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

By Dr Duncan Houston

A sheep’s teeth do much more than help it eat. They can give clues about its age, explain why it struggles on short pasture and reveal problems that might otherwise remain hidden beneath a thick fleece.

And if you notice there are no upper front teeth, that is completely normal.

Quick answer: Adult sheep normally have 32 permanent teeth, while lambs have 20 baby teeth. Adults have eight lower front teeth and 24 grinding cheek teeth. A firm dental pad replaces the upper front teeth, helping sheep grip and crop vegetation.

Adult ewes, rams and wethers share this arrangement:

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 hear that sheep have eight lower incisors. In farming terminology, this includes the two outermost front teeth, which are technically canines but look and work like incisors. Both descriptions refer to the same teeth.

The lower front teeth form four pairs. Working outwards from the middle, they are the first or central incisors (I1), second incisors (I2), third incisors (I3) and corner teeth. The corner teeth are the lower canines, sometimes described as fourth incisors in livestock guides.

These canines have a grazing role. They are not pointed fangs like those in a dog’s mouth.

Above them sits the dental pad, a tough surface made from fibrous tissue with a protective outer covering. The lower front teeth meet this pad to help grasp vegetation. Sheep’s mobile lips also help them select and gather food.

They still have upper teeth further back, so “sheep have no top teeth” is only half the story.

The premolars and molars are collectively called the cheek teeth. Each quarter of the mouth normally contains three premolars, named P2, P3 and P4, followed by three molars, named M1, M2 and M3. Sheep normally have no P1.

Together, these 24 teeth grind fibrous material. Their location means a quick look at the front teeth cannot tell you whether the whole mouth is healthy.

Sheep also use their cheek teeth when chewing the cud, or ruminating. Previously swallowed food returns to the mouth for further chewing before being swallowed again. This is a normal part of their digestive process.

Lambs have a smaller first set: 20 deciduous teeth, also called milk teeth. These consist of eight lower front teeth and 12 premolars.

There are no baby molars. As the lamb grows, permanent teeth replace the milk teeth, while 12 molars develop behind the premolars. This produces the normal adult total of 32.

The permanent front teeth emerge in pairs, starting in the centre. Their development explains terms such as “two-tooth” and “full mouth”.

Description	What it means	Approximate age guide
Milk teeth or zero-tooth	All eight front teeth are still temporary	Usually under 12 months
Two-tooth	The central permanent pair has erupted	Around 12 to 19 months
Four-tooth	Two permanent front pairs have erupted	Around 18 to 24 months
Six-tooth	Three permanent front pairs have erupted	Around 23 to 36 months
Eight-tooth or full mouth	All four permanent front pairs have erupted	Around 28 to 48 months

These overlapping ranges reflect variation between sheep. “Two-tooth” describes the permanent front teeth, not the total number of teeth in the mouth.

Teeth provide an age estimate rather than an exact birthday. Once a sheep has its full permanent front row, wear and gum changes can offer clues, but become less reliable for precise ageing. Birth records are more accurate.

A temporary gap during normal replacement of a lamb’s milk teeth is different from losing an adult tooth. Permanent teeth can become damaged, excessively worn or loose because of disease affecting their supporting tissues.

Broken mouth describes missing or damaged front teeth. Despite the name, it does not necessarily mean the jaw is fractured. Sheep can develop premature tooth loss from periodontal disease, which damages the tissues holding the teeth in place. This can be painful and reduce grazing efficiency.

The position of the teeth matters too. If the lower front teeth sit too far ahead of or behind the dental pad, the sheep may struggle to crop pasture effectively. This abnormal alignment should be assessed, particularly before selecting breeding animals.

Watch for signs that chewing is becoming difficult:

• Dropping partly chewed wads of hay, known as quidding.

• Food collecting in the cheeks or sticking out of the mouth.

• Short, awkward chewing movements or eating unusually slowly.

• Drooling, cheek swelling or jaw swelling.

• Losing weight despite apparently adequate food.

Cheek-tooth wear, overgrowth, missing teeth and infection can interfere with grinding. Your vet may need suitable restraint, a mouth gag and good lighting to examine the back of the mouth properly. Normal-looking front teeth do not rule out dental disease.

Not every sore mouth is caused by teeth. Scabby mouth, or orf, causes crusted lesions around the lips and muzzle and can make eating or suckling painful. It can spread to humans, so wear gloves when handling affected animals and seek veterinary advice rather than picking at the lesions.

Contact your vet urgently the same day if a sheep cannot eat, drink or suckle normally. A young lamb that cannot feed can deteriorate quickly.

Breathing difficulty, rapidly increasing abdominal swelling or suspected choke needs immediate veterinary attention. Do not force water, feed or oral treatments into an animal that cannot swallow safely.

Mouth blisters with fever or lameness, especially in several animals, also require an immediate veterinary call. Serious infectious diseases must be considered. In Australia, suspected foot-and-mouth disease must be reported promptly to the relevant animal-health authority.

For ongoing care, combine mouth checks with other routine flock examinations, and assess teeth when buying sheep or preparing animals for breeding. Record missing teeth, abnormal alignment and changes in eating so they can be reviewed over time.

Use your hands to assess body condition, not just your eyes. Wool can disguise a thin sheep. Feeling the muscle and fat coverage over the loin gives a more useful picture than the outline of the fleece. Regular condition scoring helps identify animals that need closer attention before weight loss becomes severe.

A sheep with poor teeth may need more accessible pasture or a carefully designed supplementary ration. Ask your vet or livestock nutritionist to match the diet to its chewing ability and nutritional needs. Keep checking that it actually consumes enough and maintains condition.

Avoid common mistakes: assuming all tooth loss is normal ageing, counting only the front teeth, or waiting until a sheep is visibly thin. Do not trim, grind or file sheep’s teeth yourself. Ask your vet to assess the cause and advise on appropriate care.

Do ewes and rams have the same number of teeth? Yes. Both normally have 32 adult teeth, as do wethers. Sex does not change the standard tooth count.

Do sheep’s teeth grow back? Baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth. Once a permanent tooth is lost, another replacement does not grow in.

Can sheep live comfortably with missing front teeth? Some can, with suitable grazing and feeding support. Comfort, food intake and body condition matter more than the number missing. Problems affecting the grinding cheek teeth can make feeding much harder and need veterinary assessment.

If you are unsure about your sheep’s teeth, a change in grazing or unexplained weight loss, ASK A VET™ can help you understand what to discuss with your livestock vet. A hands-on mouth examination and body condition assessment can help identify the problem and guide a practical care plan.