Checking Teeth and Gums

[Tipsy Bunny]

 I wasnt sure where to put this one, but anyways… I was wanting to check Tipsy’s teeth and gums today to make sure everything is in check and she looks healthy, but when I went to lift her cheek, she flipped out!  I thought maybe I startled her, she I petted her nose and slowly went back to her cheek, and she flipped out again!  So at that point I didnt want her getting way too scared and thinking I am going to cause her discomfort so I stopped, and I pet her to make sure she wasnt afraid of me.

Is there a way to tackle this fear of having her mouth looked at without having me look like the bad guy?

[Monkeybun]

You can’t really check much other than her front teeth by yourself. Checking back teeth requires a vet with a scope.

[Tipsy Bunny]

I cant even get to where I can check her front incisors. She wont let me touch her cheeks.

[Monkeybun]

If it’s too stressful for her, I would just let the vet do it. they are trained in how to, and it would be less stressful for both of you.

[OhBellaBunBun]

Maybe the vet could also show you some tips on how to do it. Maybe there is a certain thing this bun would be comfortable with that the vet could help you figure out

[Beka27]

I wouldn’t mess with her teeth at all. The vet will check them at her annual visits. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with other signs/symptoms that there may be something wrong with her teeth. This will let you know when to schedule an appointment for a complete dental check.

[Sarita]

Yeah, let the vet check the teeth. There is no way to check the molars at all.

[mocha200]

I agree about the vet checking them. If you really want to look at her teeth, what I sometimes do is hold up a treat like an apple and instead of letting her take it from you, hold onto it and she will just gnaw at it and you can normally see the front teeth. For checking the back teeth while I am petting them I fun my hand over the back of their cheek where their back teeth are and if they don’t flinch lick it hurts then you should be good. Some bunnies however may just not want to be touched their so to get a 100% answer on if they are ok, then I would take her in.

Is there a reason you want to check her teeth? Have you noticed her not eating as much as normal or something?

[Tipsy Bunny]

I just want to see what she looks like “normal” so that if she looks “off” I know what looks “off.” And also, I wanted to get a guess-timate on her age via her teeth. But mainly the first part.

[Sarita]

Well, it’s very difficult to see without an otoscope those molars in the back. Sometimes the only way to know if they are having dental problems is a change in behavior (ie drinking more water to soothe the mouth), changes in diet (not eating as they usually would), mushy poo’s or leaving cecals behind, or sometimes even nothing. Those are going to be your best triggers for the teeth.

[mocha200]

I would take her into the vet and ask what they look like now and how to tell if they get bad.

[Sarita]

The vet has to use an otoscope to see the teeth so there is no way to eye their mouth/teeth without that.

[BinkyBunny]

Like the others have said, you won’t be able to check the back molars.  But for the incisors, when you go to the vet, have her/him show you what you should be looking for IF the incisors are involved in the teeth issues…and at the same time they can show you how.    I would normally have to put one of my bunnies in a bunny burrito or quick trance to check the front incisors, but I would just do it at the same time that I clipped their nails and checked the anal glands. 

[Lazee]

my girls don’t really want me near their mouths with my fingers, BB and Pia will tolerate it for a second or two but the others freak. When the vet checked out BB she couldn’t even see the back teeth very well, she said BB had such a strong and quick tongue.

[BinkyBunny]

Though Rucy was rather tolerant of having her molars checked (since she had to have it done so often) there was a time where she was just not havin’ it.   So for her own safety, she was mildly sedated to make it easier for the vet to check her teeth.  Because Rucy was more susceptible to nasty tooth and jaw abcesses, she may have been extra resistant if it was painful for her to the have the molars checked– not sure.  But for us it was vital to have it checked as we had to keep her tooth issues under control.   

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