What is a persistent baby tooth?
A persistent baby tooth is a baby tooth that remains in place even though the permanent tooth is coming out. It is therefore important to keep an eye on your puppy's teeth when they start to lose them. Here we'll teach you more about persistent baby teeth and what you can do.
Puppy's persistent baby teeth
Persistent baby teeth get stuck when the permanent tooth is on its way out. Usually it's the canine teeth that tend to get stuck, but it can happen with other baby teeth too. Around six months of age, all the baby teeth should have come loose and the permanent teeth should have emerged. However, it is common for this to be a little slower in smaller breeds. If the milk teeth do not come out properly, this can cause problems and damage the permanent teeth. They can also affect the development of the puppy's bite.
Examine your puppy's mouth
It can be difficult to know whether you're looking in your puppy's mouth for milk teeth or permanent teeth. The good thing to know is that baby teeth are sharper and smaller than permanent teeth. It can be difficult to look in your puppy's mouth to see if all the baby teeth have come loose, so a good trick is to watch when your puppy yawns. You can also practice looking at the puppy's teeth and associating it with a treat. Lift your lip slightly and say "Good" and give your treat. This way you can examine the teeth and your puppy from practicing mouth management at the same time.
When should I contact a vet
If your puppy still has baby teeth at 6 months of age, you should have your dog's mouth examined by a veterinarian. It is important to come early so that the persistent baby tooth does not damage the adult tooth. If you are unsure, you can call a digital veterinarian, those calls are included in your insurance with Lassie! Then take some pictures of the teeth so the vet can see and determine if you need to seek out a physical veterinary clinic.
