French Bulldog Teeth Problems

In this research you will know the answer to the query “French Bulldog Teeth Problems“.

Theres nothing cuter or more loving than a Frenchie. However it is your responsibility to make sure it is well taken care of just like any other pet. It is your responsibility to make sure it is well cared for. There are many unique features of this type of dog but none more so than its mouth nose and teeth!.

So as the owner you have to familiarize yourself with all these. 

Whether you are thinking about getting a French bulldog as a pet or you already have one and would like to know how to keep its teeth healthy this research is for you. 

I would like to start by discussing the teeth that are found in all dogs’ mouths in order to better understand any dental issues that our French Bulldog might have.

What are the different types of teeth found in a dog’s mouth?

 There are four kinds of teeth in a dogs mouth and each type serves a specific purpose.

Incisors  

 Those are the teeth at the very front of a dogs mouth. There are 12 of them six at the top and six at the bottom. 

They are the very small flat teeth at the front of the mouth. Scraping and gnawing are the best uses of these teeth.

Originally they would have been used to scrape the last pieces of flesh from bones but today I am used to seeing dogs use these teeth to scrape or gnaw at their coats as they clean themselves. 

Canines

The four large curved teeth that form the side of a dogs mouth are called a dogs fangs.  The top two of these can be found in the top of the mouth while the bottom two can be found in the bottom of the mouth. 

In comparison with the bottom two canines the top two are much bigger. 

In order to puncture their prey or to hold on to it as tightly as possible dogs use their canine teeth. 

This is the type of tooth that my dog will use to “lock” the sleeve of my coat when we are playing out on a walk. 

Premolars

The canine teeth are located just behind these teeth. In a dogs mouth there are sixteen of them: eight at the top and eight at the bottom. 

The purpose of these teeth is to tear and chew.

The next time your dog sits down with a stick just watch. It is the premolars that do the bulk of the work breaking the stick into tiny pieces and spitting them out! Watch Sylvie break the stick into tiny pieces in the video below.

Molars

Another heavyweight tooth designed to crush and grind- you can see them in action next time you give your dog a bone. 

There are only these two teeth that do not have the same number on top and bottom.

There are six molars in the upper jaw and only four in the lower jaw.

In this action tremendous power is generated and again if you think about your dogs bone you may hear that rather unnerving sound as these teeth crushes the bone into smaller pieces. 

In light of that lets move on to a Frenchies mouth.

The Structure of a French Bulldog’s mouth

There are two reasons why French Bulldogs are more prone to dental problems.

1. They have short noses so they are brachycephalic.
2. Their underbite is when their lower jaw extends further than their upper jaw.

There are forty-two teeth in every dog regardless of size pedigree or mix breed. 

With a short nose breed all of these teeth need to fit into a smaller space and if your underbite is too severe the top and bottom teeth will not line up perfectly. 

There is a much higher chance of a French Bulldog having dental problems than with other breeds.

However this isnot true for every French Bulldog. 

There is no need to fill you with dread that your Frenchie will suffer from some kind of dental problem during their lifetime. You can never be sure. 

A French Bulldog however is vulnerable to dental problems unless they are carefully managed because of its structure. 

The Blessing of The Underbite

What do you consider a blessing?

This structure does have a few upsides even though I just mentioned concerns about a French Bulldogs underbite in the preceding section. 

However an underbite is part of a French Bulldogs strangely adorable appearance and it is included in the breed standard as a key characteristic.

A breed standard is a list of characteristics that all pedigree dogs must possess to compete well at dog shows.

Here are the French Bulldog breed standards for the American Kennel Club (AKC) and here are the standards for the British Kennel Club (also known as The Kennel Club). 

Occlusion vs Malocclusion

Canines live in a perfect world in which their teeth are perfectly matched. Scientifically occlusion refers to the alignment of teeth with respect to each other. When teeth are perfectly aligned an occlusion is considered normal. 

A normal occlusion occurs when the teeth in the upper jaw are slightly over the teeth in the lower jaw. 

Each tooth has its own space in the jaw just like a jigsaw puzzle. The lower canines fit just in front of the upper canines and the triangle-shaped premolars (behind the canines) fit in between one another.

In normal occlusion there will not be any teeth resting painfully on top of any other teeth or any gums. 

By contrast incorrectly aligned teeth are called malocclusions and an underbite is a type of class three malocclusion. 

The Biggest Problems of an Underbite

I mentioned above that the overwhelming majority of French Bulldogs have an underbite but the severity of the malocclusion will differ per dog.

 Due to the facial structure of a French Bulldog two of the biggest problems with its teeth are:

1. Loose or crooked teeth
2. Worn teeth

Loose teeth

Since French Bulldogs have a short nose and many teeth to fit into such a small space they are more likely to have loose or crooked teeth than other breeds of dogs.  

Worn teeth

They have teeth that are not perfectly aligned due to a class two malocclusion or underbite.

Dogs’ teeth will rest on top of each other when their mouths are closed and not in gaps in their jaws.  

Particularly if your dog likes to chew on his favorite toy or a stick these teeth might wear down over time. 

It is possible that your dogs underbite will not cause any issues in its lifetime or it may require specialist and expensive dental surgery (or something in between). 

Weird facts about dog’s teeth

Here are some weird facts about dogs and their teeth.  

Nummer 1. More than 80% of all dogs over the age of three have active dental disease

Number 2. Dogs have about 600 different types of bacteria in their mouth which is frightening until you realize there are about 615 in a human mouth.

Number 3. Since dogs have a higher pH level in their mouths and plaque forms faster in an alkaline environment they are five times more likely to have gum disease than humans. 

Most common dental diseases in French Bulldogs

The dental problems described below are common to all dogs not just French Bulldogs.

Frenchies however are more likely than other breeds to have broken worn loose or misaligned teeth because of their unique facial structure.

As a result of this inherent weakness French Bulldogs are more likely to suffer from the five big dental “no-nos” than other breeds.

How can these “no-nos” be avoided? Plague tartar periodontal disease gum disease and abscesses…

1. Plaque and Tartar 

You were mistaken if you thought these two words meant almost the same thing!

Immediately the following eating a dogs mouth becomes coated with a soft film. This film is formed from saliva food particles and bacteria. 

On the other hand tartar is the yellow or brown coating that we can see on our dogs teeth usually at the top or bottom of the tooth by the gum line.

However theres one problem.

Like an iceberg tartar forms above and below the gum line much as an iceberg exists above and below the surface of the sea. 

In modern times some vets believe that tartar forms within 24 hours while other vets believe it takes about three days. 

Dogs’ plaque morphs into tartar due to mineral salts in their mouths.

The tartar in the mouth is like a dried salt patch because it has a rough and porous surface which is bad news because it acts like a magnet and attracts bacteria.

As the teeth and gums are attacked by increasingly dangerous bacteria which can also poison other organs if they get into the bloodstream the dangers begin to multiply.

The tartar on your teeth is much harder to remove than dried salt patches. 

Is anyone else tempted to run to the bathroom and brush their own teeth after reading that?

2. Gum disease 

The cause of gum disease is plaque and tartar buildup.

The mild form of gum disease is gingivitis and the severe form is periodontal disease.

The gums can become a darker shade of red swollen and even bleed when they are inflamed by gingivitis. 

Mild gingivitis has the advantage that since it only attacks soft tissue the teeth and their supporting structures are not severely damaged.

3. Periodontal disease

With periodontal disease all of this changes.

A severe case of untreated gingivitis poses a very real threat to the teeth and their supporting structures. 

It is possible for teeth to crack or split or even become loose when they are weakened. 

4. Abscesses

As this unsavory section is nearly over I would like to tell you about abscesses before we complete our discussion of the most common dental diseases.

Some of my friends have suffered from abscesses and told me how painful it is. 

Painkillers do not address the pain which is not just in your mouth but also rattling around in your head.  

As a result you are so helpless that you are thinking the most irrational thoughts like “I would chop my head off to stop the pain.”.

Imagine how painful they must be for our dogs?

Infections around the root of a tooth are called abscesses.

We have spoken at length about the all-out war bacteria wage on our mouths and an abscess can be caused by bacteria entering a cracked or damaged tooth.

I consider the most alarming fact about any of the dental diseases described below to be the fact that if they are not treated they can lead to other organ failures such as the heart liver and kidney.

Isnot it frightening?

Has my Frenchie got gum disease?

We’re all thinking now that we should be more vigilant and do more to protect our dogs’ mouths are not we?

We should take action as soon as possible I guess? 

Putting on our x-ray specs is the best way to find gingivitis before it develops into periodontitis.

Theres a catch though.

Catching it is a very difficult task.

Early signs of gingivitis will not be seen in our dogs mouth so it is difficult to detect them.

The best way to detect this disease at an early stage is to observe changes in your dogs behavior.

In addition there are 11 odd behaviors that you should be on the lookout for. Here are my top 5:

1. A tendency to eat only on one side of the mouth.
2. Not wanting their head to be touched
3. Blood in the water bowl or on “chew” toys
4. Your dog makes noises when they eat
5. Bad breath 

Drooling Saliva and Tooth Decay

Its at this point that some Frenchie owners are beginning to make connections in their minds and worry about drooling.

It is true that French Bulldogs are more prone to drooling than other breeds of dogs.

Lets keep this short and sweet.

Despite being an unsightly habit and indicating some serious conditions (such as heatstroke or anxiety) drooling does not harm your French Bulldogs teeth.

Saliva serves an important purpose in protecting teeth. 

How many teeth should my French Bulldog have as a puppy and an adult? 

Its the same with French bulldogs. They do not come with teeth. About two weeks after birth the milk teeth will appear. Generally a puppy should have 28 teeth and an adult should have 42. 

When should they have adult teeth? 

French childrens teeth do not last long. Adult teeth erupt soon after 12 weeks or 3 months of age. Your dog will have 42 adult teeth and you can expect them to be completed in 7 to 8 months.

What to do if their milk teeth fall out?

There are cases where the milk teeth do not erupt on their own. If this continues for a long time other problems will arise. There may be abnormal elasticity of the jaw and deterioration of its enamel and these two problems cannot be remedied if they are sensitive or severe.

How can you keep Frenchie’s teeth clean and healthy? 

As human beings as an owner it is important that you make sure that your dog has good dental health. You should always keep your teeth clean and healthy to prevent further growth. You should take it to your veterinarian at least once so that you can have your teeth cleaned.

You can use color effects at home to take good care of your French teeth. So there are some of them

Brush Your Dog’s Teeth

Brushing those teeth is a simple and effective way to take care of the dental health of your pet. Doing so will reduce tooth decay and tooth decay.

First of all you may have trouble brushing your teeth with a French bulldog because it is not a sensor. But with proper training sooner or later you will have no problems with it.

Similarly you need to use the right toothbrush and toothpaste. Do not use Mortal toothpaste because it contains certain substances such as fluoride that can harm your dog. You should find something with a label for dog use.

Serve Only Healthy Food 

Another good way to improve your dogs healthy teeth is to give him only healthy food. High-quality whitening gives your pet the nutrients it needs to keep its teeth strong and healthy.

Avoid giving your French bulldog quality food because it will not only damage his teeth but also cause more serious problems.

Give Some Dental Chews 

Have you ever heard of forwarding Dental Chewing? These are usually given in tic to clean teeth as is the case with brushing. In fact they are considered to be the mainstay of medical care. Food stains stuck between the teeth will be removed as soon as your French chews. This also helps to remove tartar and tartar.

How should you deal with tartar and plaque?

The formation of tartar in your French teeth can clearly lead to serious dental problems. Therefore you need to deal with them as soon as possible. Then these are the results you can make

Brush Its Teeth Regularly 

As mentioned above toothpaste is the most fashionable way to prevent tartar and tartar problems. As soon as possible start training your pet in its puppy section.

Use a Dental Water Additive 

If your dog is reluctant to brush its teeth you can use dental floss instead. All you have to do is mix the effect with its drinking water. This will help reduce the germs in your dogs mouth and help keep its air clean.

Utilize Dental Wipes 

If you find it difficult to brush your dentures using dental floss is another great option. All you have to do is brush the trash with your teeth and remove the tartar or temple.

If you want to read more about dog health tips read here: Dog Health Tips and Tricks.

French Bulldog Teeth Problems (Watch Video)