Bearded dragons are beautiful and intriguing animals loved by millions around the world. Bearded dragons are relatively low-maintenance pets; however, many bearded dragon owners are unsure about what their dragons’ needs are. Many people don’t even know whether or not bearded dragons have teeth.
Bearded dragons have teeth. They are small teeth that attach to the bone in their jaw. Your bearded dragon will use these teeth to catch and eat their prey in their natural habitat. All species of lizards have teeth to help them eat and defend themselves from predators.
Continue reading for the complete guide to bearded dragons and their dentistry. I’ll examine the variety of teeth that your bearded dragon has and the care that you need to offer your pet for their teeth. I’ll even go over what can happen if your bearded dragon decides to use their teeth on you, so make sure you stick around until the end!
What Type of Teeth Do Bearded Dragons Have?
If you are like me and love watching your bearded dragon as they bask in the light of a heat lamp or munch down on their lunch, you might have noticed the small teeth in bearded dragon’s mouth. Are these teeth the same as human teeth, only smaller, or do bearded dragons have different kinds of teeth altogether?
Bearded dragons have acrodont teeth. This type of tooth is found in some reptiles and species of fish. Bearded dragons acrodont teeth connect to the animals’ jaw bone. This results in firmer teeth that allow animals to have a more substantial bite relative to the size of their mouth.
While acrodont teeth connect to the upper and lower jaw of your bearded dragon, the bond between their teeth and the bone can be somewhat superficial. As a result, bearded dragon teeth can be susceptible to damage. This is especially true if your dragon is prone to biting into hard surfaces.
Bearded dragons also have pleurodont teeth, although only a few. Depending on the age of your bearded dragon, they have between four and eight pleurodont teeth. Pleurodont teeth attach to the jaw like acrodont teeth, although they continue to grow.
Outside of captivity, bearded dragons will wear their teeth on food and prey. As a result, by the time they reach maturity, many bearded dragons’ teeth have worn away. The bearded dragon is then left to try to catch food using the bone in its jaw with no teeth protruding from it.
Do You Need To Take Care of Your Bearded Dragon’s Teeth?
Your bearded dragon is a relatively easy pet to care for. You don’t really need to walk or socialize with it, and once you’ve got the heat lamp on, your dragon is usually happy. However, do you need to care for your bearded dragon’s health? In particular, your dragon’s teeth?
You do need to take care of your bearded dragon’s teeth. Bearded dragons are susceptible to losing teeth through wear, tear, and disease. As a result, you need to regularly clean your pet’s teeth to prevent disease and allow them to keep a happy and healthy mouth.
It would be best to clean the lizard’s teeth every other day. Here are steps you need to follow to keep your pet’s teeth clean:
- Moisten a cotton bud with water or diluted chlorhexidine.
- Use the cotton bud to wipe the plaque from your dragon’s teeth.
- Rinse your dragon’s mouth with a small amount of water.
Diluted chlorhexidine will break up the plaque on your bearded dragon’s teeth and prevent it from becoming tartar. If you don’t feel comfortable using these chemicals or are unable to find some, cleaning your dragon’s teeth with water is suitable.
Make sure you remove all bacterial growth from your dragon’s teeth. If you fail to do so, it will harden and pose health risks to your beloved pet.
Do not use toothpaste to brush your bearded dragon’s teeth. Toothpaste is not safe for lizards, and it could cause your pet to get seriously ill.
Do Bearded Dragon Teeth Grow Back?
If your bearded dragon has a tendency to bite hard objects, or if you’ve missed some teeth cleaning, your dragon could lose some teeth. Is this cause for concern, or will your bearded dragon’s teeth grow back?
Bearded dragon teeth don’t grow back. Once your bearded dragon has lost a tooth or teeth, they will be without them for the rest of their lives. Bearded dragons have acrodont teeth which do not get replaced even in infancy and are prone to falling out from bacteria and wear.
Bearded dragons often lose teeth to a condition known as mouth rot or infectious stomatitis. This happens when your dragon’s immune system is unable to subdue the bacteria growing in its mouth. This causes severe inflammation and infection, leading to tooth loss.
Mouth rot can spread throughout your pet lizard’s head and eventually make its way to the lungs if left untreated. This results in pneumonia which can be fatal. Therefore you need to seek expert help from a vet at the first sign of mouth rot.
The easiest way to spot mouth rot in your bearded dragon is when they stop eating. You may also visibly see signs of an infection or inflammation when cleaning your lizard’s teeth.
Are Bearded Dragons Vicious?
Now that you know about your bearded dragon’s teeth, it’s time to go over some behaviors your pet may exhibit using its teeth. So are bearded dragons vicious, or are they well-tempered and calm animals?
Bearded dragons are usually not vicious when bred in captivity. If your bearded dragon was raised around people, had a comfortable environment, and you handled it often, it will be friendly and likely won’t show signs of aggression. However, it is an animal, and some may be more vicious than others.
If you don’t handle your bearded dragon regularly or have just recently gotten the pet, it may be unsure of you and lash out when you try to pick it up. Don’t worry if this happens; your bearded dragon will learn to trust you and associate you with food after time, which will reduce angry outbursts.
Bearded dragons are excellent pets. They have a great temperament, especially when raised in captivity, and they can recognize their owners and build relationships.
Do Bearded Dragons Hurt If They Bite You?
Bearded dragons are good-natured animals that usually don’t bite and cause injury. However, when threatened or scared, your bearded dragon will bite to defend itself. Do you have to worry about bearded dragons bite, and how much pain can you expect from a bite?
Bearded dragons do not hurt very much if they bite. A bearded dragon bite is like a strong pinch that happens quickly. The fright you get from the bite is often worse than the pain from the bite itself. However, on rare occasions, a bearded dragon bite can break the skin and draw blood.
Not all bearded dragons have the same bite force. Younger and smaller lizards will have a softer bite than larger, older dragons. An older bearded dragon will have a larger head with small sharp teeth; as a result, you’ll likely lose a little skin from a bite.
However, due to the small size of the teeth, bearded dragon bites won’t pose any severe risks as they can’t do much damage.
What To Do if Your Bearded Dragons Tries To Bite You?
If you have a puppy and it starts biting you, you can tell it to stop with a stern tone, and it will learn to stop. However, this is not going to work for your bearded dragon. So how can you prevent your bearded dragon from continuing to bite you in the future, and what should you do if you get bit?
Here’s what to do if your bearded dragon tries to bite you:
- Put the dragon down in a safe, covered space.
- Immediately wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
- Check for cuts or blood.
- If there are any cuts, clean with alcohol or peroxide.
To stop your bearded dragons from biting you in the future, you’ll need to give them some time and space to adjust to their environment. You can reduce their urge to bite by lowering their stimulation by adding shelter to the enclosure.
Bearded dragons also tend to open their mouths as a warning before they bite. If you place food in its mouth as it’s doing so, the lizard will learn to associate you with food and not feel threatened. As a result, the lizard will not have the urge to bite you and cause injury.
Handling your bearded dragon more often will also make the animal more comfortable in your hands. If you are afraid of getting bitten while handling your dragon, wear a pair of protective gloves to protect your hands while allowing the lizard to get comfortable in your presence.
FAQ
Do Baby Bearded Dragons Have Teeth?
Yes, baby bearded dragons have teeth. These lizards have teeth from birth.
How Many Teeth Does Bearded Dragon Have?
Yes, bearded dragons do have teeth. They can have up to 80 teeth in their mouth.
Are Bearded Dragons Teeth Sharp?
Yes, bearded dragons teeth can be sharp as they need to chew foods. Its more sharper when they are young.
How To Promote Bearded Dragon Dental Health?
You need to clean them regularly. Remove any remaining food particles to keep beardie’s teeth healthy. Make sure to remove the plaque regularly from every teeth to prevent it from turning into tartar. Cleaning it regularly is important to prevent bleeding gums and periodontal disease (gum disease).
Final Thoughts
Bearded dragons do have teeth. They have small acrodont teeth that connect to their jaw. These teeth allow them to fend off predators and catch their prey. However, bearded dragons also experience problems that start with their teeth like mouth rot.
To prevent mouth rot, you should clean your pet’s teeth using a cotton bud regularly. This will prevent the build up of bacteria and keep your dragon safe.