Guinea pigs eat all the time and therefore should always have healthy and correct teeth.
What happens if guinea pigs have teeth that are too long?
If the teeth of the guinea pigs are too long, then they may have problems eating and chewing food, as well as the risk of creating wounds inside the mouth.
Teeth that are too long must be reduced in order to prevent major problems with the digestive system and overall health.
In today’s article, you will learn what happens if guinea pigs have too long teeth, how to prevent their teeth from becoming overgrown, and similar dental issues.
What happens if guinea pigs have teeth that are too long?
When guinea pigs have too long teeth, malocclusion, tooth breakage, elongation of the roots and other problems can occur.
The teeth of the guinea pigs should always be of normal size because they will grind when eating and may cause sores in the mouth.
That’s why it’s very important to know all the problems that occur when guinea pigs have too long teeth, so let’s start right away.
Too long teeth lead to malocclusion
Malocclusion is a condition where guinea pigs have teeth that are too long or overgrown and are misaligned at the same time.
This condition causes health problems for the guinea pigs.
Symptoms of malocclusion are:
- weight reduction
- the appearance of abscesses on the face
- decrease in appetite
- refusal to eat solid food
- drooling
When guinea pigs have malocclusion they cannot eat properly because of too long teeth, they cannot chew food properly which is not good at all for their digestive system.
Malocclusion causes sores and abscesses in the mouths of guinea pigs. Malocclusion can be noticed mostly in the front teeth, but it can also be noticed in the molars.
When your pet has teeth that are too long and malocclusion, it drools more and the neck and jaw are constantly wet.
What to do?
When guinea pigs have teeth that are too long or malocclusion you must immediately take the guinea pig to the vet to reduce the teeth.
The vet may also use anesthesia to make it easier to reduce your pet’s overgrown teeth.
If the malocclusion has caused complications, then it may be necessary to first treat the teeth with the help of antibiotics, and then approach their reduction.
To prevent the occurrence of malocclusion and overgrowth in guinea pigs, they should eat hay regularly because it wears down their teeth.
It is also very important that they have enough toys and objects to wear down their teeth.
Broken teeth are the result of teeth that are too long
Too long teeth can also cause teeth to break. When the teeth are too long, they count on each other and they can easily break and change their shape, which is not good at all for guinea pigs.
Broken teeth can be sharp and cause both mouth injuries and cuts to the gums.
Too long teeth make it impossible to properly close the mouth and correct position, so when guinea pigs bite they can break them.
What to do?
In order not to break the teeth and cause general problems with the mouth and eating, the most important thing is to notice in time when their teeth are too long.
It is even better if you notice when they are not too long, so you will prevent breakage and injuries in the guinea pig’s mouth.
Care should also be taken to ensure that the diet is always varied and rich in nutrients so that the teeth can be stronger and less likely to break.g
Teeth that are too long cause elongated roots
When guinea pigs have teeth that are too long, this leads to elongated roots. Then their teeth grow backward into the jaw and this is called elongated roots,
To recognize this condition, it may not be enough to just look at the teeth, it may be necessary to take an x-ray to see if it really is elongated roots.
Sometimes exposed roots appear as a sign of genetic disorders starting from the very birth of the guinea pigs.
But as we said, it can also be due to your pet’s teeth being too long.
What to do?
It all depends on whether the elongated roots are on the upper or lower teeth of the guinea pigs.
If the guinea pigs have elongated roots on the lower teeth then they can be corrected more easily, while upper teeth with elongated roots can cause infection.
To correct the elongated roots of teeth that are too long, a chin sling is used, it is a piece of fabric that helps align the jaw and teeth, while your pet chews properly and will reduce the teeth.
Teeth that are too long cause teeth spurs
Teeth Spurs are the teeth of guinea pigs that have sharp edges or spikes.
Whereas teeth that are too long create problems and guinea pigs cannot wear down their teeth.
This condition usually affects the lower molars, where they count on the tongue and its normal movement.
What to do?
In such an unwanted situation, the guinea pig must be taken to the vet because there is nothing you can do to help the guinea pig.
The vet will successfully reduce the teeth and remove the sharp edges, allowing your pet to eat normally again.
But in the future, you will have to take care of the guinea pig so that it does not get into a situation where it has too long teeth and such and similar problems that may harm them.
How to reduce the teeth of guinea pigs?
When guinea pigs have teeth that are too long, it is obvious that they may just have problems eating, mouth sores, digestive problems, and other health problems.
That is why it is very important that the guinea pigs always reduce their teeth in a timely manner and prevent too long and overgrown teeth.
Here are some important tips to keep their teeth always short and straight.
Eating hay regularly
If guinea pigs eat hay regularly they will always have normal-sized teeth.
Hay makes it possible to reduce their teeth in a natural way, so hay should be the main food in unlimited quantities.
Eating hay will in most cases shorten their teeth and prevent them from being too long unless they have other problems.
Enough chew toys
Guinea pigs should have enough chew toys that will allow the teeth to be reduced at all times.
There are special toys that make it possible to reduce the teeth of guinea pigs.
Toys can come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and can be purchased at local pet stores.
Feed the guinea pigs solid food
In order not to have too long teeth, guinea pigs should regularly eat hard food.
Hard food is excellent for reducing their teeth, for example, cauliflower and broccoli, because in addition to shortening their teeth, they also provide a rich amount of fiber.
Here are some foods that are good for reducing their teeth:
- carrots
- cucumber
- radishes
Regular vet checkups
Although guinea pigs can reduce their teeth on their own if they have the right diet, objects, toys, and other natural ways to reduce their teeth, sometimes it can happen that they have teeth that are too long,
That’s why regular vet check-ups will help the timely detection of too-long teeth and their reduction at the vet.
Or if you yourself notice that their teeth are too long, take them to the vet immediately.
Give the guinea pigs sticks
You can collect sticks from your yard and give them to the guinea pigs to reduce their teeth.
Just make sure they don’t get sprayed with pesticides or any wood that is harmful to guinea pigs.
Therefore, just in case, before you start giving them to the guinea pigs, always first wash them well with a solution of vinegar and water in a ratio of 50-50, let them dry, and then give them to the guinea pigs.
What to do if the teeth of guinea pigs are too long?
When guinea pigs are too long you should immediately take them to the vet to have them trimmed.
There is also the option of reducing their teeth at home, using toys and food such as hay to reduce their overlong teeth.
Overlong teeth in guinea pigs sometimes cannot be reduced when they grow in the wrong direction, and you must take them to the vet.
What should be the normal size of teeth in guinea pigs?
Normal tooth size in guinea pigs should be about 1.5 cm or 0.5 inches. On average, the teeth of guinea pigs grow about 7.5 cm per year.
Sometimes a little longer than this length can be fine, but it can still start to cause teeth problems.
It also happens that there is a slight difference in the size of their incisors, they don’t always have to be identical, and that’s not a problem as long as they don’t have problems eating.
What should we know about guinea pig teeth?
Guinea pigs have 4 incisors, of which 2 are on the top and 2 are in the lower part of the mouth.
These teeth are the most important to always be reduced so that they do not have problems with eating and chewing food.
In addition to incisors, guinea pigs also have molars, which are 16 in total and are less visible than incisors.
Guinea pigs have teeth similar to all other rodents and have open roots, which allows them to grow continuously.
Teeth have a narrow opening through which pass the nerves and blood vessels that allow their teeth to grow.
Read more: Do Baby Guinea Pigs Have Teeth? Let’s Find Out
What should healthy guinea pig teeth look like?
When the teeth of guinea pigs are healthy, they are white, unlike other rodents, which have healthy yellow teeth.
Healthy guinea pig hair should be short, not too long or crooked.
When their teeth are healthy, guinea pigs eat normally, while when their teeth are not right, they have problems chewing food and pain.
Read more: How to Stop Guinea Pigs From Chewing Wires? Let’s Discover
Conclusion
When guinea pigs have too long teeth, malocclusion, tooth breakage, elongated roots, and other problems occur.
If your pet’s teeth are too long, you must immediately take him to the vet to reduce his teeth.
It is very important that they have teething toys in the cage, they should eat a lot of hay and solid food.
The teeth of guinea pigs are one of the most important organs and therefore it is of great importance that they are always of normal size.
