A Shih Tzu's charming short face packs a full set of teeth into a jaw with very little spare room, and dental trouble in this breed begins in the overlaps. Teeth in a Shih Tzu commonly tilt, stack, and meet at angles, so food fibers wedge between them, plaque hardens in the sheltered seams, and the gum around the most crowded teeth reddens while the rest of the mouth still looks presentable. The earliest signs are a musty breath that clings to the facial hair, kibble gummed into soft mouthfuls instead of crunched, and a dog who rubs the chin and cheeks along the floor after eating.
Overlaps and jaw shape drive a Shih Tzu's problems
A Shih Tzu typically carries an undershot bite, meaning the lower teeth close in front of the uppers, and some lower teeth press into the upper gum rather than meeting a tooth. Those contact points can wear a small sore into the gum that hides behind the lip and explains a sudden pickiness about hard food. Meanwhile the tilted side teeth create ledges where tartar builds in a ring, visible once the facial coat is parted and the lip is drawn back. Look for a tooth that has rotated enough to show its side, a gum edge that looks notched, or a persistent thread of food caught in the same gap every day.
Seeing past the facial hair to the real mouth
A Shih Tzu's mouth cannot be judged through its coat, because the hair around the muzzle holds odor and moisture and conceals the tooth line entirely. Tie or hold the facial hair back, lift the lip in daylight, and check the front teeth, the fangs, and as much of the side teeth as your Shih Tzu comfortably allows. The smell test works better after this parting: mustiness that stays with the teeth rather than the hair points to plaque, while odor that vanishes once the coat is cleaned was probably trapped food. Comb the muzzle hair after checks so damp hair does not sit against irritated skin.
Eating clues from a small, crowded mouth
A Shih Tzu with a sore overlap often shifts to working food with the tongue, producing the breed's comical head-bobbing as pieces are maneuvered toward the least crowded side. Pieces of kibble may be dropped repeatedly and retrieved, softened with saliva, or abandoned in favor of whatever in the bowl is easiest to gum. Some Shih Tzus begin eating only when the food is slightly softened, or show new enthusiasm for meals served in smaller pieces, which is a preference with a mechanical cause. A dog who rubs the whole face on carpet after meals, rather than just wiping the chin, may be trying to dislodge something wedged or to press against an ache.
Veterinary thresholds for a Shih Tzu's teeth
A Shih Tzu should see a veterinarian soon if a tooth visibly rotates or loosens, the gum develops a sore where a tooth lands on it, bleeding recurs in one gap, or breath stays musty despite a clean, dry coat. A swollen lip or cheek, a tooth that turns grey, or refusal to eat even softened food deserves same-day attention for a dog this small. A veterinarian can judge how the crowding is progressing and whether a tooth pressing into the gum needs intervention, judgments that require seeing the mouth under proper light. Bring your overlap notes so the clinic starts at the teeth you already suspect.
Crowding maps change slowly and then suddenly, so keeping each rotation, sore spot, and dental finding recorded in your Shih Tzu's KinsLe Pet Passport means the next examination begins with evidence, not impressions.