Dog Fractured Tooth? Causes and When to Call Your Vet

Dogs can experience cracked, chipped or fractured (i.e., broken) teeth from chewing on something too hard or from head trauma.

What Is a Fractured Tooth in Dogs?

When a tooth is fractured the pulp, the sensitive inside portion of the tooth containing nerves and blood supply, can be exposed.

A fractured tooth is extremely painful for dogs.

When a tooth is fractured deep enough to expose the pulp (which looks like a red or brown dot on the fractured tooth surface), treatment is immediately necessary. The exposed pulp can easily become inflamed and infected if bacteria invade the pulp cavity.

Unfortunately, dogs frequently mask their pain and don’t show obvious signs, so a fractured tooth is often found incidentally during a vet checkup.

If you notice that your dog has a fractured tooth, call your vet right away. The sooner the fractured tooth is seen, the better the outcome.

If left untreated, a fractured tooth in dogs with exposed pulp can lead to long-term pain and bacterial infection in dogs.

Symptoms of a Fractured Tooth in Dogs

Symptoms of a fractured tooth in dogs include:

• Actively bleeding tooth

• Blood or pink tissue around the tooth

• Painful tooth that your dog resists having touched

• Gray, reddish-brown, pink or purple-colored tooth

• Missing tooth

• Sensitivity to cold, such as avoiding drinking cool water

• Avoiding chew toys

• Refusing crunchy biscuit treats

• Approaching the food bowl, then walking away

• Dental abscess

• Swollen face

Causes of a Fractured Tooth in Dogs

A fractured tooth in dogs is caused by:

• Trauma to the head, face or jaw

• Traumatic tooth injury from aggressive play or a fight

• Traumatic tooth injury from chewing on a hard item, such as ice cubes, bones, hooves, antlers, hard toys, rocks, fences, cages, or crates

• Dental or periodontal infection

How Veterinarians Diagnose a Fractured Tooth in Dogs

To diagnose a fractured tooth in dogs, your vet will:

• Perform a complete physical exam to identify the fractured tooth

• Perform pre-surgical blood work to screen for internal diseases that may lead to anesthetic complications

• Place your dog under general anesthesia for a complete dental exam

• Perform dental X-rays to evaluate the full extent of the tooth’s damage, from the crown, which is the tooth part visible above the gumline, to the roots, the portion below the gumline.

Treatment of a Fractured Tooth in Dogs

After your pup’s oral exam and dental X-rays under anesthesia, your vet will determine the best treatment for the fractured tooth, depending on the extent of the injury and disease.

• Diseased, infected, loose, or dead teeth should be extracted.

• If a tooth is fractured to the gumline, the remaining roots will be surgically extracted.

• If a tooth is only chipped, with no pulp exposure, your vet may recommend monitoring the tooth. This will involve regular oral exams and possibly dental X-rays under anesthesia.

In certain cases, a veterinary dental specialist can save the tooth by performing an advanced surgical procedure such as:

• Vital pulp therapy: This therapy preserves the pulp, so the tooth won’t need to be extracted.

• Root canal: During a root canal, the infected or dead pulp is removed and the remaining space is filled with dental material.

Recovery and Management of a Fractured Tooth in Dogs

Dogs typically go home the same day as their dental procedure, but it will generally take two weeks for them to fully recover.

When you pick up your pup from the hospital, carefully read your vet or dental specialist’s discharge notes and discuss any questions or concerns you have about what to expect during your dog’s recovery.

After dental surgery, it’s normal for your dog to feel groggy for the rest of the day and to have a small amount of blood in their mouth or saliva.

There are several ways to help your pup recover from their dental surgery.

They include:

• Providing a safe, comfortable space and soft dog bed for your fur baby to rest and recover.

• Feeding canned or wet food for two weeks or as directed by your vet.

• Adding a probiotic supplement (e.g., FortiFlora, Proviable) to your dog’s food to help aid digestion with medications and diet change.

• Avoiding hard food, crunchy treats, hard toys, bones, or ice cubes, which could all disturb the healing tissues of your pup’s mouth.

• Limiting your dog’s activity for the first two weeks after dental surgery, according to your vet’s instructions. Avoid running, jumping, or playing to allow the delicate tissues of your pup’s mouth to heal.

• Setting up pet stairs and steps to prevent your dog from jumping up to their favorite places.

• Hiding your dog’s prescribed medications, such as pain relievers (e.g., Rimadyl) and antibiotics (e.g., Antirobe), in Pill Pockets to make taking the medications easy and fun.

Prevention of A Fractured Tooth in Dogs

There are several ways you can help prevent tooth fractures in your pup, including:

• Giving every chew toy or treat the “thumbnail test.” Chew toys and treats should be soft enough that you can indent them with your fingernail. Otherwise, they are too hard and can cause tooth fractures.

• Avoiding ice cubes, bones, hooves, antlers, and hard toys.

• Supervising your pup to prevent them from chewing on rocks, fences, or crates.

• Checking with the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) for a veterinary dentist-approved list of dental chews that are safe for dogs and prevent dental disease.

• Providing daily dental care for your pup at home with tooth brushing, water additives, dental health treats, and dental diets, like Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d Dental Care. Choose products with the VOHC seal of approval.

• Bringing your pup to the vet for routine wellness examinations. Discuss your dog’s dental health and work with your vet to start a proactive dental routine when your dog is young, to stay ahead of dental disease.