My puppy's baby tooth broke, part in gum. Should I be concerned?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Shetland Sheepdog | Male | unneutered | 4 months and 21 days old | 12 lbs
My 4 month old puppy knocked out one of his bottom baby canines when he jumped off the sofa and hit his mouth on the floor. There is a tiny piece of tooth protruding from the gum. Should I be concerned? The area is a bit swollen but he seems to be acting fine, eating and doesn’t seem to be in pain. I’m unable to get a photo as he will not be still. Thanks
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 30th, 2018
Hello! If the baby canine tooth came all the way out and the piece of tooth coming out is his new adult tooth- then no worries! If the baby tooth is broken and partially inside the gums, then I would recommend a vet check. Unfortunately, broken baby teeth are a known risk factor for puppies getting tetanus because of all the crazy things they put in their mouths. In this case, we recommend extracting the remaining piece of tooth to prevent this. If you were planning on having him neutered, you may be able to schedule the tooth removal and neutering during the same anesthetic event. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on August 15th, 2018
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Drifter! Is the tooth intact or broken? You can always take a picture for us. If the tooth is intact he will be fine. If it is broken and the root is still present in his jaw then there is a risk of an abscess or the segment affecting the growth of the adult. If it’s broken I would take him to your vet to discuss taking him to surgery to remove the piece. Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on August 1st, 2018
Hello, I would recommend taking Lok into your vet this week to have his tooth checked. They will likely recommend extracting the tooth, as broken baby teeth can lead to severe infections, such as Tetanus. It should not affect his adult tooth growth at all. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on August 21st, 2019
Hello. What I can not tell is if the puppy tooth is just loose or the entire tooth has fractured. You might want to have your vet take a look at this because if the tooth is fractured, the remaining root may not fall out on its own & may affect how the adult tooth comes in. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Hi, Nico has a few retained puppy teeth. He is almost 9 months and today we were playing and one of them snapped off. Does it look like it broke off safely? Could part of his tooth still be stuck in his gum?
My 5 month-old puppy got one of his baby sharp teeth knocked out while playing and his other one is very loose and can move side to side but he doesnt seem to be in any pain and he eats fine and still chews on his toys. Is he going to be fine?
Hello, my puppy is 5 months old and currently losing his baby teeth. His canine tooth just broke in half today. Is this normal? What should I do?
We have a four month old puppy that we rescued. She has what seems to be a brown tooth coming in and the gum surrounding it has a red bump on it. Wondering how concerned we should be about this
My 4 month lab broke a superior canine in half. There was a small ammount of blood, and the canal is visible. As this is a baby thooth what should I do?
My 10 week old puppy got his mouth stuck and pulled his baby tooth out his fang tooth, he cried a little bit when he did it but now his fine eating and drinking and is now fast asleep but just abit worried I have his tooth here.
my puppy is seven months old, and still have some baby teeth still left , should I worry?
I'm worried about Trusty's tooth because it looks as if it is chipped and rotten. What should I do for his tooth, and what exactly is wrong with it?
Today while playing, my puppy ran behind me while I was laying back. I heard her cry out. When I checked her over, I noticed her canine tooth had broken off. I don’t see any tooth left in the hole it came from. Should I be concerned.
Today I found 1 teeth broken of my pet.. Is it ok or not?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
