Chipped Tooth/Dirty Top Teeth

[Butterfluf]

Hi guys,

I was giving my piggies their antibiotic this morning and noticed that a lot of them (I have 8 at the moment) have food stuck in their top teeth. I tried to wipe it off with a cotton bud but I only got the surface and didn't manage to get the food out. It seems to be stuck between their front teeth in a gap. I, wasn't noticing any obvious food behind their teeth just in the front gap. I will show pics of some of them that stayed still long enough for me to awkwardly take pictures.

The second issue is I noticed one of my pigs now has a chipped bottom tooth. I saw her eating hay this morning and she still chimps down veggies, so I'm wondering do I need to take her to a vet or will it grow back on its own. (the only exotic vet in the country is 2hrs away from me ).

Just when I think they're getting a bit better there's something else any help is appreciated I was thinking to get one of those plastic toothpicks and try gently pick the food out, I'm just not sure if it would hurt them or how delicicate their teeth are. I am getting fairly good at holding them still for syringing their antibiotics so I probably would manage, but I'd also be afraid if they made any sudden movements that I might poke them or something.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Butterfluf]

I could also try a brand new human toothbrush to brush the food out if that would be good and safe

 

[Wiebke]

Hi guys,

I was giving my piggies their antibiotic this morning and noticed that a lot of them (I have 8 at the moment) have food stuck in their top teeth. I tried to wipe it off with a cotton bud but I only got the surface and didn't manage to get the food out. It seems to be stuck between their front teeth in a gap. I, wasn't noticing any obvious food behind their teeth just in the front gap. I will show pics of some of them that stayed still long enough for me to awkwardly take pictures.

The second issue is I noticed one of my pigs now has a chipped bottom tooth. I saw her eating hay this morning and she still chimps down veggies, so I'm wondering do I need to take her to a vet or will it grow back on its own. (the only exotic vet in the country is 2hrs away from me ).

Just when I think they're getting a bit better there's something else any help is appreciated I was thinking to get one of those plastic toothpicks and try gently pick the food out, I'm just not sure if it would hurt them or how delicicate their teeth are. I am getting fairly good at holding them still for syringing their antibiotics so I probably would manage, but I'd also be afraid if they made any sudden movements that I might poke them or something.

Thanks for any advice!

Hi!

Please don't use tooth picks! this is far to dangerous if piggies make a sudden movement! Piggies have always got some gunk their mouths so it is pretty much an exercise in futility anyway.

The broken tooth doesn't need any attention as it will grow back and ground back in shape by the opposite incisors.
You only need to see a vet if you have a piggy with a tooth/teeth that are snapping all the time or if a break has happened below the gum line and any incisors are wobbly.

Incisors are about 4 cm long and run along the upper and lower jaw; the are responsible for picking up and cutting food, especially long stalks. Their roots are just in front of the back teeth (premolars and molars), which are responsible for grinding down the silica rich hay fibre that guinea pigs have evolved on as their main food source; the daily food intake should make ideally over 80% hay and should not consist of mainly soft foods like veg and pellets (which will mush in contact with saliva).

 

[Butterfluf]

Hi!

Please don't use tooth picks! this is far to dangerous if piggies make a sudden movement! Piggies have always got some gunk their mouths so it is pretty much an exercise in futility anyway.

The broken tooth doesn't need any attention as it will grow back and ground back in shape by the opposite incisors.
You only need to see a vet if you have a piggy with a tooth/teeth that are snapping all the time or if a break has happened below the gum line and any incisors are wobbly.

Incisors are about 4 cm long and run along the upper and lower jaw; the are responsible for picking up and cutting food, especially long stalks. Their roots are just in front of the back teeth (premolars and molars), which are responsible for grinding down the silica rich hay fibre that guinea pigs have evolved on as their main food source; the daily food intake should make ideally over 80% hay and should not consist of mainly soft foods like veg and pellets (which will mush in contact with saliva).

OK thank you, i was just worried cuz it looked bad (the food stuck) and I don't want it to rot and cause an infection inside the mouth.

I'm glad to hear that I don't have to worry about her tooth!