What this means
Puppies replace their baby teeth with adult ones from roughly four to six months old, so lost small teeth at that age are normal. An adult dog's permanent teeth should not fall out, so every case is worth showing to a vet.
Note whether the whole tooth came out or it broke, and whether the spot shows a bleeding or swollen gum. If a tooth snapped, the root may remain in the gum and keep hurting. Also pay attention to the breath, deposits on the teeth, and whether your dog chews on one side.
A dog may hide pain, so changes may show only in behaviour: slower eating, no wish to gnaw bones or toys, shying away from the muzzle. Write down when you noticed the first sign.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
-
Baby teeth being replaced
In puppies the permanent teeth grow in where the baby teeth were. This is a normal process and does not usually cause severe pain.
-
Tooth and gum disease
Long-standing dental disease can damage the tissue holding the tooth until it loosens and falls out. Unpleasant breath and red gums may come first.
About the condition: Dental and gum disease -
An injury or fracture
Chewing a hard bone or stone, or a blow, can break or knock out a tooth. A bleeding spot may remain in the gum.
-
Changes in the jaw bones
In some breeds, bone changes during growth can make the jaw painful or swollen. Your dog may find it hard to open its mouth.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether the whole tooth came out or it broke
- Whether the gum is bleeding or swollen
- Whether your dog is a puppy or an adult
- Whether your dog chews on one side
- Whether the breath has changed
- Whether the jaw or muzzle is swollen
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if an adult dog has lost or broken a tooth, if the gum is swollen or your dog chews on one side. If bleeding will not stop, after an injury, or the jaw will not move, go straight away.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Dental and gum disease Digestion and liver Dental and gum disease starts with plaque that hardens over time into tartar, and the bacteria multiplying beneath it cause inflammation of the gums. Left alone, the inflammation can damage the tissues and bone that hold the tooth in place, so teeth loosen and fall out. A sore mouth troubles a dog every day, and infection in the mouth can affect other organs too.
- Craniomandibular osteopathy (lion jaw) Bones and joints Craniomandibular osteopathy is a disease of growing puppies in which extra bone builds up irregularly on the lower jaw and on some bones of the skull. The thickened bone is painful, and changes near the jaw joint can make it hard for the dog to open its mouth wide, chew and eat. The condition is thought to be inherited, and its course and how much it has affected the jaw are for a vet to assess.
Body systems: Digestion and liver Bones and joints