What to Do About Your Dog’s Double Row of Teeth

1 Overview

Why are there extra teeth?

Normally one socket grows one tooth, yet in small breeds a socket growing two teeth is not rare. Why?

Simply put, it’s the cost of chasing tiny size, and proof of why responsible breeding matters. Many things stop baby teeth from falling out, but genetics is the most common.

What harm do extra teeth do?

First, retained baby teeth block the adult teeth from developing right, deforming normal adult teeth and even affecting the bite.

Extra teeth trap more grime; tartar builds between adult and baby teeth where it’s hard to clean, because those corners are awkward and hidden.

That’s a major reason many Teddy dogs have bad breath. If you don’t fix the extra teeth at the root, even the best dental products won’t help.

Bacteria love such spots; over time the dog develops periodontal disease and other mouth problems. As every experienced owner knows, the mouth is a dog’s weakest point – once bacteria break in, the consequences are severe.

For the dog, every movement of those extra teeth adds more damage. Because of where they sit, they bump other parts of the mouth, hurt the tongue, and can make the dog yelp and bleed while eating kibble.

So what should you do?

The sooner extra teeth are removed, the better.

Case seen on a foreign vet forum: after a 3-year-old Chihuahua had its extra teeth pulled, the adult teeth that had been pushed out of place needed nearly a year of care before it could eat kibble again – for that whole year it lived on soft food.

If your dog has just a few extra baby teeth, ask the vet to remove them during a dental cleaning or spay/neuter. But if there are many, a proper extraction is advised.

Never pull a dog’s teeth at home – and don’t pull your own either.