Put on your learnin’ caps because it’s time to know things.

Brachycephalic dogs, the smushy-face ones like Boston terriers, bulldogs, and pugs, have a normal set of 42 teeth. But there is far less space to accommodate them; the resultant crowding can, in turn, cause plaque buildup. Sometimes, it can cause enough pain to warrant tooth extraction. Other times, brachycephalic dogs just loose their teeth. Just straight up lose them without preamble, according to my vet at Mission Pet Hospital.

This is me backing into the fact that Gida, my Boston terrier, lost some front teeth. Her remaining teeth appear more crooked, but they all seem accounted for. Upon discovering this, we felt awful. I knew she didn’t care — she at least wasn’t acting like she cared. We didn’t even notice. She was eating fine, apparently sliding kibble pieces to her back teeth and making do. We obviously didn’t notice also because we slacked on her dental hygiene. Amazingly, the vet didn’t freak on us over this.

Of course, this is not to say we can all skimp on dental health. Here’s a tutorial on brushing your pet’s teeth so you can get going on that. For gummier dogs among us, they say massaging the gums boosts circulation and keeps them in better shape.

All told, I still think her smile is still A-plus: