Chinese zoo creates giant toothbrush for hippos

The oral hygiene of three hippos in China is much improved, thanks to some creative thinking of their caretakers at the Shanghai Zoo, according to news reports.

The zoo has developed a 4-ft-long toothbrush to replace the broom that had previously been used to brush the hippos' teeth. Hippos' mouths measure up to 4 ft wide and feature a pair of large incisors.

In the wild, the hippos typically eat grass, but at the zoo they are fed fruit and vegetables that get stuck in their teeth, officials said.

The zoo now puts on a public show three times a week where visitors can watch the three hippos undergo their unique oral hygiene regimen.

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