Bates has 8 teeth in his mouth. Total. He came to us with 20. He had 12 removed in January. Our vet explained that once a mouth gets beyond bad breath, a process begins that you cannot stop in humans or pets. The bacteria release enzymes that detach the roots of the teeth from the jaw. Bates had several teeth removed before we adopted him. He had no teeth from canine to canine in the front and was missing a few on the side. Now he only has 4 teeth in the back and 4 canines in the front. Thankfully the 4 in the back are divided between two pairs, one on each side, directly above each other so he can at least chew or bite if he needs to do so. Once the 12 teeth came out we put him on wet food. He still can eat dry food. Just ask Cali! He tries to steal her food every chance he gets. Our vet said the teeth are what hold the tongue in his mouth. You can tell the age of his photos now because his tongue sticks out more since the 12 teeth came out. He makes little bubbles on his tongue like the first pic and he slobbers a bit once multiple bubbles build up.