Guinea pigs have only one set of teeth throughout their lives, which are constantly growing. This makes them akin to teething puppies who want to put everything in their mouths! Constant chewing helps to grind their teeth down, keeping them at a healthy length.
Of course, guinea pigs can also run into dental issues due to their ever-growing teeth, including overgrowth and misalignment.
In this article, we’ll discuss everything you should know about your guinea pig’s teeth, from how many they have to how to keep them healthy.
How Many Teeth Do Guinea Pigs Have?
Guinea pigs have 20 teeth in total. Four of these are incisors, or the front teeth that you see every day. These teeth are long, thin, and built to tear off bites of food.
They also have four premolars, which are the teeth closest to the incisors, and 12 molars located in the backs of their mouths. These teeth are used to chew up food so that it’s easy to swallow.
Do Guinea Pigs’ Teeth Grow Back?
Guinea pigs are elodonts, which means their teeth continue to grow throughout their lives. Their teeth will grow almost three inches per year! A healthy guinea pig with a good diet will wear their teeth down at a similar rate, preventing overgrowth.
Veterinarians can trim overgrown teeth, but this isn’t something you should ever try at home. In addition, constantly needing to trim the teeth indicates either a dietary or dental issue that should be addressed if possible.
Guinea pigs only have one set of teeth, and it isn’t normal for them to fall out. They won’t ever replace a set of “baby teeth” like human toddlers or puppies.
If your guinea pig is missing teeth or has a broken tooth, please see your veterinarian as soon as possible. This can cause pain or stop them from eating normally. They might also need their teeth trimmed since they cannot grind against one another to wear down naturally.
How to Keep Your Guinea Pigs’ Teeth Healthy
Guinea pigs’ wild counterparts don’t have anyone to trim their teeth for them but instead grind their teeth down by chewing. A proper diet is enough to wear the teeth down.
The most important aspect is constant access to grass or grass hay, which guinea pigs eat constantly to keep their digestive system working and to grind down their teeth. Getting enough of vitamins C and A is also important to dental health.
Of course, guinea pigs also love to chew just about everything else in sight. I prefer to avoid plastic items for this reason and instead provide hides and toys made of guinea pig-safe wood such as aspen, oak, or willow.
Please do not provide salt licks or mineral blocks, as your guinea pig doesn’t need so much excess salt in their diet, and chewing on these items is bad for their health.
You’ll also want to avoid nuts, seeds, and other hard items in your guinea pig’s diet. These items can crack your piggies’ teeth and also pose a choking hazard.
Should I Brush my Guinea Pigs’ Teeth?
If you have dogs, you likely know that they should have their teeth brushed regularly in addition to regular cleanings at the vet.
However, this isn’t necessary for guinea pigs since their teeth are constantly growing. The most important aspects of their dental care are a good diet and regular teeth checks.
How to Check Your Guinea Pigs’ Teeth
You should be performing routine, at-home health checks once weekly or monthly on each of your guinea pigs. An important step in a health check is to look at your guinea pigs’ teeth for any signs of dental problems.
If your guinea pig shows any changes in appetite, you should take a look at their teeth while also scheduling an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.
You can check your guinea pig’s teeth by first washing your hands, and then placing your piggy on a solid surface (or having a helper hold them in their lap). Gently hold their mouth open using your finger and thumb, and examine the teeth you can see. It’s okay if you can’t see all the way to the back molars, as this can be tricky without veterinary equipment.
Once you’re done, give your piggy a treat. This helps them to associate your handling with good things like veggies or pea flakes!
Symptoms to Check For:
- Look at the color of the teeth. They should be white, never yellow.
- Check for overgrowth. This is easiest to see in the front incisors, but you may also be able to tell if the nearby teeth are getting too long by gently opening your guinea pig’s mouth.
- Ensure the teeth are even. Neither the top or bottom paired tooth should be longer than the other.
- Look for cracks in the teeth. There should never be any cracks or chips.
- Check for discharge (drool), swelling, or unevenness around the mouth.
Checking your guinea pigs’ teeth periodically is important and can help you detect dental issues before they become symptomatic, or cause your piggy to stop eating.
However, it’s also important to remember that you cannot always spot dental problems with the naked eye. It can be difficult for even veterinarians to see the back molars since guinea pigs have small mouths and often aren’t the most cooperative patients.
In addition, radiographs are needed to see problems with the roots of the teeth and any problems occurring beneath the gums.
In addition to at-home health checks, your veterinarian should take a look at your guinea pigs’ teeth during their annual check-ups.
Common Teeth Problems in Guinea Pigs
Overgrown Teeth
Overgrown teeth are one of the most common dental issues we see in guinea pigs. This is often the result of poor diet, including not having constant access to hay. It can also occur when a guinea pig isn’t eating enough due to an underlying illness, or when the teeth grow improperly (such as in cases of malocclusion).
While your veterinarian can trim the teeth, it’s also important to address the root cause and, when possible, stop the overgrowth from reoccurring in the future.
Missing or Broken Teeth
Guinea pig’s teeth most commonly break when they are overgrown or frail from a poor diet. Usually, the break itself is caused by an injury, such as falling and hitting their tooth on a hard object.
Even missing teeth will typically grow back, but your guinea pig may need supportive care in the meantime. The first thing you should do after noticing a broken or missing tooth is to schedule a vet appointment.
This condition can be quite painful, and can also stop your guinea pig from eating normally. The paired tooth may not wear down as effectively and may need to be trimmed occasionally until the missing or broken tooth grows back.
Malocclusion
Malocclusion occurs when the teeth or jaw become misaligned. This is often caused by or contributes to overgrowth. It can also be a genetic condition.
Your guinea pig’s teeth should grow straight up and down, without curving or slanting to one side. They should meet evenly in the middle.
Your veterinarian can help treat your guinea pig with malocclusion by trimming the teeth, providing advice on diet, and potentially performing surgery if the condition is severe.
Dental Abscesses or Ulcers
Mouth abscesses or ulcers are fairly common in guinea pigs. Ulcers are sores that can develop on the skin inside your guinea pigs’ mouth, including their tongue, lips, or gums.
Abscesses are swollen areas caused by infection under the skin. They can be located anywhere in the mouth, with those at the back of the mouth having the potential to make swallowing or breathing difficult.
Any sores in your piggy’s mouth should be treated by your veterinarian. Untreated sores can become infected, or infections from abscesses may spread to other parts of the body.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the most important things you can do for your guinea pigs’ teeth are to provide a healthy diet, plenty of things to chew, and regular health checks both at home and at the vet.
If you notice anything amiss with your guinea pig’s teeth, or their appetite, scheduling a vet appointment to have their teeth looked at is the best decision you can make.