything is fully healed. Your vet may even schedule a follow-up exam just to make sure everything looks good and healthy.

How to Prevent Loose Teeth in Dogs

Good dental care and being careful with what you let your dog chew on are essential in helping to prevent loose teeth in dogs. Here’s how to prevent loose teeth in dogs:

1. Schedule regular veterinarian exams and preventive dental cleanings.
2. Keep up with daily brushing.
3. Use dental-safe products.

1. Schedule Regular Veterinarian Exams and Preventive Dental Cleanings

Sticking to a regular veterinarian exam schedule is important and can help avoid medical and dental emergencies. Routine exams with your veterinarian can help detect any conditions or diseases that may cause dental problems in your dog. Catching things early can go a long way and keep your dog’s teeth safe and strong.

Your veterinarian will probably also recommend preventative dental cleanings for your dog. Getting preventative cleaning is just as important for your dog as it is for you! While anesthesia is often required for dental cleanings, it’s an important part of their healthcare and is one of the essential costs of owning a dog. It’s easier to do general preventative care rather than extensive procedures if something goes wrong with their teeth.

2. Keep Up With Daily Brushing

While this might sound tedious, daily brushing is important for your dog’s dental care and is important for preventing dental disease. If your dog hates the task, find ways to make it at least somewhat bearable for them, like rewarding them with treats or a different and new (to them) toy.

Brushing your dog’s teeth regularly requires the right tools, such as a toothbrush and toothpaste specifically for dogs. Never use human toothpaste for your dog because certain ingredients can be harmful and cause digestive issues in dogs.

If brushing is impossible with your dog, talk to your veterinarian for advice. There may be some other solutions to try to help your dog get good dental care.

3. Use Dental-Safe Products

Dogs love to chew, and it can be an enrichment activity. However, you should still be careful because certain toys can cause harm to your dog’s mouth and teeth. Make sure that your dogs use dog-safe chew toys that are softer to help avoid injury. Avoid hard objects, like certain types of bones or sticks, because they can do great damage to your dog’s teeth.

You can also look for a dog kibble that promotes dental health. Kibble can help scrape plaque off a dog’s teeth, hoping to prevent dental disease. However, this will depend on your dog’s diet, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions.

This is just an overview of what to do if your dog has a loose tooth. Dental care is very important for your dog, so make sure you take it seriously. It might feel like a lot of work, but it can help prevent a lot of problems down the road!