Facts About Rat Teeth

Up-close drawing of rat incisors for facts about rat teeth
  1. Rat teeth are covered an enamel-like substance and are therefore extremely hard and durable.
  2. The enamel  of a rat’s teeth is high in iron content, thereby causing the teeth to have a yellowish-orange appearance.
  3. The upper incisors contain around .003% more iron than the lower incisors, making the uppers a bit stronger.
  4. Rat teeth grow nonstop. This requires regular grinding to wear the teeth down and prevent them from growing too long. Failure to maintain them would allow them to continue to grow upwards and potentially into the skull and brain.
  5. The teeth of rats are very sharp and durable. Rats can even chew through soft concretes, soft metals, and hard woods. As dentin on the rear of teeth wears away, the hard enamel in front does not. This gives them their sharp edge.
  6. With two pairs of incisors, one on top and one on the bottom, rats are well equipped for gnawing.
  7. The lower incisors are almost twice as long as the upper, measuring around 7mm.
  8. A rat’s teeth might grow as much as five inches in just a year.
  9. The rat uses its “cheek teeth’ or molars, for grinding the tough foods they prefer.
  10. Since a rat’s incisors never stop growing, a broken tooth doesn’t stay short for long.
  11. The color of a rat’s teeth can give away their approximate age. The older the rat, the darker their teeth.
  12. The shape and length of a rat’s teeth may differ depending on their environment and their diet.
  13. Rats don’t just use their teeth for gnawing and eating. They can be used for defense purposes as well.
  14. The ability rats have to regrow their teeth may be used in scientific studies regarding human teeth, potentially helping us find cures to common tooth-related problems.
  15. Although rare, a bite from a rat could potentially cause “Rat Bite Fever“.
Facts about rat teeth up close incisors

Close-up drawing of a rat’s teeth

It’s okay to live among pests… but you don’t have to live with them!