Dog Tooth Abscess: A Guide for Dog Owners

Do dogs incur tooth abscesses, cavities, and broken teeth? Yes, and this article provides basic information about these conditions, the ramifications, and ideas on how to limit abscesses and other mouth maladies.

But first, it’s important to understand the anatomy of your dog’s mouth.

Canine Mouth Anatomy 101

Here is bit about a dog’s teeth anatomy3 and functions starting in the front of the mouth and working to the back.

• The incisors are the front center teeth used to tear meat, their primary food in nature. And you might notice a dog using their incisors for self-grooming.
• The canines hold and puncture food and are used for self-defense.
• The premolars serve to chew and tear food, and dogs often tilt their head when using the premolars.
• The molars at the back of the jaws crush and grind food to prepare it for further breakdown in the stomach.
• The crown is visible above the gumline and is the most susceptible to fracture. The crown is coated by a thin layer of enamel, a very hard substance that protects the inner layers of the tooth.
• The dentin is comparably as strong as bone, can sense cold, heat, and touch, and lies deep under the protective enamel.
• The pulp is the central internal part of the tooth and is composed of blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves. The pulp is the most sensitive component of each tooth and is the location where most abscesses begin.
• The root serves to anchor the tooth to the supportive alveolar bone via the periodontal ligament, and is not visible to the naked eye unless there’s been severe trauma or recession of the gingiva (“gums”).
• The periodontal ligament attaches a tooth in the socket to the underlying alveolar bone (mandible and maxilla).
• The gingiva or gums is the oral cavity lining tissue that protects the bone and lower part of the teeth. The cusp is the tip of each tooth.

What Is a Dog Tooth Abscess?

Recent studies suggest that 14-17% of dogs1 (est. 12 to 15 million US dogs impacted) incur a cracked or broken tooth — frequently the start of an abscess. Most of these incidents occur from a dog chewing on hard objects including bones, antlers, rocks, chews, and treats — typically with a Rockwell hardness measurement of over 85.

Rumors have long suggested that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth. However, both carry bacteria that we, as owners, must be cognizant of. With this overview, we turn our attention directly to abscesses and other mouth conditions that dog owners should be watching for. 

A very high percentage of tooth abscesses arise when bacteria from the mouth invade the dental pulp of a tooth. The pulp is the innermost part of the tooth that contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. The blood vessels are important in bacteria traveling to vital organs.

A tooth abscess is noticed as a localized pool of puss caused by a bacterial infection. It typically occurs near a tooth as it is related to an injury to a tooth. 

Such an abscess generally occurs as a result of a cracked or broken tooth, and it requires treatment — sooner rather than later. A puss pool typically occurs beside a tooth or near the tip of the root of a tooth. It can become serious and bite back5.

Tooth Abscesses vs. Cavities

While these are different, both have similar symptoms — and some breeds are more susceptible. Small, flat-faced breeds of dogs such as Pugs, Boston Terriers, and Bulldogs possess a natural underbite, so the top teeth are recessed versus the teeth of the lower jaw. This can cause issues with eating and such breeds are widely known to be prone to tooth decay, tooth infections, and gum disease. 

Cavities in dogs are somewhat infrequent because of the low amount of sugars and acids in most dogs’ diets. However, certain breeds are more susceptible to cavities4. This includes mostly smaller breeds such as Pugs, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, and Shih Tzus plus Bulldogs and Poodles which are all predisposed to have higher instances of tooth decay.

Dog Mouth Sores (Ulcers) 

Just as humans wake up with a mouth sore or ulcer, so can dogs. These lesions can be inside or outside a dog’s mouth or along the gum line. They can vary by size and depth and be caused by a variety of issues ranging from infections to trauma from foreign body such as a thorn or splinter of wood. 

Oral Tumors 

Tumors in a dog’s mouth can be cancerous or benign (non-cancerous), so it’s important to get any bump or growth checked and evaluated by a veterinarian. Signs of dog mouth cancer may resemble other dog dental problems, so it’s important to receive a professional diagnosis. 

Epulis is a non-cancerous oral tumor that affects dogs; it simply means growth on the gingiva or gum tissue. Treatment involves surgical removal of the tumor. 

What Are the Common Causes of a Dog Tooth Abscess?

Broken Tooth

How can abscesses be limited? The most important step is to remain keenly aware of the hardness of treats and other objects that dogs can chew on and crack or break a tooth. This can be natural objects like rocks, metal objects a dog decides to chew on, or hard treats, bones, or antlers8. 

Tartar Buildup

Flossing, scraping and scrubbing can be beneficial in deterring teeth problems. While tartar buildup is a natural process, it can be significantly limited by regularly cleaning your dogs teeth and offering them safe chews. 

It is important to keep an eye on tartar buildup to avoid other periodontal diseases, like gingivitis. 

What Are Common Signs of a Tooth Root Abscess in Dogs?

• Reduced interest in eating. 
• Chewing on one side.
• Food falling from the mouth when eating.
• Excessive drooling or pawing at the mouth.
• Grinding of teeth.
• Pawing at the mouth due to discomfort or pain during the food chewing process because of the pressure of chewing or biting on the abscess.
• Facial swelling and even possible difficulty in breathing.
• Lymph node enlargement/swelling in the neck or under the jaw. 
• Shying away when the face is petted.
• Refusing to eat hard food.
• Refusing to chew on hard treats or toys.
• A fever (the normal body temperature of a healthy adult dog ranges from 101 to 102.5° F).
• Abnormal behavior, like nervously moving around and not being comfortable in any position.
• Bad breath or an irritated gum line.
• Abscess rupture with a sudden rush of very foul odor.

How To Diagnose and Treat a Dog Tooth Abscess

After a dental X-ray to diagnose the issues, veterinary dentists generally begin treatment by draining the puss to relieve the pain and rid the dog of the infection. The next stage is a root canal or tooth extraction — all with pain medication or anesthesia, of course. 

Failure to treat a tooth abscess jeopardizes your dog’s health and can be life-threatening. The resulting inflammation and infection often occur at the tip of the root or the cusp. Damage to a tooth, such as a fracture or break, allows “bad guy” bacteria to get to the pulp, where it can then compromise the circulatory system. 

It can allow bacteria to enter blood vessels where these bad bacteria can travel to and compromise vital organs, causing damage or failure of a vital organ — all from a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth or unattended cavity! 

Under extreme circumstances, a specialist is required for oral surgery. There are only about 200 Board-Certified Veterinary Dentists in the world; by far, the most are in the USA, compared to 100,000 veterinarians in the USA.

How To Prevent a Dog Tooth Abscess in the Future

Let’s think first about the mouth and the functions of its components. The mouth is involved in breathing, chewing, eating, and licking — plus, it helps dogs communicate, both good and bad, with barks, growls, and whines. One of our dogs welcomes me every evening as I walk through the door with what I refer to as a delightful and robust “major alarm!”

It’s important to know how to keep their mouths clean and prevent tooth abscesses in the future.

Dental Cleanings

Good pet parenthood includes attention to cleanliness, health, and dangers to your dog’s mouth. So, as a good dog parent, one should conduct a monthly check of your dog’s mouth for visual signs of abscesses, broken teeth, tartar buildup, gum disease, and offensive odors. 

And studies document that 80% of dogs over the age of three have tartar buildup, a precursor to gum disease. Eighty percent is epidemic proportions! And the very consequential results are vital organ damage or even failure.

To conduct such a mouth exam, it is wise to have a basic understanding of the mouth and its functions:

• SALIVA. Mucus membranes secrete saliva from their glands. This keeps the mouth moist and ‘lubricated’ to allow food to slide down the throat into the stomach. Also, a dog’s saliva possesses antimicrobial compounds and histatins (antimicrobial proteins) that deter infections.
  
• TONGUE. A dog’s tongue helps guide food and water into the esophagus. It has taste buds that allow your dog to process tastes and scents. This is very important to dogs. Remember after exercising your dog, the tongue is hanging out and panting that helps to regulate body temperature. And if you ever had your dog out and he/she has gotten dirty feet, you noted the tongue at work to clean its own feet.
  
• GUMS. A healthy set of dog gums should be pink. If pressed they should turn white. If a dog has gum disease, the gums will first turn red and be swollen (gingivitis) and in more advanced stages, they will bleed (periodontal disease).
  
• TEETH. While we humans have 32 teeth, puppies have only 28 teeth, but mature dogs have 42 adult teeth — 20 on top and 22 on the bottom2. The teeth are very important as they actually serve to help reduce the size of food — the first stage of digestion. 

Dental Chews

I serve as the CEO of Pet’s Best Life and the Yummy Combs® brand. At heart, I am a dog lover, an innovator, and an entrepreneur, with my wife — approaching 30 years. We have implemented innovative measures, some patented, to address breaking or cracking of teeth, doggie-powered cleaning of teeth by the unique shape that flosses, scrapes, and scrubs teeth 360° while the dog is enjoying a savory treat. 

Our mission is to extend the health and longevity of pets. We do this through innovations to deter and remove tartar with 360° dental care, thus improving breath by 46%, delivering 5 innovations for advanced safety, including dog treat hardness, providing superior nutrition and associated weight control, great taste dogs’ love, and simply providing one Yummy Combs® dog treat per day.

Pet’s Best Life’s revolutionary shape really does make a difference. In addition to the hardness, the thin wall plus the wide and flat design allow the dogs’ teeth to penetrate the thickness without severe pressure requirements that can crack or break a dog’s tooth. 

Treats with portions thicker than one-quarter inch should be avoided or at least carefully evaluated before allowing a dog to chew. The thin walls of Yummy Combs® also hasten and help dissolve our treat much faster and are critical in deterring choking and bowel obstructions and the wide-flat geometry deters gulping.

Thicker treat requires simply more pressure to a dog to break the treat into more digestive sizes and thus pose a much higher risk of cracking or breaking a tooth and a subsequent abscess than a thinner treat of the same material.

How Hard Should the Dental Chew Be?

Pet’s Best Life actually measures the hardness of our treats at our production facility; we know of no other dental treat that measures hardness as a safety issue. We also own a power tool accessory company that produces steel products, so we are quite accustomed to using a durometer to analytically measure the hardness of metal; a good quality durometer can be bought for under $500. 

In my opinion, every vet clinic should have access to one to measure the hardness of treats for clients. We use the Rockwell Hardness criteria and measure our steel products as well as Yummy Combs® with this simple analytical device that is very easy to use. 

Our research on dog treats documents that a treat with a Rockwell hardness in the high 80s is encroaching on a danger zone for cracking or breaking of teeth of dogs. A cattle femur typically measures in the mid-90s and is known to break dogs’ teeth. Deer antlers typically measure over 100. 

We manufacture Yummy Combs® to measure between 45 and 70 hardness, so they are hard enough to scrape tartar from teeth, but not so hard as to break dogs’ teeth. Knowing the hardness of a treat is very important.

Pet’s Best Life places emphasis on multiple facets of advanced safety. Hardness and thin walls are two primary areas of focus for the safety of your pet’s best life. A treat with a thick ‘clump’ requires more pressure by the dog’s jaws to break into particles and thus much more likely to break a tooth.

A durometer makes measuring the hardness of objects very simple and easy for any object that a dog may have the opportunity to chew on and potentially crack or break a tooth, resulting in an abscess. This includes items sometimes on dog toys such as buttons or metal components.

A Final Word on Dog Tooth Abscesses

Abscesses and precursors of broken teeth are serious. Unintended consequences can be severe. Schedule an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as practical. 

The fact that a broken tooth can allow bacteria from the mouth to enter the bloodstream from a cracked tooth can be equally dangerous as gum disease with bleeding allowing “bad guy” bacteria from the mouth to travel quickly to vital organs and do serious damage or even result in the death of a dog.

Sources:

What Causes Dogs Teeth to Break.  Barden Greenfield, DVM, CAVC. 03-15-24.

How Many Sets of Teeth Do Adult Dogs Have? Catawba Animal Clinic. 11-15-22.

Dealing with cracked and fractured teeth in dogs. Animal Wellness.  Patrick Mahaney. CVA. 04-18-18 (tooth anatomy)   

Cavities In Dogs. Tracy Vets. 

Risks from a Fractured Tooth—that Neglected Tooth Can Bite Back. Richard Riney, CVM. Cornell University.

Fractured Teeth in Dogs. Tammy Hunter, DVM; Jan Bellows, DVM, Dipl. AVDC, ABVP. 

Fever in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, and Care. Carolina Vet Specialists. 12-30-20.
What Causes Dog’s Teeth To Break? Barden Greenfield, DVM, DAVDC Board Certified Veterinary Dentist (TM).

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.