Do all bunnies have to get there teeth trimmed?

I just wondered do bunnies have to go the vets at some point in their life time to get their teeth trimmed or is it possible to avoid it by giving them stuff to nibble on constantly?

I dont mean I would neglect their teeth, I just wondered if they can naturally be trimmed with knawing on stuff?

I have four buns, none of them have their teeth trimmed, although one has had the front ones removed

:wave: It may be possible, it really depends on a combination of factors such as genetics, diet and a good dollop of luck! Rabbits teeth do constantly grow so do need to be kept active to keep them ground down - this includes the back teeth that you can't see, not just things for the front teeth to gnaw on.

Breeds with more 'squat' faces like netherland dwarves and lops (and x breeds which contain these) are more predisposed to having dental problems because of the shape of their skull. So genetically it's more likely that they will have dental problems (genetic malloclusion).

Having said that, I'm sure a lot of dental problems are also caused by being fed an unsuitable diet, such as bowlfuls of rabbit food but little/no hay or grass.

So you may feed a textbook perfect diet, but have a bun with genetic reasons that its teeth grow wonky. Although with a good diet you can minimise the need for dentals to some degree - depending on the extent and location of the problem.

Or you may have a genetically perfect rabbit on a terrible diet which needs regular dentals. Once problems with misalignment have started, it is difficult to reverse although with a good diet you can minimise the need for regular dentals.

Or I'm sure there are also people who feed a terrible diet and the bunny lives for a number of years without a single dental! And that's what I'd call lucky!

Out of my four - Santa has a slightly twisted incisor which has been dealt with once along with molar spurs (sharp spikes where the back teeth have not been ground down evenly). I've had her for 2 years and it's been done once.

Heather has had one dental for molar spurs in the past two years.

The other two haven't had any problems; I've had Harry for 4 years.

Bunnies with malplaced teeth (caused either by injury or genetics) need to have their teeth trimmed.
A regular healthy rabbit that is given enough to nibble does not

Unless a rabbit has teeth problems, as long as they eat plenty of hay, they should be fine. I'd always get your vet to check teeth when you take them to the vets, it picks potential problems up quicker. When I first had Inky, he had a slightly uneven bite at the front, with tonnes of hay it is kept in check.

Of my own rabbits (8) only two have ever had dental issues, one molar spurs and one maloclausion of the incisors.

I'd also suggest - whenever a bun is having a surgical procedure like a neuter, I would ask the vet to check their teeth and do any work necessary. The only way you can really get a good proper look at their back teeth is under anaesthetic - so if they are under for a different purpose, might as well have a check and do anything necessary while they're there!