It is very common for a dog to break or facture a tooth. This can happen because of trauma, or because the dog had been chewing on a hard object. While the dog can break any tooth, it is most likely to break a canine (fang) tooth or an upper fourth premolar (the large tooth on the top in the back of the dog’s mouth). When a dog breaks it's tooth, it usually breaks either vertically or horizontally below the gum line.
When a dog’s tooth has been fractured, bacteria from its mouth can gain access to the pulp (root) and infect the tooth. If the tooth is not treated, it will eventually die. The bacteria can then leak out and infect the jawbone. Eventually, the bacterial byproducts and white blood cell enzymes will cause bone destruction around the tip of the tooth’s root. The blood vessels in the infected area will pick up the bacteria and spread it to other areas of the body; specifically to the liver and kidneys and even to the dog’s heart valves. Over time, this can have a very harmful effect on these organs.
Since your dog can’t tell you that it broke a tooth, you have to watch for signs that it has a broken tooth. You may see changes in the tooth’s shape, color or position. The dog’s face may swell, it may show pain or it may be reluctant to eat its food – especially hard or fibrous food.
Unfortunately, there is no viable way to treat a dog with a fractured or broken tooth at home. This means you will have to get the dog to a veterinarian for treatment recommendations.
