The Four Types of Teeth

Here’s a breakdown of the four types.  All four types serve a different purpose.

Incisors – The small teeth in the front of your dog’s mouth, used to tear meat from a bone and for self-grooming. Your dog has a total of 12 incisors, six on the top and six on the bottom.

Canines – These are the pointy teeth on the top and bottom of both sides of the mouth, sometimes referred to as “fangs.” These four teeth, two on top and two on the bottom, are used to puncture and hold on to something and are what make dogs so good at tug-of-war.

Premolars – Located behind the canine teeth, these 16 teeth (eight on top and eight on the bottom) are used for shearing. If you catch your dog chewing on something with the side of his mouth, he’s using his premolars.

Molars – These flat, heavy-duty teeth are found in the back of the mouth and are used for grinding and chewing. You’ll find four molars on the top of your dog’s mouth and six on the bottom.

You’ve probably heard the expression “a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth” but have you ever wondered if it is actually true?  Honestly, I have wondered!  

Comparing a dog’s mouth to a human’s mouth is “like comparing apples and oranges,” according to Colin Harvey, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and the executive secretary at the American Veterinary Dental College.  This is because both dog and human mouths are full of microbes. While there is some overlap in the types of bacteria between species, there are also a host of different dental bacteria in your dog’s mouth that you won’t find in yours.

The bacterial family known for causing periodontal disease in humans and dogs is called Porphyromonas. Researchers discovered that dogs have a type of Porphyromonas called P. gulae, whereas human mouths contain its relative, P. gingivalis. Both bacteria are what most of us would consider “dirty,” and can cause problems for dog and human teeth.

Dogs have more than 600 different types of bacteria in their mouths, which is a similar number to the 615 and counting types of bacteria Harvard researchers have found in human mouths. These bacteria can also be joined by other bacteria that we (humans and dogs) pick up from our environments, adding to the mix.

​Can Humans Get Dog Germs?
Most of the bacteria in your dog’s mouth are not zoonotic, which means you probably won’t get a disease from a big old doggy kiss. There are exceptions to this. Dogs that are fed a raw diet are at an increased risk of contracting salmonella, which can be spread to humans, and you really don’t want to share kisses with a dog that regularly raids the litter box.

Can Dog Saliva Heal Wounds?
The act of licking, alone, offers some benefits to wound healing. The tongue removes dirt and debris from the wound site, which lowers the risk of contamination and infection. Of course, too much licking can lead to self-trauma, as in the case of hot spots, and can actually make things much worse.

But what about the saliva itself?
As it turns out, there are certain proteins in saliva called histatins that can ward off infection, and further research has revealed that there are other beneficial chemical compounds in saliva that can help protect cuts from bacterial infections. There is even more evidence that suggests licked wounds heal twice as fast as unlicked wounds.

Animals can get the same ailments that humans do.  That’s why it is so important to take care of them.  We all know something small, if not taken care of properly, can turn into something worse.  In speaking to one of my vets, I learned something new and I’ll share this with you.  

Dogs can get small hairs, shards of twigs, dirt, and blades of grass stuck up under their gum line causing swollen gums, bacterial infections, or worse if not property removed.  If you check your pets teeth and you see anything stuck, such as a small hair, take a napkin or your fingernail, press against the tooth and the piece that is stuck and slide your thumb down the tooth releasing the hair.  If your dog is licking a lot, they can easily get a small hair stuck up under their gum line.  

I hope you found this blog as interesting as I did.  I was excited to share it with you because I’m one of those people that always titled their head when someone said my dog’s mouth is cleaner than mine!