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Dog's tooth yellow after plaque fell off. Enamel loss or dead tooth?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | unneutered | 7 years and 2 months old | 24.25 lbs

Hi, I've been cleaning my dogs teeth lately and just now a chunk of plaque/tartar had just fallen off. After closer inspection, the exposed tooth looks like a lighter yellow colour and less dense than the rest of the tooth. I'm worried that the plaque/tartar that came off has taken off the enamel off his tooth. Zoe

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Lauren Celestin, DVM

Answered By Lauren Celestin, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Dentistry Resident

Published on July 13th, 2017

Hi there! You and Sam just made this dental residents day with your question! It is unlikely that enamel came off with the calculus/tartar (they are the same thing), but not impossible. He could have also have an enamel defect that has been there and went unnoticed due to calculus build up.

What we in the world of veterinary dentistry call a COHAT (complete oral health assessment and treatment needs to be preformed in order to the full picture of what is going on. It could be a problem with the enamel, but is 92% of the time indicative of a dead tooth. The only way to diagnose this properly is to have full mouth x-rays of the teeth and each tooth checked for pockets around the gums, movement, etc.

Because Sam is a small breed dog he is genetically prone to periodontal disease, making even more important that he have his teeth evaluated on an annual basis, ideally by a board-certified veterinary dentist. Bad breath is also an indication that something not good is going on in the mouth. Despite popular belief animals should not have bad breath.

I'm sure i've overloaded you with information, hopefully helpful information. Bottom line I would definitely consider having Sam's teeth evaluated sooner rather than later. You just want to be sure that who ever is doing the evaluation and treatment is qualified and has had the proper training.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

    Veterinarian

    I agree with you, that small spot on the tooth near the gum line does look abnormal. I would recommend taking Sam in to see your vet so the tooth can be evaluated. They may be able to look at it while he is awake but sometimes these dogs need to be sedated. Your vet may recommend a full dental cleaning and dental X-rays to check the roots of the teeth. If the tooth in question looks compromised your vet will recommend removing it. Damaged teeth with an exposed pulp cavity can be very painful for your dog and can lead to a tooth root abscess if not addressed.

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    0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Dentistry is one of these parts of vet med that often require very close inspection to determine anything with certainty. Magnification in this case would be ideal in order to further inspect the tooth to actually see if it appears that the enamel loss is true. Based on the picture alone, it does appear that there is some. The gum line along the tooth is also swollen. Since I can't see the remainder of the teeth, it's hard to say whether a true dental cleaning is required. However, if the rest of the teeth and the gum line all look similar that would be my recommendation. Once under anesthesia, they can obtain dental x-rays to determine if that tooth or any other tooth should be extracted. If the enamel loss is the only problem that has occurred with that tooth and the root is in tact, this will not likely cause my of a problem for Sam. Hope this helps!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

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