True or False: Dogs have fewer teeth than adult humans.

The story behind the answer

False. Adult dogs have more teeth than adult humans—typically 42 to our 32. Their mouths are built for an omnivorous-carnivorous lifestyle: long canines for gripping, sharp premolars and carnassial teeth for shearing meat, and robust molars for crushing. By contrast, human teeth are more generalized for grinding and varied diets.

Fun context: puppies start with 28 “baby” teeth that are replaced by 42 adult teeth by about 6–7 months of age. A quick memory trick: four-legged friends have 42. Knowing this helps explain why dental care is so important for dogs—more teeth mean more surfaces where plaque can build, so regular brushing and checkups keep those 42 working well.