Small Breed Dog Dental Problems: Why Little Dogs Have Bad Teeth

A Chihuahua and a Labrador both have 42 adult teeth. In a small dog, those teeth are packed into a tiny jaw, so they crowd, overlap and leave tight gaps where food and plaque get stuck. Small dogs' teeth are also large compared to their jaw bone, so there's less bone holding each tooth. When gum disease eats away at that bone, teeth loosen and fall out faster than in a big dog.

Breeds vets see most often for dental disease include:

• Yorkshire Terriers
• Chihuahuas
• Maltese
• Toy and Miniature Poodles
• Shih Tzus and Lhasa Apsos
• Pomeranians
• Dachshunds
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
• Pugs, French Bulldogs and other flat-faced breeds, whose teeth often grow sideways or overlap

Many toy breeds keep some of their puppy teeth after the adult teeth come in, most often the canines (fangs). The two teeth sit side by side and trap food between them, which leads to early plaque and gum disease. If your small dog has "double fangs," ask your vet whether the baby teeth should be removed.

• Bad breath, often the first and only sign
• Yellow or brown crust where the tooth meets the gum
• Red or bleeding gums
• Dropping food, chewing on one side, or swallowing kibble whole
• Sneezing or a runny nose on one side (an infected upper tooth root can reach the nose in small dogs)
• Loose or missing teeth

Often, yes. Many small dogs need a cleaning under anesthesia every year or two, and some lose teeth even with regular cleanings. The best thing you can do to space out cleanings is to stop plaque before it hardens into tartar, and that has to happen at home, every day.

Brushing a tiny, wiggly mouth is hard, and many small dogs simply won't allow it. A routine that works without brushing:

1. Dental spray, twice a day. With Furaqua Pet Dental Spray, lift the lip and give 3 sprays on each side of the mouth, morning and night. It reaches the back teeth and the gum line without scrubbing.
2. Finger wipes a few times a week. A dental finger wipe fits a small mouth better than any brush. Our guide do dental wipes work for dogs shows how.
3. If your dog fights the spray, add 6 sprays to food or water instead while they get used to it.

Only small, soft chews sized for toy breeds, and never as the whole plan. Hard chews can break small teeth, and big chews can be a choking risk. Chews also mostly clean the back teeth, while small dogs get tartar on the front and side teeth too.

No. Many human toothpastes contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs, and a small dog needs only a tiny amount to get sick. Read can you use human toothpaste on dogs for safe options.

Have the teeth checked at every yearly visit, and go sooner if you see bleeding, swelling under the eye, a loose tooth, a one-sided runny nose, or your dog stops eating. Small dogs hide pain well, so don't wait for them to show it.