How many teeth does a dog have?
An adult dog has 42 teeth — ten more than a human. Puppies start with just 28 baby teeth, and (unlike us) no molars at all until they grow up.
Puppy or adult — four kinds of tooth
Switch between a puppy and a grown dog, then tap a type to see its job.
42 adult teeth, four jobs
A grown dog’s 42 teeth come in four types, each shaped for a task. There are 12 incisors at the very front for nibbling and grooming; 4 canines — the long “fangs” — for gripping and tearing; 16 premolars along the sides for slicing; and 10 molars at the back for crushing and grinding. Add them up and you get 42 — ten more than the 32 a human has, and a dozen more than a cat’s 30.
Interestingly, the bottom jaw holds slightly more teeth than the top (22 versus 20), because dogs carry an extra pair of molars down below. The whole arrangement reflects their ancestry as carnivores: built to seize, shear and crush.
Puppies and their 28 milk teeth
Dogs, like us, get two sets in a lifetime. Puppies are born toothless, then sprout 28 baby (milk) teeth — usually all through by around six to eight weeks. The giveaway difference: those 28 include no molars at all, and fewer premolars than the adult set, which is exactly why the puppy total is lower.
From about three to four months the milk teeth start dropping out to make way for the permanent ones, and by roughly six to seven months a full set of 42 adult teeth is usually in place. You often won’t find the lost baby teeth — they tend to come out during eating and get swallowed quite harmlessly.
Looking after a dog’s teeth (the basics)
One important safety point: never brush a dog’s teeth with human toothpaste. Many contain xylitol (and fluoride), which can be toxic to dogs. Use toothpaste made specifically for dogs.
Dental care genuinely matters: by age three, the majority of dogs already show some sign of gum (periodontal) disease. Regular brushing with a dog-safe toothpaste — ideally often, building up gradually so your dog tolerates it — plus vet-approved dental chews, goes a long way. Persistent bad breath, reluctance to eat, or red, sore gums are worth a vet visit rather than a wait-and-see.
Anything beyond the basics — a professional clean, a suspected rotten or broken tooth, or an extraction — is firmly veterinary territory. Your vet is the right person to advise on what your particular dog needs.
Curious dog-teeth facts
Dogs rarely get cavities. Their saliva is more alkaline than ours, which helps neutralise the acids behind tooth decay — though it does nothing to stop the plaque and tartar that lead to gum disease. Those headline canines are seriously anchored, with roots reaching deep into the jaw, and a big dog’s bite force can top 500 pounds per square inch in breeds like mastiffs. And if you’ve seen unsettling photos of “dogs with human teeth” online — relax, that’s an internet trick, not a real dog.
Common questions
Dog-teeth IQ — 5 questions
How many teeth does an adult dog have?
Sources
- Purina, PetLab & veterinary dental charts — 42 adult teeth (12/4/16/10), 28 puppy teeth with no molars, eruption timeline.
- Veterinary guidance — never use human toothpaste (xylitol toxicity), periodontal disease prevalence, and alkaline-saliva cavity resistance.
Related
Forty-two teeth built to seize, shear and crush — and not a cavity in sight, if you keep them clean.