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.
Estimated Age                Teeth Development

  •  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
In addition to trauma, the second most common dental problem seen in
puppies are adult teeth, which erupt improperly. This condition is due to
either trauma, as previously mentioned, or the presence of persistent baby
teeth. Normally, as the permanent tooth erupts, it does so directly under the
root of the baby tooth causing it to breakdown, which then allows the adult
tooth to push it out. Sometimes the bud of the permanent tooth is not
directly positioned under its baby tooth counterpart.

This improper positioning causes the
permanent tooth, during its formation, to glide off the baby tooth root and
erupt abnormally. The ensuing mal positioned adult tooth traumatizes the soft
tissue in the mouth, causing the pet pain and possible subsequent infection. In
addition, food might get trapped between the baby tooth and adult tooth
causing the development of gum infections. The golden rule to follow is: there
should never be two of the same tooth type occupying the mouth at the same
time. By checking your pet’s teeth daily between the ages of 14- 24 weeks of
age, any double presence of teeth will be detected and can be immediately
extracted by a veterinarian. Never wait for the baby tooth to fall out by itself
if you see even the slightest protrusion of the adult crown next to it. If the
adult teeth are coming in incorrectly then a Veterinary Dentist should be
consulted as soon as possible to prevent further complications.

re-written from Clients Education" Taking the bite out of Dental Disease"
More Advise on  Papillons Teeth/Teeth
Development.
Road's End  Papillons and Road's End  Web Design~ All rights reserved. This Site and ALL Content, text and Graphics are Protected
by LAW! Comments?Questions: Write to
 Webmaster: Antje Kromberg Dunmire

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.
Road's End Ice Man, living now in Central oregon
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
deciduous dentition. These are their 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.