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Exciting facts about your dog's teeth

Spannende Fakten über das Gebiss deines Hundes

Exciting facts about your dog's teeth

Dog teeth in detail !

Whether your dog greets you happily, yawns extensively or barks loudly , in all of these cases his impressive teeth come to the fore. Although he uses his teeth primarily for eating , it is still interesting to find out which tooth has which function. and where the breed-typical differences in the shape of the teeth We explain the answers to these and many other questions in today's blog post.

Dog's teeth: typical characteristics and function

Teeth as an important tool for survival!

Your dog’s teeth serve as an important tool and ensure his survival. Like his ancestor the wolf, your dog also needs his teeth,

  • to catch prey,

  • to hold on and break up

  • as well as for eating.

Your dog's teeth are not only very compact , but also very strong . If your dog presses both halves of its jaw together, incredibly high forces are exerted. This allows even small breeds to have a firm bite . Usually, however, your dog never uses the full force of its jaw when eating. The well -dosed bite force is very evident, for example, when dealing with toys or with bitches that carry their puppies from A to B.

Did you know that your dog cannot move its upper and lower jaw to the left or right, but only up and down ? Dogs do not have the typical chewing movement that we humans do. This is due to their jaw , in which both halves are connected by a hinge joint . Your dog chops up its food as much as it can, but swallows most of it unchewed .

Dog Teeth and Their Functions in Detail

Every tooth has a task!

Each tooth in a dog's jaw has a specific task. From catching prey to grinding up food. But what are the tasks of each dog's teeth in detail?

  • Canine and fang teeth are sharp and long. They are used to grasp and hold food. In domesticated dogs, like your and my four-legged friend, for grasping and holding treats, bones or toys.

  • Canines and large molars , also called premolars, are bordered by sharp edges. They are used for grinding food .

  • In contrast to the other molars, the back molars , which are also called molars, are particularly wide and have a blunt surface. They are used to "break up" hard food (bones, dry food, etc.).

  • Incisors are small and flat. They serve Scraping off leftover meat from bones . Your dog also uses them to remove parasites.

Based on the special functions that each tooth has, you can see how important regular dental care is for your dog . With our emmi®-pet basic set you can perfectly care for your dog's teeth and remove harmful bacteria. Our toothbrush for dogs cleans your dog's teeth thoroughly, both gently and effectively.

Dog bite types and shapes in detail

Breed-typical and characteristic types of teeth !

Not every dog ​​has the same teeth shape. This can usually be traced back to their ancestry and, in turn, their genes. As a dog owner, you may know that many breeds were bred for specific purposes. Breeds with a particularly short snout naturally have a completely different teeth structure than dog breeds with a long snout. The most common teeth shapes include:

  • The scissor bite , which is present in most dog breeds , is considered as optimum . A distinctive feature of this type of bite are the incisors in the upper jaw , which protrude slightly over the incisors in the lower jaw . If a dog with a scissor bite bites its teeth together, the upper teeth protrude over the lower teeth.

  • The pincer bite is characterized by the fact that the teeth fold together like a pair of pliers when the dog bites. The incisors in the upper jaw are directly above those in the lower jaw . The pincer bite creates friction. This inevitably leads to the incisors wearing down more.

  • A bite with an overbite or underbite is actually a misalignment of the teeth. The lower jaw is often longer than the upper jaw . This type of bite is typically found in pugs, boxers, English and French bulldogs. Pekingese and Bordeaux dogues also often have this type of bite. An overbite or underbite is often a typical appearance for these breeds. An overbite that is too pronounced can lead to massive problems when chewing.

  • An overbite is the counterpart to an overbite. An overbite is also a kind of misalignment of the teeth, but is a typical appearance for some breeds. In this case, the upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw . This makes the lower jaw appear significantly weaker than the upper jaw. An overbite that is too pronounced can also lead to massive problems when chewing.

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