How Many Teeth Do Cows Have, and What Are They Called?

By Dr Duncan Houston

If you have ever looked inside a cow’s mouth, you may have noticed something unexpected: there are teeth along the bottom at the front, but none above them.

Nothing is missing. Cattle have a specialised mouth designed for gathering grass and grinding fibrous food, with a tough dental pad replacing the upper front teeth.

Quick answer: Adult cattle normally have 32 permanent teeth, while calves have 20 baby teeth. Adults have eight lower front teeth and 24 grinding cheek teeth, with no upper incisors or upper canines. The absence of upper front teeth is normal; difficulty eating, unexplained tooth loss or jaw swelling needs veterinary attention.

The same basic arrangement applies to cows, bulls and steers. Using anatomical names, the adult teeth are divided as follows:

Tooth type	Upper jaw	Lower jaw	Total
Incisors	0	6	6
Canines, shaped like incisors	0	2	2
Premolars	6	6	12
Molars	6	6	12
Total	12	20	32

You will often see cattle described as having eight lower incisors. In everyday farming language, the two incisor-shaped canine teeth are counted with the six true incisors. Both descriptions refer to the same eight front teeth, not different tooth totals.

The dental pad is a firm, fibrous surface at the front of the upper jaw. A cow uses its tongue to gather grass, then grips it between the lower front teeth and the pad to pull it away.

Cattle still have teeth further back in the upper jaw. Saying “cows have no top teeth” misses half of their grinding equipment.

The lower front teeth form four pairs. Starting in the middle and working outwards, they are commonly called:

• Central incisors: the middle pair, also called I1.

• First intermediate incisors: the next pair, also called I2.

• Second intermediate incisors: the next pair, also called I3.

• Corner teeth: the outermost pair, anatomically the lower canines, often called I4 in livestock dentition guides.

These canine teeth resemble their neighbours rather than the pointed fangs you would recognise in a dog or cat.

The premolars and molars sit further back and are collectively called the cheek teeth. Each quarter of an adult cow’s mouth contains three premolars, named P2, P3 and P4, followed by three molars, named M1, M2 and M3.

Cattle normally have no first premolar, or P1. That numbering is part of their normal anatomy, rather than evidence that a tooth has fallen out.

The cheek teeth grind plant material as the jaw moves from side to side. They also work during rumination, better known as chewing the cud.

During rumination, a cow brings previously swallowed food back into the mouth, chews it more thoroughly and swallows it again. This helps break down fibrous material for digestion. Healthy chewing therefore matters both when cattle first eat and when they later settle down to ruminate.

Calves start with 20 deciduous teeth, commonly called milk teeth or baby teeth. These comprise eight lower front teeth and 12 premolars. Many are already present at birth, with the remaining baby teeth generally appearing during the first few weeks.

There are no baby molars. The 12 permanent molars develop behind the premolars as the calf grows, increasing the eventual adult total to 32.

Permanent front teeth replace the baby teeth in pairs, starting in the middle and moving outwards. This is where familiar farming descriptions come from:

• Milk tooth or zero-tooth: no permanent front teeth have erupted.

• Two-tooth: the central permanent pair has erupted.

• Four-tooth: two permanent front pairs have erupted.

• Six-tooth: three permanent front pairs have erupted.

• Eight-tooth or full mouth: all four permanent front pairs have erupted.

A “two-tooth” animal has plenty of other teeth. The term only describes the permanent teeth visible at the front of the lower jaw.

The first permanent front pair commonly appears at around two years, with a full permanent front row often present around four years. These are rough guides. Some cattle develop earlier and others considerably later, particularly when comparing early-maturing British breeds with later-maturing Brahman-influenced cattle.

Teeth can help estimate age, but they cannot give an exact birthday. Genetics, nutrition and environment affect eruption, while wear becomes increasingly important and variable in older animals. Reliable birth records are more precise than a dental estimate.

Tooth loss also needs context. A temporary gap during normal replacement of a young animal’s milk teeth is different from an adult losing a permanent tooth. Adult tooth loss can follow trauma, gum disease or infection. Older cattle may develop heavily worn teeth that make grazing difficult.

You may hear an animal described as broken-mouthed, meaning some teeth are missing or damaged, or smooth-mouthed, meaning the front teeth are very worn. These descriptions help flag feeding difficulties, but they do not replace an examination.

Watch for changes such as:

• Dropping feed or struggling to gather grass.

• Slow, uncomfortable or uneven chewing.

• Weight loss despite apparently adequate feed.

• Persistent drooling or difficulty swallowing.

• Swelling around the jaw or a swollen, poorly moving tongue.

Arrange a veterinary assessment promptly when these appear. If the animal cannot eat or drink, contact your vet urgently that day.

Not every chewing problem starts in a tooth. Your vet may need to check for an injured mouth, trapped plant material, gum disease, fractured teeth or infection. Lumpy jaw affects the jawbone, while wooden tongue primarily affects soft tissues, particularly the tongue. Both can interfere with eating and need treatment rather than being dismissed as ordinary dental wear.

Call a vet immediately for suspected choke, rapidly developing bloat or breathing difficulty. An oesophageal blockage can prevent cattle from releasing rumen gas, allowing dangerous bloat to develop. Heavy drooling, repeated swallowing attempts and food or water coming from the nostrils are concerning signs.

Stop offering feed and water while obtaining veterinary help. Do not force liquids into the mouth or try to push an obstruction down with an object.

Mouth blisters accompanied by drooling, fever or lameness also warrant an immediate veterinary call, especially if several animals are affected. Serious infectious diseases must be ruled out. In Australia, suspected foot-and-mouth disease must be reported promptly to the relevant animal-health authority.

For everyday care, include mouth checks in your herd health plan, particularly for older cattle, newly purchased animals and those losing condition. Observe actual eating and swallowing, rather than assuming an animal standing at the feeder is consuming enough.

Keep records of weight or body condition, feeding changes and previous mouth problems. Cattle with worn or missing teeth may need a tailored feeding plan, developed with your vet or livestock nutritionist, to maintain comfort and adequate intake.

Avoid three common mistakes: judging the whole mouth by the front teeth, dismissing weight loss as “just old age”, and trying to inspect or treat the back teeth without suitable equipment and experience. Cattle need appropriate restraint for a safe mouth examination.

Do cows and bulls have the same number of teeth? Yes. Both normally have 32 adult teeth. Sex does not produce the canine-related variation seen in horses.

Do cows grow new teeth throughout life? No. They replace their baby teeth with permanent teeth, but they do not continually produce replacement sets. A lost adult tooth does not regrow.

Can a cow still eat with missing teeth? Sometimes, depending on which teeth are affected and what feed is available. The important checks are whether the animal eats comfortably, consumes enough and maintains body condition. Missing teeth accompanied by pain or weight loss require veterinary assessment.

Does “full mouth” mean every tooth is healthy? No. In cattle ageing terminology, it means all eight permanent lower front teeth have erupted. It tells you nothing definite about the condition of the cheek teeth, gums or jaw.

If you are unsure whether a change in your cow’s mouth or eating habits is normal, ASK A VET™ can help you understand what to discuss with your livestock vet. A hands-on examination is needed to assess the teeth, tongue and jaw properly, particularly when eating becomes uncomfortable.