Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:03 pm
The teeth of hamsters are one of the most important organs in their body, with which they bite and grind food. Without teeth, hamsters could not live normally.
That’s why looking at his teeth, we wonder if it’s okay for them to be yellow, should that be the color or should it be white, like us humans?
The color of the teeth in hamsters should be brownish-white, or yellow-brown, it is a normal and healthy color for our furry friends. When hamsters have white teeth, it is actually not good and indicates a lack of enamel on their teeth.
The hamster’s teeth, i.e. their color, can easily show us the health condition of our pet.
Of course, teeth are not the only sign of the health of hamsters, but surely their color means good or bad health for our furry friends.
In today’s article we will find out why hamsters have yellow teeth, and what the other colors of their teeth mean, as well as some tips for cleaning and maintaining their teeth.
Should hamster teeth be yellow?
Unlike us humans, hamsters’ teeth should be yellow, not white. The yellow color of their teeth means that they have healthy and strong teeth,
In fact, the yellow color is an enamel layer around their teeth, the older the hamster is, the more their yellow color should come to the fore.
The enamel or yellow color of the teeth of hamsters is intended to protect their teeth from breaking, damage, and decay.
Their yellow enamel is similar to our white enamel. Over time, the teeth gradually change in hamsters, so their color slowly changes from dark yellow to pale yellow or pale white.
The more hamsters get older, the more their teeth become brittle, which is a normal natural process, the same is true for humans.
The color of the teeth will tell us their age, whether they are young or already old. Now let’s see in detail what it means when hamsters have orange or white color on their teeth,
A hamster with orange teeth
When hamsters have an orange color to their teeth, it indicates two things, either food or problems like blood in the mouth.
When a hamster eats certain foods such as various fruits and nuts, they can turn their teeth orange.
Give them vegetables like carrots, spinach, cucumber, cauliflower, and other healthy vegetables for their teeth.
If the hamster eats straw and shavings, it can temporarily change the color of its teeth to an orange shade, but this is only temporary.
It is much more dangerous if the orange color of their teeth is caused by blood in the mouth, which can indicate the appearance of tumors.
Bleeding in the mouth of hamsters is not considered a normal occurrence, so if a situation like this occurs, i.e. orange teeth and bleeding from their mouth, you should not wait, you should immediately take them to a veterinarian to check if it is dangerous or not.
When there is bleeding followed by a lack of appetite, then it is not at all good for the health of the hamsters.
A hamster with white teeth
When hamsters have white teeth, it is already a serious problem, which must be checked for the reason for this color.
If hamsters have white teeth, it may be due to periodontal disease. In doing so, the tooth can be damaged, cracked, broken, or decayed.
When cavities appear in the teeth of hamsters, it is a sign that the hamster has dental caries.
Hamsters, like us humans, like to eat sweet food, which leads to the decay of their teeth, which further leads to abscesses and tooth loss.
Sometimes it doesn’t necessarily mean that hamsters have caries, white teeth can also mean broken teeth.
When hamsters do not wear their teeth regularly, their teeth are disturbed, misaligned, and they become brittle and cracked.
When the root of the tooth is still in place, it is a good sign, it means that even though the tooth was broken, it can grow back, but it will take time, and the hamster will have some problems with eating during that period.
So when the hamster’s teeth are white, they don’t have yellow enamel, and they become brittle and weak.
How do we know that hamsters’ teeth are healthy?
When the color of the hamster’s teeth is yellow, it is one of the signs that they have healthy teeth.
There are other signs that indicate that their teeth are healthy. These are the following:
- They always eat and bite their food normally – because if they refuse to eat and bite it is a sign that they are in pain or something else is wrong with their teeth.
- The size of the teeth – when the lower and upper incisors are of normal size, they are healthy teeth, any anomaly or crookedness, as well as too many crooked teeth, are a sign that something is wrong, they may not be able to wear them due to pain or something similar, so size is an important factor.
- There is no blood on the teeth – when the teeth are healthy there are no signs of blood, and when there is blood then it is a sign that something is wrong, such as damage or oversized teeth that cause blood in the mouth itself.
Their upper and lower incisors are constantly growing, so hamsters constantly reduce their teeth with the help of various abrasive objects.
Hamsters must not have teeth that are too long, because they will interfere with their correct biting, and they can cause injuries to the teeth themselves, but also to the inside of the mouth itself, which can lead to bleeding and other consequences.
How many teeth do hamsters have?
Hamsters have 16 teeth, of which two upper and two lower incisors are open-rooted, which means that they grow continuously.
The other 12 teeth are molars and they have closed roots.
The lower teeth are longer than the upper ones, this is completely normal for our furry friends. Otherwise, hamsters are born with teeth, and they never stop growing.
How to clean a hamster’s teeth?
Hamsters’ teeth should be yellow or brownish-yellow, and this is a sign that their teeth are good and do not need cleaning.
Hamsters don’t need to use toothbrushes like we humans do to keep their teeth healthy and clean.
If you try to forcefully brush their teeth with a brush, it will only upset and scare your pet, and believe me, that is not necessary at all.
The toothpaste we humans use contains fluoride which is toxic to hamsters, so never try to clean their teeth with a brush and toothpaste.
And now let’s see how to keep the teeth of hamsters clean and healthy.
Nutrition
Nutrition is the most important factor for hamsters to have healthy, well-groomed teeth. Hamsters should eat seeds, pellets, fruits, and vegetables that help them to have healthy teeth.
Foods that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates reduce the enamel of their teeth and should be avoided or given very rarely.
Ground or pureed food should be avoided in the diet of hamsters, it can be harmful to their teeth, and it cannot help them wear down their teeth.
Use chew toys
Chewing toys are very useful for hamsters, they help them not to get bored, and at the same time, they are good for the health of their teeth.
A treadmill is good for a hamster’s fitness, but chew toys are important for teeth, especially wooden toys.
If you do not want to buy wooden toys, then you can also use a small branch from your yard, which you should first wash before giving to the hamsters.
Store-bought wooden toys are safer for hamsters, as the small branch may contain insects that are harmful to their health.
Chew toys help maintain and improve the health of their teeth.
Read more: Why Do Hamsters Eat Each Other? (Find Out Now)
Cage
Hamsters will make the most of the cage bars for their teeth.
They bite the bars of the cage every day, and with that, they wear out their teeth, in fact, it is good, although they can get tired of always doing the same thing.
So put extra objects in the cage so they can chew on them and make it more interesting.
How to check the teeth of hamsters yourself?
All hamster owners should occasionally check their pet’s teeth themselves.
You should check their color, as well as whether there is swelling, misalignment, or redness of the hamster’s teeth.
To do this home examination you need to hold your hamster with one hand and with the other hand pull the skin around the neck back, this allows you to see their teeth.
Check if the length and shape of all four teeth are the same, that is, if a tooth is longer than the other, it means that it is overgrown, while if one is shorter, then the hamsters have broken it.
When there is blood on the teeth, it is also a sign that something is wrong, it can also be a sign of illness, and in all such cases, the hamster should be taken to a veterinarian.
The hamster’s teeth are correct and healthy when they are all equal and proportionate.
Conclusion
Hamster teeth should be yellow in order to be healthy. Any other color such as orange or white is not good and can be a sign of dental problems.
Their teeth turn white as they age, which means their teeth become brittle and weaker.
A regular and healthy diet, as well as chewing on wooden toys, allows hamsters to have healthy and strong teeth.
Read more: How To Humanely Euthanize a Hamster at Home? (Find Out Now)
