Do Bearded Dragons Have Teeth? | Dental Anatomy Explained 2024

Bearded dragons have teeth from an early age. These docile reptilians are not considered violent and are omnivorous. You might wonder many things about these reptilians, as they can appear quite enigmatic. New pet parents usually have queries related to their diet, hygiene, habitat, species, etc. One of the most asked questions is: do bearded dragons have teeth?

Well, yes! Our article here will answer this important question with sufficient information.

Do Bearded Dragons Have Teeth

Do Bearded Dragons Have Teeth Since Birth

Quite surprisingly, bearded dragon has teeth even when they are babies. Naturally, all animals have teeth but they grow when they need them. Bearded dragons are not carnivorous hunters, even then, they have teeth from the first day of their lives. The reason for this is that in the wilderness, these creatures have to fend for food, and from the first day of their lives, they eat protein and vegetables.

These reptiles are comfortable living in their natural atmosphere and habitat which includes warm temperatures, savannahs, deserts, and big rocks and wood logs in arid areas, and they have to rely on solids for nourishment. Unlike mammals, bearded dragons do not drink milk and this explains the dentition from an early age.

Bearded dragons’ teeth do not grow in separate cavities in the gums. On the contrary, these reptilians have protruding teeth from gums, fused to their jawbone. Usually, animals grow teeth as they age, but bearded dragons’ teeth wear down as they grow older. The wear and tear from eating can cause their teeth to flatten with time.

Do They Grow Teeth After Losing Them

Bearded dragons’ teeth are polyphyodont and momophyodont, which means that some of them regrow and some do not grow if they break off. Earlier it was believed that if bearded dragons lose a tooth, it can grow back. Then it was researched that there is no regrowth if a tooth breaks off. However, as time passed, more research showed that some of the teeth grow while others do not grow.

These lizards have both front and back teeth. The teeth on the front are used to hold insects and vegetables, whereas the ones on the back or on the corners are attached to the upper jawbone and are more functional. These teeth are used for grinding, cutting, and chewing soft food.

Only the front teeth can naturally fall out and then regrow too. Therefore, if your bearded pet has lost a front tooth, it is no issue. It will grow back after some time. The acrodont dentition is just delicate and therefore the front teeth are very likely to fall out. However, the teeth in both corners do not have the ability to regrow. So, if your pet has tragically lost a tooth due to an accident or external force, it will not grow back. As they do not naturally fall out and will only break due to an external factor.

Bearded Dragon Dentition: Do They Have Sharp Teeth

Young bearded dragons use their baby teeth to gobble insects, leaves, fruits, and vegetables for their survival from their birth, unlike human beings. Moreover, their teeth are very hard to see as they are small in size. But they are there and as a matter of fact, they are pretty sharp when they are new. As the bearded dragon grows older, the teeth become blunter due to their constant usage. As your pet grows older, the teeth become stronger with the intake of calcium and potassium-rich foods.

However, the teeth of a baby or young dragon are comparatively sharper than those of adults. This is because they are new and have not yet become contoured at the edges with the constant chewing. The bite of a juvenile dragon may cause your skin to bleed slightly, but that too is not an alarming situation. You can just wash it off and use an antiseptic.

Do They Bite Their Owners

Bearded dragons do not bite under normal conditions. As we all know, these reptiles are calm, friendly, and docile toward human beings. They will not bite to harm you unless they feel threatened, disturbed, or upset. Fortunately, an adult baby dragon’s bite does not even make the slightest of cuts in your skin and is not at all poisonous. Simply wash your hands with an antibacterial soap to wash away the bacteria. Furthermore, you can find all details about it here Do Bearded Dragons Bite.

Do Bearded Dragons Bite

How To Clean Their Teeth

It is very crucial to keep a timely check on dental hygiene for bearded dragons. You must clean their teeth with a toothbrush or a cotton bud and also examine their teeth once a month. Any infection or disease in their teeth may be a grave inconvenience for them. It might restrict their diet and put several insects off their diet too.

Also, it is important to take your dragon for oral scaling annually. This will ensure a healthy dental checkup too. However, you do not need to clean your dragon’s teeth daily. You can only clean their teeth if you see any leftovers of insects or other meals stuck in their teeth.

The cleaning process might take a longer time than you expect. Although you only need to do a deep cleaning check once a month, and a quick check every week, it has to be carried out very gently. Try to avoid the toothbrush and only use a gentle wet cotton bud, if you are new to this.

Conclusion

Do bearded dragons have teeth? Well yes, they do from the beginning. These reptiles have acrodont dentition and possess teeth from the beginning. Make sure you take care of their dental hygiene to save them from harmful events. These calm animals will not bite you and only use their teeth for holding and chewing their meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bearded dragons lose their teeth?

Yes, bearded dragons can lose their teeth like other reptiles. The teeth on the front are more likely to fall out and then regrow. However, the teeth on the back or on the sides can only fall out due to any force. The front teeth can also regrow; however, this is not the case with the back teeth.

What foods harm a bearded dragon’s dental health?

Generally, foods high in sugar and citric acid are harmful to a dragon’s teeth. Such foods, especially sugary ones cause plaque and eventually cause tooth and gum problems for them. They should be avoided and calcium and vitamin-rich meals should be fed instead.

What do bearded dragons use their teeth for?

These calm and friendly creatures only use their small teeth for gripping, chewing, and grinding their soft food. All their meals are either soft or come in small sizes, therefore they chew them using these small acrodont teeth and engulf meals. Don’t worry, naturally, these lizards do not bite or harm human beings.

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