If you have a puppy in your home, you're no stranger to the sharp little baby teeth nipping you here and tearing up your T-shirt there. Well, you'll be delighted to know that the baby set will start to be replaced by adult teeth by the age of 4 months. Twenty-eight deciduous baby teeth will make way for 42 permanent ones. However, since problems can occur with the changeover, you'll have to keep an eye on it.

Sometimes baby teeth are retained after the adult ones come in, a situation that can cause many problems, including the misalignment of permanent teeth, incorrect development of the jaw, and infections. Check your puppy's mouth daily while adult teeth are erupting to ensure that the baby teeth aren't being retained — a double row of teeth, especially in the front, tells you that they are.

Have your veterinarian check any suspicious developments. Baby teeth that refuse to fall out on their own may need to be removed by your veterinarian.