Have you ever wondered what animal has the most teeth? Or which mammal has the most teeth? Or why do elephants have tusks? How about that weird unicorn tusk that a narwhal has? If you find animal teeth fascinating, you’re in good company. We, here at Montana Pet Dentistry and Oral Surgery, just can’t get enough of animal dentition knowledge. While we usually love answering questions related to your pet’s oral health like, “Can a dog or a cat without teeth eat?” Or “How do I brush my dog’s teeth?” We’ve decided to take a moment to share some most interesting facts about animal teeth.
Animal Teeth Facts
Snail and Slug Teeth
It may come as a great surprise to find out that snails are the animals with the most teeth (that we presently know of) in the animal kingdom. And, when compared to mammals, it’s not even close! Snails have a flexible band containing THOUSANDS of microscopic teeth, called a radula. The radula is used like a rasp to scrape up food particles. This is a very efficient and effective method of feeding as varying species of snails and slugs have been known to subsist as herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and detritivores. They can eat vegetation, worms, rotting organic matter, animal waste, fungi, and even other snails.
Armadillo Teeth
In comparison to the impressive teeth of snails and slugs, the mammal with the highest known number of teeth is the Giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), which can have up to 100 teeth. This particular species of armadillo is native to South America and can weigh up to 60 lbs! Armadillos do not have incisors, nor canine teeth. Therefore, all 100 of their teeth are held towards the back of the mouth within the cheeks and are used for grinding ants and termites, which compose most of the Giant armadillo’s diet. Interestingly, the teeth continue growing throughout the Giant Armadillo’s lifetime and do not have enamel!
Tusks as Teeth Facts
Did you know that Elephant tusks, walrus tusks, and the tusk of the Narwhal are all specialized teeth as well?
- Elephant tusks are enlarged incisor teeth that are used for defense, moving objects, and display in mating. They will use their long tusks to dig holes and find water during periods of drought. Both male and female African elephants have tusks. *Trivia nugget—African elephant’s ears are shaped like their home continent. Asian elephants have smaller ears. Only male Asian elephants have tusks.
- Narwhal tusk—Tusks are rare in female Narwhals and common in males. The tusk is an enlarged (left primarily) spiralized canine tooth that allows narwhals to sense salinity and water temperatures. It is one of only two teeth that they will ever possess (backup tusk). This tooth is also super flexible as well as softer on the outside and harder on the inside….it is an inside-out tooth! It is used primarily to prod or stun their dinner before they slurp them up.
- Walrus tusks are elongated canine teeth that are found in both male and female walruses. The purpose of these elongated canines includes defense, fighting, and, interestingly, climbing onto the ice!
Shark, Skate and Ray Teeth
It would be hard to write an article about animal teeth without discussing the dynamic dentition of the Elasmobranchii, or sharks, skates and rays. You probably are aware that sharks replace teeth throughout their lifetime. However, did you know their teeth can be replaced within 24 hours? Some sharks may shed up to 50,000 teeth in a lifetime. Their teeth are derived from specialized epithelial tissue that arises from the cartilage of their jaws and are oriented in rows so that as a tooth from the first one or two rows is lost, a tooth from the next row can rotate into action, like a conveyor belt.
Their teeth are also acid-resistant and less water-soluble than human teeth, which is why they are found so commonly as fossilized specimens. Sharks also require no fluoride in their drinking water as their teeth contain their own fluoride! Their teeth come in many variations, including saw teeth like the Great White, needle teeth like the Mako, grinding teeth like the guitar shark, and hook teeth. Even filter-feeding sharks like the basking shark, the whale shark, and the megamouth shark have tiny teeth that they most likely use for grasping a partner during mating rather than eating!
Rays have tiny teeth arranged in plates that allow them to crush shells and crustaceans from the ocean floor for their diet. Rays and sharks even have tiny tooth-shaped structures covering their skin called denticles. These structures are oriented in a front-to-back fashion for water dynamics and are the reason that shark skin feels like sandpaper when rubbed in a tail-to-nose direction.
Komodo Dragon and Beaver Teeth Facts
The animal kingdom is full of examples of unique teeth as diverse as the diets of the animals in which they are found. It is also fascinating to know that some animals’ teeth actually contain iron, making them even stronger! The Komodo dragon is one such animal. Their teeth have an iron coating, which gives them a sharp, serrated edge to easily tear and shred flesh. One mammal with iron in its teeth is the beaver, which uses its super strong teeth to alter its environment to suit its needs and desires by literally chomping down trees!
Animal Teeth Care in Bozeman
These amazing animals with truly terrific teeth are only scratching the surface of the astounding variety of teeth found in nature. While we hardly ever get to clean a Great White’s teeth or have the opportunity to perform a root canal on a Narwhal’s tusk, we are excited to be able to offer these and more routine and advanced dentistry and anesthesia services for your pets here in Bozeman at Montana Pet Dentistry and Oral Surgery. Give us a call at (406) 599-4789.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (03/11/2025) Photo by Clint Patterson on Unsplash