Do Rats Have Strong Teeth?
WouterYou might be wondering if rats have strong teeth. After all, their incisors are yellow and are harder than human teeth. They should measure between four and seven millimeters long. If you are interested in finding out whether your rat has strong teeth, you can gently pull back its lips to check the length of the incisors.
The fact is, rodents have very strong teeth. They can bite through lead. That is scary. Fortunately, their teeth aren’t as big as those of sharks and crocs. A great white shark can muster about two tons of force on a good day, while a croc can top out at 1.5 tons. But even these numbers don’t tell you the whole story.
Rats’ teeth are made of dentine and enamel. They can chew through almost any material, including wood. They can also chew through metal pipes and brick walls. Their front teeth grow about five inches each year. They are also sharp, and their upper and lower teeth rub against each other. This is how rats can bite metal with so much force.
In addition to their permanent teeth, rats need to have regular dental care to maintain a healthy mouth. The teeth begin growing at less than two weeks of age. While the molars stop growing once they reach the proper size, the incisors will continue to grow. If not taken care of, this can lead to problems later in the rat’s life.
