Squirrel Teeth: Tiny Teeth, Big Questions
Do squirrel teeth keep growing? Explore squirrel incisors, cheek teeth, tooth counts, juvenile tooth replacement, cavities, and what to do if a squirrel appears injured.
Sometimes the most interesting tooth question arrives outside the dental chair. A squirrel has occasionally appeared outside our office window, and the sight of it eating led us to ask: what is different about squirrel teeth? This is a look at wildlife biology, not advice for treating an animal. Our clinic provides endodontic care to people, not wildlife; the animal in the video has not been identified to species.
Do squirrels' teeth keep growing?
Four front incisors—two upper and two lower—grow continuously. Gnawing and normal contact wear them down; if they do not meet or wear normally, overgrowth can interfere with eating. The cheek teeth behind the gap are different: they do not grow continuously like the incisors. Squirrels use those premolars and molars to process food. Rodent dental anatomy is more varied than the familiar shorthand that “all rodent teeth grow forever” suggests.
How many teeth does an adult squirrel have?
Typically 20–22 adult teeth, depending on the species and its premolar pattern. That count includes the four incisors and the cheek teeth; it is not a promise that every squirrel has exactly the same number. The family Sciuridae includes many species, so a count for one kind of squirrel should not automatically be applied to another.
Squirrel teeth vs. human teeth
- Number: Adult squirrels typically have 20–22 teeth, depending on species; humans can have up to 32 permanent teeth including four wisdom teeth (often 28 without them).
- Growth: Only squirrels' four incisors grow continuously; their cheek teeth do not. Human permanent teeth do not grow continuously.
- Replacement: Continuous incisor growth is not regrowth of an entire lost tooth. Human baby teeth are replaced by adult permanent teeth, which do not regrow if lost. Juvenile squirrel tooth replacement varies by species and tooth; see below.
- Cavities and care: Cavities are possible in both, but this does not establish how often wild squirrels get them. For a squirrel with a dental problem, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or wildlife/exotics veterinarian; for a person's teeth, see a human dentist.
Do baby squirrels lose teeth?
Juvenile tooth development and replacement are not identical across every squirrel species. Some descriptions of squirrel development report milk teeth being replaced, while broad accounts of rodent dentition often describe rodents as monophyodont (having one set of teeth). Those sources should not be flattened into a claim that all squirrels have baby teeth or that none do. The safe answer is that juvenile tooth replacement depends on which teeth and species are being discussed; we cannot assign an exact shedding age to the visitor in our video.
What do squirrels shed seasonally?
Fur. Squirrels molt their coats seasonally. Seeing changing fur does not mean their continuously growing incisors are being shed and replaced like human baby teeth. The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab's guide to molting explains why seasonal changes in a wild animal's coat can be normal.
Can squirrels get cavities or tooth pain?
Dental caries can occur in squirrel-like rodents, though that does not tell us how common it is in wild squirrels. High-sugar captive diets can increase dental risk; it would be misleading to infer an incidence rate for wild populations from captive animals. Broken, infected, or overgrown teeth can also cause pain and make feeding difficult. A wild animal does not have ready access to dental treatment, so an inability to eat can have serious consequences.
Do squirrels get root canals?
Root canal treatment exists in veterinary dentistry, but it is not an established routine treatment for squirrels, and we did not find a verified squirrel root-canal case in the sources reviewed for this article. That is a limit on what we can document, not proof that no such procedure has ever occurred. A veterinarian with appropriate wildlife or exotic-animal expertise determines whether dental treatment is possible and suitable for an individual animal; sometimes extraction is required. Human root-canal care cannot simply be transferred to a squirrel.
What if a squirrel seems to have an injured tooth?
If you see an animal struggling to eat, drooling, bleeding, or showing a visibly misaligned or overgrown tooth, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or an exotics veterinarian for local advice. Do not try to cut or file its teeth, capture or medicate it on your own, or give it human pain medicine. Handling wildlife and using human medications can harm the animal and put you at risk. A professional can decide what assessment or referral is appropriate.
Sources and editorial note
The references below describe the squirrel family, rodent dentistry, caries in small animals, seasonal molting, and human tooth eruption. Species differences and the conflicting descriptions of juvenile replacement are why this article avoids a universal “baby teeth” answer. This article was prepared by the Silicon Valley Endodontics and Microsurgery editorial team with AI-assisted editorial preparation; AI-assisted preparation is not medical or veterinary review. It is general education, not a wildlife diagnosis or an offer of veterinary services.