Caring for a Rabbit’s Teeth

Rabbits have fewer teeth than humans with only 28. Similarly, to our teeth, they have different kinds that are used for different things. They have two incisors at the top and another two at the bottom right at the front. Used for cutting into their food which usually consists of fibrous vegetation that can be quite tough. Another set of two smaller incisors sits next to their top set to aid in this and make tearing away chunks of food easier.

The other 22 teeth are all premolars and molars that are used to grind down their food and make it much easier to digest and squeeze all the nutrients from.

Rabbits have what is known as open rooted teeth, which means they will never stop growing. As their diet is so high in tough fibres that are difficult to bite into and chew, it means their teeth get worn down.

If rabbits didn’t have teeth that continuously grow, they would wear their teeth down too much to sustain the diet they have evolved to eat. Continuously growing teeth means they can get all the sustenance they need.

Since their teeth are always growing and wearing down, the good part is that there is no need for any teeth brushing since they will gradually get worn away before they’re able to decay. If they’re given the correct food and always have a source of fibre to chew on, they practically care for themselves.

The main risk when it comes to teeth that are always growing is infections. Owners should be checking their bunny’s mouth every week to make sure there are no signs of soreness.

With the right diet, dental disease can often be avoided however there is a genetic influence on how teeth grow as well. With a constant source of fibre, you might notice that rabbits are almost always chewing. This helps to keep teeth worn instead of only eating a few times a day. If they don’t have this constant availability to wear down their teeth, they can get too long or grow sharp spurs that can damage the inside of their mouth.

Some poorly bred rabbits can develop dental disease early in life and will need help with managing how their teeth grow throughout their lifetime. The main causes of dental disease in rabbits include:

When rabbits have dental disease, it often affects the way they eat so all their symptoms will range around their appetite and how they’re coping with eating. Below are the main symptoms of dental disease:

Rabbits need to eat frequently. They’re a grazing breed so to keep their digestive system healthy and functioning properly, they should be eating often. If you notice your bunny turning their nose up to food or displaying any of the above symptoms, they should see a vet as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, overgrown teeth are a common problem among pet rabbits, and it can sometimes take owners quite some time to even notice. Rabbits are very good at hiding when they aren’t feeling well, and owners may miss some early symptoms.

If multiple rabbits are kept together, you may not even notice that one has been selectively feeding. Rabbits who are fed a muesli-based diet can easily pick out their favourite pieces and leave the rest and it can be easy to miss until the more severe symptoms are noticed and they go off their food or develop infections when their teeth grow into their cheeks or gums.

Once a rabbit develops dental disease, there is no quick cure. If teeth overgrow and start pushing into the cheeks or gums, it will alter how their teeth grow which can impact them for the rest of their life. Their teeth will continue to grow at an angle and need regular visits to the vet to cut them back and keep them trim enough for your bunny to eat comfortably.

If weekly checks are carried out to make sure your rabbit’s mouth looks healthy then in many cases, you can catch it early and resolve the issue before it becomes severe and life changing for them.

Visible signs of discomfort and dental disease often only become obvious when they’re severe. As prey animals, rabbits have evolved to be very good at hiding pain and discomfort from predators, so they don’t think they’re an easy meal. This makes caring for them in captivity a little bit harder.

Weekly dental checks to make sure everything looks and feels normal can help you find issues early and resolve them before they become more serious. You can check your rabbit’s teeth by sitting them in your lap or on a surface, whichever they’re more comfortable on.

It’s easy to pull their lips up which should expose their incisors. There should be a little bit of an overlap with the top set sitting in front of the bottom set, but they should align against each other.

To check their back teeth, you will have to feel along their cheeks for any abnormalities. If you suspect something feels different or they have a pain response to touching their gums or teeth, you should get them checked out by their vet.

For everything you need to keep your rabbit’s teeth healthy and all of your other bunny necessities, take a look at everything we have online and in-store.