A grown Yorkshire Terrier has 42 adult teeth. A Yorkie puppy starts out with 28 baby teeth.
Yes, really. Your four-pound Yorkie carries the exact same number of teeth as a 90-pound Rottweiler. The teeth themselves are miniature, but nobody told nature to reduce the count when the breed got smaller.
That one detail is the root of nearly every dental issue Yorkies face. Keep reading and you will understand why, plus exactly what to watch for at each age.
Why the Number Matters More Than You Think
Picture a normal-sized dog jaw. Now shrink it down to the size of your thumb, but keep all 42 teeth inside.
That is a Yorkie’s mouth.
The teeth end up pressed shoulder to shoulder with no breathing room between them. Food particles slide into those tight gaps and stay there. Bacteria move in. Plaque forms, hardens, and starts working its way under the gums.
This is why toy breeds develop gum disease years earlier than big dogs on the same routine. It is not that Yorkies have weak teeth. It is that they have a spacing problem they were born with.
Understanding the number is step one. Understanding what the crowding does is step two, and that is where you can actually make a difference.
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Yorkie Puppy Teeth: The First Set of 28
Yorkie puppies come into the world with no teeth. Nursing does not need them, so they wait.
Around 3 to 4 weeks old, the first sharp little points push through the gums. By 6 to 8 weeks, the complete set of 28 baby teeth has usually arrived. That timing lines up almost perfectly with when most puppies go to their new homes, which is why new Yorkie owners meet those needle teeth right away.
Here is the full puppy set:
| Tooth Type | Top Jaw | Bottom Jaw | Total |
| Incisors (tiny front teeth) | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Canines (the fangs) | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Premolars (side teeth) | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Molars (back grinders) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 14 | 14 | 28 |
Look at the molar row. Zero. Puppies never grow baby molars, because a young dog living on milk and soft food has nothing to grind. Molars show up later and only ever come in as permanent teeth.
Baby teeth are also thinner and much sharper than adult teeth. If your Yorkie puppy feels like a set of pins with a tail attached, that is completely normal and it does not last.
Yorkie Adult Teeth: The Full Set of 42
Somewhere between three and seven months, the baby teeth get pushed out and 42 permanent teeth take over.
| Tooth Type | Top Jaw | Bottom Jaw | Total | Job |
| Incisors | 6 | 6 | 12 | Nibbling, grooming, picking up small things |
| Canines | 2 | 2 | 4 | Gripping and holding |
| Premolars | 8 | 8 | 16 | Slicing and shearing |
| Molars | 4 | 6 | 10 | Grinding and crushing |
| Total | 20 | 22 | 42 |
Notice the bottom jaw has two more teeth than the top. That is not a defect and it is not unique to Yorkies. Every dog breed is built this way, because the lower jaw carries three molars per side while the upper jaw carries only two.
The dental formula, explained simply
If you have ever seen this written on a vet chart, it looks confusing:
2 x (I 3/3, C 1/1, P 4/4, M 2/3) = 42
All it means is: count one side of the mouth, then double it. On one side your Yorkie has 3 incisors top and 3 bottom, 1 canine top and bottom, 4 premolars top and bottom, 2 molars top and 3 bottom. Add those up and you get 21 per side. Double it for both sides and you land on 42.
How to count your own Yorkie’s teeth at home
You do not need special equipment.
- Sit with your dog on your lap facing away from you, or beside you on a sofa
- Gently lift the lip on one side, top first
- Count from the front incisor backward. You should reach 10 on the top
- Now do the bottom on the same side. You should reach 11
- That is 21 on one side, so 42 total
Do it in short sessions and give a treat afterward. Beyond the count itself, this teaches your dog that mouth handling is no big deal, which makes brushing far easier later on.
Yorkie Teething Timeline
| Age | What Is Happening |
| Birth to 3 weeks | No teeth |
| 3 to 6 weeks | Baby incisors and canines break through |
| 6 to 8 weeks | All 28 baby teeth in place |
| 3 to 4 months | Baby incisors loosen and fall; adult incisors push in |
| 4 to 5 months | Adult canines and premolars arrive |
| 5 to 7 months | Molars erupt; last baby teeth drop out |
| 7 to 8 months | Full set of 42 adult teeth complete |
Toy breeds often run a little behind larger breeds, so a Yorkie sitting a few weeks past these markers is usually fine. What genuinely matters is not the speed. It is whether every baby tooth actually came out.
Signs your Yorkie is teething
- Chewing on furniture, shoes, hands, and anything else within reach
- Tiny blood spots on toys or in the water bowl
- Small white teeth found on the floor, though most get swallowed
- Slightly fussy eating for a day or two
- Extra drooling
- Pawing at the face or rubbing along the carpet
- Mildly bad breath that clears up on its own
What helps a teething Yorkie
- Twist a wet washcloth, freeze it, and let your puppy chew the cold end
- Offer soft rubber teething toys made for toy breeds
- Soak kibble in warm water for a few days if eating looks uncomfortable
- Redirect every wrong chew to a correct toy, calmly and every single time
- Start handling the mouth daily now so brushing is easy in three months
Never give human pain medicine. Ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic to dogs, even in doses that seem tiny. If your puppy seems truly uncomfortable, that is a call to the vet, not to the medicine cabinet.
The Double Row Problem: Retained Baby Teeth
This is the single most common dental issue in the breed, and it catches a lot of owners off guard.
Normally the incoming adult tooth dissolves the root of the baby tooth sitting above it, and the baby tooth drops out. In Yorkies, the adult tooth frequently comes in slightly off-center, misses the baby root completely, and the baby tooth just stays there.
The result looks like two rows of teeth, or two fangs sitting side by side. Upper canines are the usual culprits, with incisors close behind.
Why it cannot be ignored:
- Two teeth wedged into one spot trap food and hair permanently
- Plaque builds in that gap within days and no toothbrush can reach it
- The extra tooth can shove the adult tooth into a crooked position
- Crooked lower canines sometimes stab into the roof of the mouth
- Gum infection around these pairs often starts before the dog’s first birthday
The rule most vets follow: if a baby tooth is still there once the adult tooth beside it has erupted, or if your Yorkie is around six months and still has baby teeth, they need to come out.
Timing works out conveniently. Most Yorkies are spayed or neutered around six months, so retained baby teeth get removed during that same anesthesia. One procedure, two problems solved.
Can a Yorkie Have Fewer Than 42 Teeth?
Yes, and it happens more often in small breeds than large ones.
Born with fewer (hypodontia). Some Yorkies simply never grow one or two teeth, usually small premolars. If the tooth was never there, it causes no problem whatsoever. A show judge might penalize it, but your dog will live a completely normal life.
Lost along the way. The common reasons are gum disease, extractions done by a vet, injury from a fall or a hard chew, and retained baby teeth that were removed intentionally.
Hidden under the gum. Sometimes a tooth formed but never erupted. This one matters, because an unerupted tooth can develop a fluid-filled cyst that quietly destroys jawbone around it. Dental X-rays are the only way to tell an unerupted tooth from a missing one.
There is also the reverse situation. A small number of dogs grow extra teeth, called supernumerary teeth. In a mouth as tight as a Yorkie’s, extras almost always worsen crowding and usually get removed.
So if you count and come up with 40 instead of 42, do not panic. Just mention it at the next checkup and ask whether an X-ray is worth doing.
Dental Problems Yorkies Are Prone To
Periodontal disease. The headline issue. It begins as red, puffy gum edges and progresses into bone loss around the roots. Most dogs show some signs by age three, and toy breeds sit at the worst end of that range.
Fast tartar buildup. Yorkies produce tartar quickly. It shows up as a hard brown or yellow crust hugging the gum line. Once it hardens, brushing will not shift it. Only professional scaling will.
Bad breath that does not go away. Mild dog breath is normal. Breath that makes you lean back is a bacterial warning sign, and it is usually the earliest symptom owners actually notice.
Loose teeth and receding gums. As bone dissolves, roots become exposed and teeth begin to wobble. A loose adult tooth always warrants a vet visit.
Tooth resorption. The tooth breaks down from the inside out. It is painful and often invisible above the gum line, which is another reason X-rays matter.
Jaw fracture. Uncommon but serious. In a small dog with advanced disease, enough bone can be lost around the lower molars that the jaw can break during an ordinary jump or during an extraction. This is the strongest argument against letting dental disease run for years in a toy breed.
Bite misalignment. Crowding and retained teeth can push teeth into positions where they hit the opposite gum, creating sores.
Here is the part owners find hardest to accept: dogs almost never show mouth pain. They keep eating, keep playing, keep greeting you at the door. It is extremely common for an owner to say their dog “seemed completely fine,” then watch that same dog act years younger after a bad tooth comes out. Waiting for visible pain is waiting too long.
Simple Dental Care That Actually Works
Brushing
Nothing else comes close. Daily is ideal, three times a week is the realistic minimum. Plaque hardens into tartar in roughly 48 to 72 hours, so brushing less than every other day loses most of its benefit.
Getting started with a Yorkie who resists:
- Days 1 to 3: Let your dog lick dog toothpaste off your finger. That is the whole exercise. Make it feel like a treat.
- Days 4 to 7: Lift the lip and rub one finger across the outside of the teeth for about five seconds. Praise and stop.
- Week 2: Bring in a finger brush or a small soft-bristled brush. Do the upper canines only.
- Week 3: Add a few more teeth per session until you cover the whole mouth.
- Ongoing: Keep it under two minutes and always finish on a positive note.
Concentrate on the outer surfaces where the cheek meets the tooth. That is where tartar collects. The tongue handles the inner surfaces reasonably well on its own.
Angle the brush about 45 degrees toward the gum line and use small circles. Go gently. A Yorkie’s gums bruise and bleed easily.
Use dog toothpaste only. Human toothpaste contains fluoride and frequently xylitol, which is genuinely dangerous for dogs. Your Yorkie will swallow every bit of whatever you use.
Chews and toys
Chewing scrapes soft plaque off through friction. Look for products carrying the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal, since those have been tested rather than just marketed.
Good for a small mouth:
- Dental chews sized for dogs under 10 pounds
- Soft rubber toys with textured ridges
- Rope toys, with supervision, which work like floss
Avoid completely:
- Antlers, hooves, and hard bones
- Ice cubes
- Anything you cannot dent with your thumbnail
- Chews so large they strain a tiny jaw
Yorkie teeth are small with shallow roots. A fractured tooth from a too-hard chew is a real and common injury in this breed.
Food and water additives
Dry kibble cleans slightly better than wet food, but the difference is smaller than most people assume, because standard kibble shatters on contact and never touches the gum line. Prescription dental diets with larger fibrous pieces genuinely do perform better. Ask your vet if your Yorkie is a heavy tartar producer.
Water additives and oral gels reduce bacteria and take about five seconds to use. Treat them as a helpful extra, never a replacement for brushing.
Professional cleanings
Eventually brushing is not enough, because tartar below the gum line is physically out of reach at home.
A veterinary dental cleaning happens under general anesthesia and includes scaling above and below the gums, polishing, probing each tooth, and ideally full-mouth X-rays. Many toy breeds need their first cleaning between two and three years old, then every one to two years after.
Anesthesia worries are reasonable for a dog this small, and worth discussing openly with your vet, who will normally run bloodwork beforehand. Weigh it against the alternative, which is a chronic bacterial infection sitting in your dog’s mouth for years.
A caution about anesthesia-free cleanings offered at some grooming salons: they can scrape visible tartar off the crown so teeth look whiter, but they cannot clean beneath the gum line where the actual disease lives. Most veterinary dental organizations recommend against them.
Three Myths About Yorkie Teeth
Myth 1: Small dogs have fewer teeth. They do not. Every breed shares the same 42 adult teeth. Only the size changes.
Myth 2: Bad breath is just normal dog breath. Strong, persistent bad breath is a symptom, not a personality trait. It usually means bacteria are already established under the gums.
Myth 3: Dry food cleans teeth well enough. It helps a little. It does not replace brushing, and believing otherwise is a common reason Yorkies end up needing extractions at five years old.
Dental Care Checklist by Age
8 weeks to 4 months: Handle the mouth daily. Introduce toothpaste as a treat. Provide safe teething toys. Note when baby teeth start dropping.
4 to 6 months: Begin real brushing. Check weekly for double teeth. Discuss retained baby teeth with your vet before spay or neuter.
6 months to 2 years: Brush at least three times a week. Confirm all 42 adult teeth are present. Watch for early tartar at the gum line.
2 to 5 years: Expect the first professional cleaning. Keep brushing. Check gum color at least monthly.
5 years and up: Increase vigilance. Watch for loose teeth, dropped food, and chewing on one side. Follow your vet’s cleaning schedule closely.
When to Call the Vet
- A baby tooth still present at six months
- A double row of teeth at any age after four months
- Any adult tooth that feels loose
- Gums bleeding outside of normal teething
- Breath that has clearly worsened
- Dropping food, chewing on one side, or refusing hard food
- Pawing at the mouth or face rubbing
- Swelling on the face, especially below an eye, which can signal a root abscess
- A visibly chipped, broken, or darkened tooth
A broken tooth with the pink or dark center exposed is urgent. It hurts and it will become infected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many teeth do Yorkie dogs have?
Adult Yorkies have 42 permanent teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars, and 10 molars. Yorkie puppies have 28 baby teeth and no molars.
Do Yorkies have fewer teeth than big dogs?
No. All dog breeds share the same 42 adult teeth. A Yorkie’s are simply much smaller.
When do Yorkie puppies lose their baby teeth?
Most begin around three to four months and finish by six or seven months. Toy breeds sometimes run slightly later.
I never find the lost teeth. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Puppies swallow most of their baby teeth while eating or chewing and they pass harmlessly.
Why does my Yorkie look like it has two rows of teeth?
That is a retained baby tooth sitting alongside the new adult tooth. It is very common in Yorkies and needs veterinary removal.
Do retained baby teeth always need to come out?
If the adult tooth has erupted and the baby tooth remains, yes. Leaving it causes crowding, trapped food, and early gum infection. Most vets remove them during spay or neuter surgery.
Why do Yorkies lose adult teeth so young?
Crowded teeth plus a shallow jawbone means plaque accumulates fast and bone loss starts early. Without regular care, many Yorkies show real gum disease by age three.
How often should I brush my Yorkie’s teeth?
Daily is best, three times weekly is the minimum, because plaque turns into tartar within two to three days.
Can I use my own toothpaste on my dog?
No. Human toothpaste contains fluoride and often xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Use dog toothpaste, which is safe to swallow.
Are dental chews enough by themselves?
They help but they are not a substitute. Chews support the routine; the toothbrush does the real work.
Can a Yorkie live without teeth?
Yes, and often very happily. Dogs adapt quickly after full-mouth extractions, and many owners report their dog acts younger once the pain is gone. Soft food works well, and many manage kibble too.
Why is my Yorkie’s breath so bad?
Persistent foul breath nearly always means bacteria under the gum line. It is the earliest reliable warning sign of dental disease.
Is dry food better than wet food for teeth?
Slightly, but the difference is small because most kibble crumbles without scrubbing the tooth surface. Brushing matters far more.
When should my Yorkie get a first professional cleaning?
Often between two and three years old, though your vet will advise based on what they see at annual exams.
Do Yorkies get cavities?
True cavities are rare in dogs due to tooth shape and saliva chemistry. Gum disease and tooth resorption are much bigger threats.
Is anesthesia safe for a dog this small?
It is a fair concern worth raising with your vet. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork and modern monitoring keep the risk low for most healthy Yorkies, and untreated infection carries real risks of its own.
Should my Yorkie have dental X-rays?
Ideally yes, during professional cleanings. A large share of dental disease sits below the gum line where it cannot be seen otherwise.
Final Thoughts
So, how many teeth do Yorkie dogs have? 28 as puppies and 42 as adults, exactly like every other dog breed.
The count is the easy part. The real story is what happens when 42 teeth get packed into a mouth this small: crowding, retained baby teeth, quick tartar buildup, and gum disease arriving earlier than it should.
None of that is inevitable. Two habits do most of the work. Brush regularly, starting as young as possible. And check your puppy’s mouth around six months to confirm every baby tooth actually fell out.
Get those two right, and your Yorkie has an excellent shot at keeping a full, healthy set of teeth well into its senior years.
Author Profile
- Dr. Alex Carter is a veterinarian who enjoys helping pet owners better understand and care for their animals. Through easy-to-read articles, they share practical advice on pet health, nutrition, behavior, and everyday wellness.
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