Tear Staining and baby teeth

Is it possible that retained baby teeth (canine baby teeth) can cause tear staining?  I've noticed my 9 month old maltese has been tear staining really bad lately.  All of his other baby teeth have come out, but I've noticed he's retaining two of his canines (one upper and one lower on either side of his jaw) are still there right next to his adult canine.    

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Stains from tears are due to a pigment in the tears called porphyrin.  It is totally normal and is just a cosmetic problem.

The retained baby teeth should be pulled because they can contribute to dental disease over time, but I think it unlikely that they have anything to do with increasing tear formation.  It must just be due to your dog getting older.

There are gently products such as Angel Tears that can whiten the tear tracts.  They are available over the counter or online.