Like humans’ teeth, dogs’ dental health is also essential. The sharp canine teeth in your pet are the most used. Hence, they can get easily worn down. This case is also similar to people’s teeth. Going for the one that offers quality dental care can help keep the teeth healthy. Keep reading to learn about the sharp and pointed canine teeth and the treatment they can get if your pet’s teeth become worn out.
Cuspids, Eye Teeth, and Vampire Teeth: Understanding a Dog Teeth Diagram
Similar to people, dogs have teeth on both their upper and lower jaws. The term maxillary refers to the upper dental arcade. While the lower dental arch is the mandibular or mandible. Checking the dog’s mouth, you will notice four distinct kinds of teeth that fill various purposes.
Incisors
The lateral and central incisors are the 12 teeth at the upper and lower front of a dog’s mouth. Usually, dogs use their incisors for biting at food and grooming.
Canines
The maxillary canine teeth, also known as eye teeth, fangs, vampire teeth, and cuspids, are those two long pointed teeth on every side of the mouth simply behind the lateral incisors. In any case, pointy canines in the dog’s teeth help to puncture and hold objects.
Premolars
These teeth are the sixteen teeth with pointed tops located behind the canine teeth. Also, the premolars’ function in a dog is to bite and chew their food.
Molars
At the extremely back of your pet’s mouth are their flatter topped molars. These 10 teeth have a compliment surface to use for chewing and granulating food.
How Teeth Get Worn Down
The two common approaches for teeth to become worn out:
Dental Attrition
This happens when teeth rub against one another. Dental attrition is usual in dogs with bites issues that make the teeth wear against one another when the mouth opens and closes. Also, this issue primarily develops to the canine teeth and the two front teeth. In addition, tooth grinding can promote attrition in the premolars and molars.
Dental Abrasion
This concern happens when other items are rubbing against the teeth. Most of the time, dogs wear down their teeth due to chewing on toys, bones, and other objects. Too much self-grooming may even prompt some tooth wear. In addition, dental abrasion can develop in any teeth relying upon how the dog chews or bites the foods or objects.
Generally, tooth wear occurs over time because of friction on the teeth. Continuous chewing can make teeth wear out quicker. Additionally, some items and objects may make wear happen faster. For instance, water bottles and tennis balls tend to wear out teeth more quickly if the dog bites firmly on them. This is because these objects have a filing impact on the dog’s teeth.
Indications That Your Dog Has Worn Out Teeth
Worn teeth might have brown colored spots on them or just usually seem dark in shading. They are frequently flattened or misshapen toward the end. Sometimes, the teeth might be worn out due to gum disease.
You might see indications of wear while you are dealing with your pet’s teeth. Likewise, you may notice that your dog is sensitive in some parts and may try not to bite in that piece of the mouth. Hence, look for symptoms such as abnormal chewing of food, decreased appetite, hesitance to chew on treats or toys, too much drooling, and pawing of the face or mouth.
Since dogs instinctively attempt to hide pain, you may not understand how uncomfortable your dog experiences. If you think your pet has a sensitive tooth, it is ideal to have your veterinarian check out their teeth.
Complications
Usually, dental wear first harms enamel, the solid, white external covering of the teeth. Beneath the dental enamel is the dentin, which is additionally hard yet displayed in yellow color. In 
addition, underneath the dentin lies the pulp chamber, which has the nerves and veins of the tooth. Once your dog has exposed dentin due to tooth wear, the teeth turn out to be more sensitive to temperature and contact. On the other hand, if your pet has exposed or damaged pulp, they can experience extreme tooth pain.
Furthermore, a worn tooth might become excessively harmed that it turns out dead, which means there is no longer blood supply to the tooth. This condition prompt infections to the jaw bone. Also, suppose the nerve is still working. The tooth will be very excruciating. If the nerve is also dead, the tooth will not be painful. However, that affected part of the mouth may still be excruciating. Regardless, the tooth should be eliminated to prevent further issues.
If you see that your dog’s teeth have worn, then your vet should assess your dog’s mouth to offer the best treatment.
Treatment of Worn Down Teeth in Dogs
Make sure to contact your vet if you see that your dog’s teeth are wearing out or you notice any unusual appearance to the teeth.
Your vet might start with a dental examination to check your dog’s general condition. If possible, the vet will examine your dog’s mouth closely to evaluate the state of the teeth. They may suggest a professional dental cleaning and assessment, which they mostly perform under anesthesia. Sometimes, your vet may also conduct dental radiographs to look at the construction of the teeth and identify the next steps.
If your dog has minor dental wear, your vet should not treat the teeth beyond basic cleaning and polishing procedures. They might want to use a sealant or clear coating to the influenced teeth to slow the issue.
On the other hand, if the issue is enormous, your vet might suggest removing the tooth. Generally, the vet performs this simultaneously to avoid another anesthesia session. Removing the tooth or teeth is a surgical procedure. Stitching the gums after surgery is essential to close the wound.
Moreover, advanced treatment is possible to save the tooth with significant wear. You can ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary dental professional to know if your dog is a good candidate for advanced dental treatments.
References:
Central Incisor.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/central-incisor
Permanent Maxillary Canine Agenesis: A Rare Case Report.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4647049/
Attrition (Worn Teeth) in Dogs.
https://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/pet-health/attrition-worn-teeth-in-dogs/
Destructive Chewing.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/destructive-chewing
Is One Sensitive Tooth A Serious Issue?
