What Do Dogs Use Their Front Teeth For?

A dog's mouth is typically composed of four types of teeth: incisor, canine, premolar and molar, for a total of 42 teeth. In certain breeds, however, there may be a slight variation in the number of teeth. The front teeth include a total of 12 incisors and four large canine teeth. In a normal scissor bite, the upper incisors overlap the lower incisors, while the lower canines lie comfortably between the upper lateral incisors and upper canines. Incisor and canine teeth are generally present in all dogs regardless of breed because they help carry out a vast array of tasks and are necessary for survival.

  1. Grooming

    • The incisor teeth are often used to help a dog groom himself and groom other dogs. In the wild, canines tend to groom each other as a part of their normal social interactions. The incisors may be used in the same manner as a comb to remove burrs and fleas from the fur or for scratching should there be an itch. The small nibbles that dogs give one another when grooming also help stimulate the skin and have a calming effect, according to Dee Ganley, a canine behavior consultant in East Andover, New Hampshire.

    Grasping

    • The front teeth help dogs hold on to items.

      A dog's incisor and canine teeth come in handy in getting a hold of items. Both incisors and canine teeth indeed are often used together for grasping food and toys, explains Stephen Juriga, a board-certified veterinary dentist practicing in Oswego, Illinois. A mother dog also uses these front teeth to delicately transport a puppy by its scruff from place to another.

    Tearing

    • Incisors are often used for the delicate task of tearing small bits of meat from bone. One of the primary functions of the four canine teeth, on the other hand, is to puncture the flesh of prey; indeed, their overlapping structure combined with jaw strength, helps prevent prey animals from pulling free, according to C.A. Sharp, a science writer and an internationally recognized expert on canine genetics and hereditary diseases.

    Maternal Care

    • The front teeth may play an important role in the successful whelping of puppies. Because mother dogs use the incisors to tear open the placenta and their canine teeth to sever the umbilical cord, it is important for them to have correct tooth placement, according to the Federacion Cynologica Internacional's 1993 breed Standard for the Saint Bernard Dog.

    Offense

    • A dog may display its front teeth as a warning.

      Upon feeling threatened, many dogs will lift their lips and expose their front teeth to manifest their intent to possibly use aggression. This manifestation is known as a snarl and should not be confused with a submissive grin. If threatened enough, some dogs will also deliver a bite, which will involve for the most part the front teeth. However, this is not always the case; indeed, dogs trained in K9 units or in Schutzhund tend to use a ̶0;full mouth bite," which includes the molars and premolars behind the canine teeth, further explains C.A. Sharp.