At Park Cedar Dentistry, we spend most of our time thinking about human teeth and how to take care of them—but that doesn’t mean we don’t think animal teeth are really cool, too! Here are some of the most unique, odd, and downright creepy sets of chompers from around the globe.
If you’ve never seen a Sheepshead fish’s teeth, take a look. We think you’ll agree that few things are as terrifying of seeing human-like teeth inside the mouth of a fish. A fully-grown adult Sheepshead Fish will grow three rows of molars, as well as incisors, in its upper jaw, and two rows of molars in the lower. The freaky-looking pearly whites doubtlessly evolved to help the Sheepshead consume its diet of oysters, clams, crabs, and miscellaneous rock-hard prey.
These small, rare cervids, native to Korea and China, are often called “vampire deer” for their giant, fanglike canines. Bucks have fairly large canines, ranging from about 2 to 3 inches, while the does’ are about .5 inches long. As you may have guessed, this is because these antler-less deer use their teeth for fighting. The teeth are loose in their sockets, and can be drawn backwards to eat, and forwards for aggressive encounters. If an encounter becomes a fight, both bucks try to stab or wound the other on the head, shoulders, or back with the canines. Numerous long scars and torn ears seen on males indicate that being a male water deer is not very fun!
The Goosander, or Merganser as it’s often called in North America, has 150 fine, serrated “teeth” on the sides of its bill, which is why it’s also often called a “sawbill.” Of course, these aren’t true teeth with a root, dentin, enamel, and nerves, but they are distinctly tooth-like serrations, so we’ll allow the Goosander a place on this list. These little ducks are among the only birds on Earth that got to keep their teeth. Birds have a very short incubation period compared to their dinosaur ancestors, but this evolutionary innovation came at the expense of teeth.
Now that we’ve taken a look at some amazing animal teeth, it’s time to take a look at yours! If it’s been a long time since you’ve had a dental cleaning, our Charlotte dentist office can take care of you. Stop by our office on Park Cedar Drive, or fill out our handy patient request form to schedule an appointment.
