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Maltese Teething and Teeth Care Guide

If you have found yourself the proud new owner of a Maltese puppy or you have had your pup for a while but are wanting to be sure you are caring for it properly you have come to the right place.

Dental hygiene is a very important aspect of care for your fluffy, loyal Maltese! Keeping their teeth healthy and clean as well as going through the puppy teething stage can be challenging at times, but don’t worry, this article will give you all the tips and tricks that you need to care for your Maltese’s teeth!

Do Maltese Have Bad Teeth?

Maltese generally have more dental problems than other breeds. Maltese’s jaws are so small that their teeth can get overcrowded and are hard to keep clean. A build-up of tartar and plaque can cause swollen gums (gingivitis). If left untreated this will start to cause tooth decay and infection.

It is important to employ proper dental care for your Maltese starting at a young age.

Surprising FactOn average 80% of dogs have some form of dental disease by the time they are 2 years old.

If your dog’s tooth disease progresses far enough it can cause serious damage to your Maltese’s organs. Untreated dental problems can even shorten your Maltese’s lifespan by up to 3 years.

What are some common Maltese Teeth Problems?

Dental disease is the biggest concern for your Maltese’s teeth. If your dog has severe enough dental disease it can cause tooth decay, the gums to recede and the teeth to start falling out.

If you notice that your Maltese’s teeth are turning yellow or have brown spots on them or browning near the gum line then this indicates that, yes your Maltese does have dental disease.

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You need to take steps right away to fix the problem and get their teeth in healthy working order.

Not only is this painful for your Maltese, but it can also have an impact on his heart and other organs.

Interestingly dogs don’t get cavities, but they still can have quite a bit of plague build up on their teeth.

We talk more about how to clean your Maltese’s teeth below.

Maltese Teeth Falling Out

If your Maltese puppy is losing its teeth there is no need to worry, but if your Maltese is older than 1 year and losing teeth this can be cause for major concern!

Your older Maltese’s teeth falling out is due to periodontal disease. This has happened because the plaque and gingivitis have gotten so severe that your dog’s teeth have started to rot and the gums will release their hold on the rotten teeth.

If you have a Maltese rescue that has been poorly taken care of chances are it may have a few missing teeth. The best way forward is to get your dog’s teeth cleaned by a vet, then make sure to keep up with routine dental care going forward.

Chess Dog 300 x 600

Maltese Baby Teeth NOT Falling Out (Retained Baby Teeth)

Because Maltese’s mouths are so small it is common for new adult teeth to grow in and some baby teeth not to fall out. This can be concerning as it will cause more overcrowding in your dog’s mouth making it harder to keep the teeth clean and free of plaque.

For most dog breeds their baby teeth are all out by 4-5 months old, but for Maltese It’s not uncommon for them to still have baby teeth even after 5 months old.

If your Maltese has passed the time when all his baby teeth should have fallen out and he still has some that won’t let go, then it will be a good idea if you plan to have those teeth removed.

Many owners choose to remove their Maltese’s extra baby teeth at the same time their dog is getting spayed or neutered. That way you only have to put them under general anesthesia once.

Maltese’s Teeth Chattering

Your Maltese’s teeth may be chattering due to nervousness, fear, or anticipation. Another common cause f chattering teeth is periodontal disease. This is a painful condition where the gums become inflamed and bacteria eventually deteriorates the teeth, bones, and tissue.

Some dogs may shake, or chatter their teeth when they are feeling anxiety or stress. This might be a coping mechanism for your dog when it is in a new situation or around new people.

If your Maltese is really high energy (most are) and gets over-excited whenever he knows there is a treat coming or they see you get out their favorite toy this could induce the teeth chattering or grinding.

If your Maltese is not normally anxious and this is the first time you have noticed chattering teeth then it may be time for a visit with your vet.

Our dogs tend to do their best at hiding any kind of pain they are in until it gets pretty bad, but oral pain can be a big trigger in your dog’s chattering behavior. This could be due to injury or a more serious dental problem.

Although dental disease may be the most common reason for your Maltese’s teeth to be chattering it’s not the only possibility. You will want to be very observant of when your dog is doing it. The context could give you some better clues as to why.

Maltese Broken Tooth

Broken teeth can be a common occurrence and can be very uncomfortable for your Maltese.

If your Maltese has had any kind of impact to their mouth, either from being hit by something or from running into something it could cause a broken or chipped tooth.

They could also break a tooth by chewing on something too hard. This is why I always tell my student to be careful about what they allow their dogs to chew on. It is recommended that your dog doesn’t chew on hard things like antlers, bones, or other hard and non-bendable items.

Signs your Maltese has a chipped or cracked tooth.

  • Eating on one side of his mouth.
  • Not eating hard food.
  • Not chewing on his favorite chew toys.
  • Swelling in his face or gums.
  • Excessive drooling.
  • Pawing or itching as his face or mouth.
  • Not wanting or letting you touch his face.

Broken or chipped teeth can cause your Maltese serious pain and problems with an infection later on. It’s important that it is treated as soon as possible to prevent more complications. The severity of the broken or chipped tooth will dictate the course of treatment. Your vet will do an assessment and suggest a course of action.

If it is a surface chip the tooth should be able to be repaired fairly easily. If the root is exposed then your Maltese will likely need a root canal. Your vet will need to sedate your dog in order to do this safely.

How to Keep Your Maltese’s Teeth Clean

  1. Start by getting your Maltese puppy used to having its gums touched and looked over at a young age. When you bring a new puppy home use coconut oil on your finger to rub on your Maltese’s teeth and gums each day.

    It’s best to do this when they are tired or sleepy. Be sure to watch out for nipping and biting that your Yorkshire Terrier will surely want to do.

    Reward your dog with praise and a small treat when it lets you do this process with ease.
  2. Provide your Maltese with lots of chew toys, (affiliate link) not only will this help you keep them from chewing on undesired things in your house, but it will also help them keep their teeth clean by the scraping motion that they do as they chew.

    Specifically, dental chew toys can also be very helpful to remove plaque from your Maltese’s teeth.
  3. You should start brushing your Maltese’s teeth around 12 weeks old. It’s important to start a habit of daily brushing (if not daily then at least 2-3 times a week). Using a pet toothbrush like this as well as a good dog toothpaste is important.
  4. Use a dental powder cleanser like this one on Amazon (affiliate link). This is one of the easiest ways to help your Maltese’s teeth stay clean. You just add it to their water and you are done!
  5. Make a consistent effort. Taking care of oral hygiene once and a while will not be good enough for your lovable Maltese companion. You need to make it a daily/weekly habit so that their teeth will not go bad over time.

If the plaque and tartar have built up to a degree that you are not able to remove it yourself by brushing, you may need to take your dog to the vet for a professional cleaning.

If professional cleaning is necessary, your vet will need to give your Maltese general anesthesia for the procedure so that they can gain easy access to their mouth without the worry of being bitten or having your pup resist.

He or she will then use dental tools relatively similar to the tools that are used on us at the dentist to scale and scrape the plaque from your dog’s teeth. This will also allow them to see if there are any teeth that are loose or rotting and may need to be removed.

This cleaning will help to reduce gingivitis (the swelling on your dog’s gums) as well as the nasty bacteria that cause bad breath.

You will want to be sure to keep a good oral hygiene routine at home afterward to prevent the plaque from returning.

If your Maltese needs a dental cleaning, this article from the Spruce Pets can help you prepare for and understand what that process entails. Getting a Professional Teeth Cleaning for Your Dog (thesprucepets.com)

Fun Tip: Did you know that there is a certain type of fruit that can help to whiten your Maltese teeth? Read this article to find out what it is. Complete List of Fruit Maltese Can & Can’t Eat!

How to Brush Your Maltese’s Teeth

Do Maltese Have Good Teeth?

Maltese can have good and healthy teeth if they are well taken care of. Brushing them daily is important. If your dog’s teeth are white, their gums are pink, and they don’t have smelly breath then your Maltese’s teeth are likely healthy.

Maltese puppies start out with strong healthy teeth but it’s up to us as owners to keep them clean and healthy. This dental kit (affiliate link) has been a lifesaver for me in keeping my little fur ball’s teeth clean! I especially love that I know it doesn’t have any harsh chemicals or bad ingredients in it.

Taking a look at your Maltese’s teeth every few weeks will help you to keep on top of the dental hygiene and spot signs of problems early on.

Warning: If your Maltese is prone to biting or is easily startled seek guidance from your vet or a professional dog trainer before following these steps.

When your dog is calm or sleeping, gently lift the flap of skin on the side of your dog’s mouth in order to inspect their gums.

Never put your hand inside your dog’s mouth, even if your dog is normally calm and doesn’t tend to bite.

You will be looking to make sure that their teeth are white and if there is any brown, grey, or black buildup on their teeth how bad it is and where it is.

When you look at their gums you are wanting to see light pink. If you see any darker pink coloring or red tint it can be an indication of gum disease and you will want to schedule a visit with your vet.

How Many Teeth Do Maltese Have?

Maltese puppies are born with no teeth but gain 28 baby teeth (deciduous teeth) by 6-8 weeks of age. Adult Maltese will have a total of 42 teeth including 12 incisors (for grasping), 4 canines (for tearing), 16 premolars, and 8 molars (for grinding).

Angel on the left and Snowball on the right. Thank you Darren S. and Karen M. for use of your photos!

Maltese Teething Timeline

Being a parent of a new Maltese puppy can produce all sorts of questions from why is my dog constantly licking, to why is my puppy crying all the time. Knowing more about their expected development can help ease some worries and concerns we might have.

If it’s been a while since you have had a puppy or if this is your first experience raising a puppy you may be surprised to know that your puppy’s teeth will fall out. Just like their human counterparts around pre-school age, we start losing our baby teeth, our puppies are going to lose their teeth and grow adult ones as well.

So to help you with this here is a detailed timeline of what you can expect while your puppy is teething.

Please remember that every dog is different so even though this is a good estimate your dog may not follow it exactly.

Newborn: Your puppy will be born with what looks like no teeth at all, but when he reaches 2 to 4 weeks old at the same time his eyes start to open his little baby teeth will start popping through.

Around 6-8 weeks your puppy should have all his baby teeth and will start weening from his mother’s milk while learning to eat soft moist puppy food.

Around 12-16 weeks old as you have recently brought your puppy home and are getting to know them better he will start to lose his baby teeth. It usually starts with the incisors and you will probably notice little rice-sized doggy teeth falling out everywhere.

By 5 months old your puppy will have lost most of their baby teeth and by 6 months old they will have lost all their baby teeth and grown in all their adult teeth.

At 6 months you should have your vet examine your Maltese’s teeth to check that all the baby teeth are gone and that the adult teeth have grown in properly. If your dog still has baby teeth at this age your vet will most likely recommend removal.

As your puppy grows you should get your Maltese used to you gently placing your hand around his mouth and gums. This is the start of socializing your dog and will be helpful to prepare them for getting their teeth brushed and clean.

How to help my Teething Maltese Puppy

Luckily the teething puppy stage doesn’t last too long. I know it does feel like it’s going on forever when you are in the thick of it, but it usually gets much better around the time your puppy is 6 months old.

Even though it may be short it can be hard to make it through the puppy teething stage. Having a puppy is a lot of work and it’s best to be as proactive as possible when teaching your puppy and helping them adjust to a new life with your family.

Helping them focus their teething troubles on chewing and biting appropriate things (rather than your furniture or fingers) is part of their puppy training.

You can tell your puppy might be having teething pain or discomfort if you notice them whining a lot (see this article 7 Reasons Why Your Maltese Whines (And What to Do) to rule out other reasons for their whining), biting and chewing on everything, lots of drooling, and of course, the obvious losing teeth and swollen or tender gums.

The best thing you can do is to offer your puppy a variety of puppy teething toys. Toys that offer different textures, different pressures, or different tastes will help your puppy have variety. This can keep your puppy from getting bored and wanting to chew on things that they shouldn’t (like your brand new shoes)

Offering your pup something cold or frozen can help to numb and dull the teething pain they feel. An easy way to do this is to get a clean cloth a little wet and freeze it. A rope toy could also work well for this.

Safety Tip: Puppy teeth are super sharp! Be sure to monitor your puppy when chewing and take away any toys or items that start to become shredded or break apart. It would be dangerous for your puppy to swallow any small pieces.

Our Favorite Toys for a Teething Maltese Puppy

There is a reason that Kong toys are so popular! Not only are they are super versatile as far as the things that you can put inside the middle, but they are the perfect blend of hard/soft and chewy for a teething puppy.

Try putting a mixture of peanut butter and soft puppy food in the middle and freezing it. Your puppy will love it!

This toy is great for teething. Puppies love the texture of the little rubber nubs against their gums. (affiliate links)

My dog’s absolute favorite thing to chew on is bully sticks! He really loves these! They saved me when he was a puppy wanting to chew on everything, and he still loves them even now when he’s 2 years old.

You want to make sure that they do it safely, so be sure to have something to hold the end so that when it gets small they don’t accidentally swallow it and choke on it.

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