Dental care     Healthy teeth are extremely important to a dog's well being. They help a dog chew, of course, but they are also the way your dog picks up and carries items. Yet teeth are too often overlooked in grooming. Make your dog's teeth a part of regular care for your dog's health. Puppy Teeth Puppies have 28 temporary teeth (called puppy teeth or milk teeth) that start coming in at about 4 weeks of age. They generally fall out between 14 and 30 weeks of age and are replaced by 42 adult teeth. If you have a puppy in this age range, there are some considerations to keep in mind:   • During this time, puppies may eat slightly less and chew more. Hard rubber or rawhide toys made especially for dogs are a good investment to help prevent household damage. • Even though the puppy teeth don't normally last long enough to see serious problems, start dental care while your puppy is young. Gently reach in his mouth while he's small and rub his gums and teeth so he's used to having someone's fingers in his mouth when he gets older. That will make future dental care much easier. • Gently rub your dog's teeth with a soft cloth or a toothbrush approved for use with dogs and puppies. • Buy a toothpaste specially formulated for dogs. There are pastes flavoured with meat and other dog-friendly flavours to make it more enjoyable. • If puppy teeth linger much longer than 30 weeks, go to your veterinarian. This can cause problems for a dog and these teeth may need to be removed. Dental Health Maintenance • Start feeling and checking the inside of your dog's mouth early so he's comfortable with the idea. Use the method described above under Puppy Teeth. • Buy a toothpaste specially formulated for dogs. There are pastes flavoured with meat and other dog-friendly flavours to make it more enjoyable. • Do not use toothpaste formulated for humans. Because pets swallow rather than spit the toothpaste out, this can cause stomach upset. • Dry, crunchy foods such as PURINA ONE™brand dog food, PRO PLAN® and ALPO® brand puppy food can be helpful in keeping teeth clean by scraping against the teeth, which helps reduce tartar build-up. Still, there is no substitute for regular dental care. • To ensure your dog's dental health, he will need dental care on a regular basis. Check with your veterinarian about a schedule. Dental Problems Problems that start with the teeth can have far-ranging consequences, from mere bad breath to problems eating or even infections that may reach the kidneys or heart. Common signs of dental problems in dogs include: • Loss of appetite • Yellow-brown tartar at the gum line • Red, swollen and bleeding gums • Broken teeth • Drooling • Foul breath • Blood in the saliva     The most common problem by far for dogs is the buildup of plaque, which can accumulate and harden to chalky calculus on the teeth. Left unchecked, this may eventually lead to inflammation of the gums, and the teeth may become infected and even fall out. The infection resulting from these conditions may spread to other parts of the body such as the kidneys or the heart. This is why it is so important to establish regular dental cleanings both at home and at the veterinarian's office. If these problems already exist and have gotten beyond the point of a simple cleaning, visit your veterinarian. Some other common problems associated with the above signs include broken teeth, foreign bodies (such as porcupine quills or small, sharp objects), and certain systemic illnesses. Your veterinarian is best equipped to diagnose and treat these conditions.