Guinea Pig Tooth: What Homeowners Ought to Watch For

Guinea pigs have just one set of enamel all through their lives, that are always rising. This makes them akin to teething puppies who need to put every thing of their mouths! Fixed chewing helps to grind their enamel down, protecting them at a wholesome size.

In fact, guinea pigs may also run into dental points as a result of their ever-growing enamel, together with overgrowth and misalignment.

On this article, we’ll talk about every thing it’s best to find out about your guinea pig’s enamel, from what number of they must the right way to hold them wholesome.

How Many Tooth Do Guinea Pigs Have?

Guinea pigs have 20 enamel in whole. 4 of those are incisors, or the entrance enamel that you just see day by day. These enamel are lengthy, skinny, and constructed to tear off bites of meals. 

Additionally they have 4 premolars, that are the enamel closest to the incisors, and 12 molars situated within the backs of their mouths. These enamel are used to chew up meals in order that it’s simple to swallow.

Do Guinea Pigs’ Tooth Develop Again?

Guinea pigs are elodonts, which suggests their enamel proceed to develop all through their lives. Their enamel will develop virtually three inches per yr! A wholesome guinea pig with a superb food regimen will put on their enamel down at an identical charge, stopping overgrowth.

Veterinarians can trim overgrown enamel, however this isn’t one thing it’s best to ever attempt at house. As well as, always needing to trim the enamel signifies both a dietary or dental situation that ought to be addressed if doable.

Guinea pigs solely have one set of enamel, and it isn’t regular for them to fall out. They received’t ever change a set of “child enamel” like human toddlers or puppies.

In case your guinea pig is lacking enamel or has a damaged tooth, please see your veterinarian as quickly as doable. This will trigger ache or cease them from consuming usually. They may additionally want their enamel trimmed since they can not grind in opposition to each other to put on down naturally.

Tips on how to Preserve Your Guinea Pigs’ Tooth Wholesome

Guinea pigs’ wild counterparts don’t have anybody to trim their enamel for them however as a substitute grind their enamel down by chewing. A correct food regimen is sufficient to put on the enamel down.

Crucial facet is fixed entry to grass or grass hay, which guinea pigs eat always to maintain their digestive system working and to grind down their enamel. Getting sufficient of nutritional vitamins C and A can also be essential to dental well being.

In fact, guinea pigs additionally like to chew nearly every thing else in sight. I favor to keep away from plastic gadgets because of this and as a substitute present hides and toys fabricated from guinea pig-safe wooden reminiscent of aspen, oak, or willow. 

Please don’t present salt licks or mineral blocks, as your guinea pig doesn’t want a lot extra salt of their food regimen, and chewing on these things is unhealthy for his or her well being.

You’ll additionally need to keep away from nuts, seeds, and different exhausting gadgets in your guinea pig’s food regimen. This stuff can crack your piggies’ enamel and in addition pose a choking hazard.

Ought to I Brush my Guinea Pigs’ Tooth?

You probably have canine, you doubtless know that they need to have their enamel brushed repeatedly along with common cleanings on the vet.

Nonetheless, this isn’t crucial for guinea pigs since their enamel are always rising. Crucial points of their dental care are a superb food regimen and common enamel checks.

Tips on how to Verify Your Guinea Pigs’ Tooth

You have to be performing routine, at-home well being checks as soon as weekly or month-to-month on every of your guinea pigs. An essential step in a well being test is to have a look at your guinea pigs’ enamel for any indicators of dental issues.

In case your guinea pig exhibits any adjustments in urge for food, it’s best to check out their enamel whereas additionally scheduling an appointment along with your vet as quickly as doable.

You possibly can test your guinea pig’s enamel by first washing your palms, after which putting your piggy on a strong floor (or having a helper maintain them of their lap). Gently maintain their mouth open utilizing your finger and thumb, and look at the enamel you may see. It’s okay in case you can’t see all the way in which to the again molars, as this may be difficult with out veterinary tools.

When you’re carried out, give your piggy a deal with. This helps them to affiliate your dealing with with good issues like veggies or pea flakes!

Signs to Verify For:

• Take a look at the colour of the enamel. They need to be white, by no means yellow.
• Verify for overgrowth. That is best to see within the entrance incisors, however you may additionally have the ability to inform if the close by enamel are getting too lengthy by gently opening your guinea pig’s mouth.
• Make sure the enamel are even. Neither the highest or backside paired tooth ought to be longer than the opposite.
• Search for cracks within the enamel. There ought to by no means be any cracks or chips.
• Verify for discharge (drool), swelling, or unevenness across the mouth. 

Checking your guinea pigs’ enamel periodically is essential and may also help you detect dental points earlier than they change into symptomatic, or trigger your piggy to cease consuming.

Nonetheless, it’s additionally essential to do not forget that you can not all the time spot dental issues with the bare eye. It may be tough for even veterinarians to see the again molars since guinea pigs have small mouths and sometimes aren’t essentially the most cooperative sufferers. 

As well as, radiographs are wanted to see issues with the roots of the enamel and any issues occurring beneath the gums.

Along with at-home well being checks, your veterinarian ought to check out your guinea pigs’ enamel throughout their annual check-ups.

Widespread Tooth Issues in Guinea Pigs

Overgrown Tooth

Overgrown enamel are some of the frequent dental points we see in guinea pigs. That is typically the results of poor food regimen, together with not having fixed entry to hay. It could additionally happen when a guinea pig isn’t consuming sufficient as a result of an underlying sickness, or when the enamel develop improperly (reminiscent of in instances of malocclusion). 

Whereas your veterinarian can trim the enamel, it’s additionally essential to handle the foundation trigger and, when doable, cease the overgrowth from reoccurring sooner or later.

Lacking or Damaged Tooth

Guinea pig’s enamel mostly break when they’re overgrown or frail from a poor food regimen. Often, the break itself is attributable to an damage, reminiscent of falling and hitting their tooth on a tough object.

Even lacking enamel will sometimes develop again, however your guinea pig may have supportive care within the meantime. The very first thing it’s best to do after noticing a damaged or lacking tooth is to schedule a vet appointment.

This situation may be fairly painful, and may also cease your guinea pig from consuming usually. The paired tooth might not put on down as successfully and should must be trimmed often till the lacking or damaged tooth grows again.

Malocclusion 

Malocclusion happens when the enamel or jaw change into misaligned. That is typically attributable to or contributes to overgrowth. It will also be a genetic situation.

Your guinea pig’s enamel ought to develop straight up and down, with out curving or slanting to at least one facet. They need to meet evenly within the center.

Your veterinarian may also help deal with your guinea pig with malocclusion by trimming the enamel, offering recommendation on food regimen, and probably performing surgical procedure if the situation is extreme.

Dental Abscesses or Ulcers

Mouth abscesses or ulcers are pretty frequent in guinea pigs. Ulcers are sores that may develop on the pores and skin inside your guinea pigs’ mouth, together with their tongue, lips, or gums. 

Abscesses are swollen areas attributable to an infection below the pores and skin. They are often situated anyplace within the mouth, with these behind the mouth having the potential to make swallowing or respiratory tough.

Any sores in your piggy’s mouth ought to be handled by your veterinarian. Untreated sores can change into contaminated, or infections from abscesses might unfold to different components of the physique.

Ultimate Ideas

In conclusion, an important issues you are able to do in your guinea pigs’ enamel are to supply a nutritious diet, loads of issues to chew, and common well being checks each at house and on the vet.

In case you discover something amiss along with your guinea pig’s enamel, or their urge for food, scheduling a vet appointment to have their enamel checked out is the perfect choice you may make.