Malocclusion quite literally translates to “misaligned teeth.”
Rats and duprasi gerbils are monophyodont; which means they only have one set of teeth for their entire lifetime that consists of four incisors and twelve molars. These incisors have what is called an “open root” — meaning they continuously grow. The teeth are covered with an orange enamel (colour is due to iron rich pigment,) that continues to darken with age.
In a healthy rat/doop, incisors are correctly aligned and can be maintained at an acceptable length through the process of teeth grinding (bruxing.) When malocclusion is present, the incisors are often not aligned correctly and cannot be maintained through bruxing. The teeth continuously grow; curving and causing trauma to the mouth, infections and abscesses. Malocclusion has many possible causes, such as injury, dental diseases and tumours. Malocclusion can also be the result of poor genetics being selected for and passed down from adults to their offspring.
The first clinical signs of malocclusion include excess salivation, difficulty chewing, decreased food intake and ultimately, weight loss. Once malocclusion has been diagnosed, the teeth need to be periodically trimmed (approximately every 2-4 weeks.) It’s a good idea to accustom your rat/doop with being held for wellness checks as it will be much easier on both you and your rat.doop if you’ve already secured a level of comfort and trust before there is an issue. Not to mention your vet will greatly appreciate your rat’s/doop’s behaviour during examinations.
