Missing, or Extra Teeth in Papillons Dogs Phalenes,Teeth Development, Dental Care.

Dogs may be born with extra teeth, and it can cause periodontal disease from over crowding.
Missing teeth can occur any area in the mouth, but usually the premolar area will have a missing tooth.
 Even if a few are missing, as long as the dog is behaving and eating normally, this may not be a problem. Sometimes a missing tooth is trapped below the gum line and is not erupting.

X rays can be taken as far as 10 weeks of age to see if there is a hidden tooth.
Missing or extra teeth are considered a genetic defect, but usually does not affect the health of the dog.


Teeth Development in your Papillon:
3 Months: Puppy Incisors begin to fall out

4 Months: Adult Canines and Molars start to come in
6 to 7 Months: Adult Molars Come In
7 to 8 Months: Full Adult Teeth

Papillon Puppy Teeth Development (Primary Teeth)

Unlike the adult, or permanent teeth, the primary teeth are very thin and fragile. They are not firmly anchored in place by strong mineralized bone and can easily be broken or pulled out of position. Therefore the most common problems we encounter in this age group are traumatic injuries, sometimes self-inflicted, sometimes inflicted by well meaning owners.Puppies are very oral and like having things in their mouths. We should avoid giving them hard objects, and playing “tug of war” with them. By pulling, we can either fracture or luxate (pull out of position) the primary “canine or fang” teeth of our small furry friends.

 Since the adult fang teeth are developing under the gums close by to where the baby fangs are, they can also, in turn, be damaged. This can cause them to either never erupt or to come up in an improper position. This improper tooth location can cause injury to the mouth’s soft tissue.Hard objects like “Indestructible bones”, “Hooves”, sticks and rocks can break teeth. Catching a flying saucer-like play toy in mid-air can also lead to teeth breaking. These types of injuries are very painful and usually result in the tooth dying and causing an infection or abscess of the bone. Signs of a possible oral problem include: difficulty in eating or holding objects, bleeding, or drooling. The bone and overlying gums will be sensitive to the touch, swollen, and the infection can start to drain – a condition called a “gum boil”.   Pet owners should check the animal’s mouth for broken teeth on a daily basis. If any are detected, a veterinarian would immediately extract any of the broken baby teeth.

Teeth Development

Estimated Age:

• 2 - 4 Weeks

No Noticeable tooth growth

• 3 - 4 Weeks Deciduous (baby) canines coming in
• 4 - 6 Weeks Deciduous (baby) incisors and premolars coming in
• 8 Weeks All deciduous (baby) teeth are in
• 3 1/2 - 4 Months No noticeable permanent tooth growth
• 5 - 7 Months Permanent canines, premolars, and molars coming in; all teeth in by
• 7 months 1 Year Teeth white and clean
• 1 - 2 Years Teeth may appear dull with some tartar build-up (yellowing) on back teeth
• 3 - 5 Years Teeth show more tartar build-up (on all teeth) and some tooth wear
• 5 - 10 Years Teeth show increased wear and disease
• 10 - 15 Years Teeth are worn and show heavy tartar build up; some teeth may be missing

(Papillon) Problems with Puppy Teeth

A very common problem is that one of  the Papillon's deciduous (baby, or temporary puppy tooth) is broken.

These teeth are fragile, have no roots, and if given the wrong chew toys, or a puppy which chews just about on everything around, may break a tooth.

When you see a broken tooth, regardless, deciduous, or adult tooth, you need to bring your Pap to the vet. The tooth will need to be extracted.

A broken tooth most likely will lead to an infection , and you may not see the infection, because it will develop on the root, or bottom of the tooth.

Don't give your Papillon anything that could break it's teeth.

Don't feed cooked bones.

Don't give rib bones, or pork chop bones.

Hard rubber chews are safe, some have shapes where you can hide a little edible treat in it.

Good quality raw hides, larger then he can swallow is safe.

When do Papillon Puppies Loose Their Baby Teeth

• Teething:

Papillon Puppies start getting their adult teeth by approximately 3-4 months of age. This teething stage, where puppy teeth are replaced by adult teeth, last about 3 months or so, during that time, just like a human baby, your puppy can have a sore mouth, and it may inflict their eating habits, if his mouth is really sore.
The shedding of the baby teeth and replacement with adult teeth end at about 8 months of age.

Most of the time, the puppy swallows the tooth, that is the reason, we never get to see them.

• Retaining Puppy Teeth:

There are time when the baby teeth do not fall out, and the dog develops a double row of teeth.

Or you see a one adult tooth next to it's companion baby tooth. This can cause the adult tooth, or teeth being pushed out of alignment, which can cause malocclusion and gum injury.

Keep checking your your puppy's teeth, especially around the age of 6 months. If you see retained teeth, go to your vet; he will have the baby teeth removed.

Bad Breath - Halitosis

Bad Breath is a common  complaint in dogs and cats; especially in Toy Breeds.
Oral, periodontal disease  is the most common cause, where plaque, unhealthy tissues, decomposing food particles retained delivers the sour milk odor.
Small breeds are more prone to oral disease because the teeth are closer together, the smaller animals live longer, and their owners are more prone to feed softer food.
Older age more predisposed.
In most cases there are no clinical signs other than the malodor. Daily home care (brushing) aids in the removal of plaque, helps control dental disease and odor.    

Advise on Papillons Teeth.

Papillons, like all other Toy Breeds should get their teeth cleaned once per year.They have a full set of teeth in a tiny muzzle, the buildup of bacteria happens fast and, besides possible bad breath,  leads to teeth  loss, and can lead to liver, kidney and heart problems.
A built up of tarter is normal and it happens relatively fast. An annual dental clean is a must at the veterinarian.You could teach your Pap to accept to get his teeth cleaned by you with a small children tooth brush a couple of times / week.
Papillon puppies loose their canine baby teeth when they are about 5-7 months.Look at your dogs teeth frequently at this time. You will see the adult teeth coming in next to the baby canines. Make sure that the baby teeth are loose, or have them checked by a vet, who may remove them if necessary.It could cause a development of an incorrect bite if they are not removed.At this time it is suggested to give your pap plenty of "teething" toys.

Advise on Canine Teeth

Puppies have 28 temporary teeth that erupt at about three to four weeks of age.

They have 42 permanent teeth that begin to emerge at about 5 to 7 months of age.

Puppies should lose a puppy tooth before the corresponding adult tooth emerges. If a puppy tooth is still in place when an adult tooth begins to show, see your veterinarian so the dog's occlusion is not affected.

Small dog breeds are more likely to develop periodontal disease than large dogs because the teeth of small dogs are often too large for their mouths, according to veterinary dentistry experts.Puppies, like people, have a primary or deciduouse dentition. These are baby teeth, which usually are all in place by 6-8 weeks of age and which, by 16-24 weeks, are subsequently replaced by the adult teeth. In this age group we see two types of dental problems occurring: traumatic damage to the baby teeth and oral cavity, and improper eruption of the adult teeth.

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