How to Brush a Chimpanzee's Teeth

Baby Chimpanzee

Chimpanzees have sixteen teeth on top and sixteen teeth on the bottom for a total of 38 teeth. Since chimpanzees live an average of 50 years, it is a good idea to keep up with proper cleanings of the teeth. If a chimpanzee is wild then they should be left alone in their habitat. If a chimpanzee is tamed and kept in a zoo, it needs proper dental care including routine cleanings of the teeth.

Things You'll Need

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Water
• Cup

Instructions

1. Give your chimpanzee a tooth brush and let him or her hold it. Chimpanzees are great at imitating so throughout the whole process of brushing the teeth you are going to have to be the demonstrator. Show the chimp how to hold the toothbrush.

2. Add a tiny bit of toothpaste to the chimpanzee's toothbrush and some to yours. Let the chimp see you put the toothpaste in your mouth and brush up and down in a circular motion. Now aide the chimpanzee in this activity until the chimpanzee begins to do it by himself.

3. Fill a small cup with water and show the chimpanzee how to rinse with it. Pour some of the water in the mouth, swish it around and spit it out. The chimp may take a few times to understand this, but keep showing him or her. Be careful because the chimp may spit out the water wherever it wants instead of in the sink. Just keep trying to show him or her how to spit in the sink.

4. Pull out a few inches of floss and help the chimpanzee floss in between its teeth. If you have a smart chimpanzee they can do this on their own. Otherwise, you may want to aide the chimp in this task.

5. Make sure the chimp gets regular dental screenings to keep his or her teeth at their best.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to find a flavor toothpaste that would be most appealing to a chimpanzee. Chimpanzees eat a lot of fruit, so a flavor along those lines would be perfect.

• Use a toothpaste that does not contain fluoride. Fluoride is fine to use on teeth, but not good for you if ingested. The chimpanzee may end up swallowing some so it is best to use a non-fluoride toothpaste.