Bearded dragons have acrodont teeth.Bearded dragons have teeth that are made to grasp prey before tearing it. Both teeth and gums need to be cleaned for better oral health.Bearded dragons are classified within the genus Pogona, and there are seven species. A bearded dragon became famous as an exotic pet since its introduction in the ’90s in the United States. Being the most popular pets, central bearded dragons are most common in captivity. The bearded dragon has a flattened body with clusters and rows covering it and broad, triangular heads. The underside of these lizards’ throats will puff out and turn black if they are threatened or are under stress. This gives them their common name. To show their dominance, bearded dragons bob their head and hand-waving displays if to show submission. Some might even change their body colors due to a change in ambient temperature. Females can grow up to 20 in (51 cm) and males up to 24 in (60 cm). Although they live up to 10-15 years of age, their life expectancy can increase with good care. Their diet usually consists of vegetation, insects, and sometimes small rodents. It is vital to check your pet’s oral health from time to time for a healthy life.The six species of bearded dragons are Rankin’s dragon, Easter bearded dragon, Western bearded dragon, Kimberley bearded dragon, Nullabor bearded dragon, northwest bearded dragon, and the central bearded dragon. Bearded dragons go through brumation, where they will go hungry for months but will drink water. All these species can go dormant at high temperatures and brumate in winter. The body of these reptiles cannot stay active in high temperatures and it will also cause death. They will burrow underground. They will usually form a permanent hiding place or burrow to escape harsh weather and predators. Beaded dragons need UVB and UVA for absorption of calcium, stimulation of basking, feeding, breeding, and overall mind and body health.If you enjoyed reading these facts about bearded dragon teeth, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about bearded dragon colors and bearded dragon eggs here at Kidadl.Do bearded dragons have teeth?Yes, bearded dragons have teeth.A bearded dragon is an exotic animal, highly popular as a pet. Their mouth is filled with sharp and tiny teeth. It is important to clean and look after their teeth regularly. This reptile has teeth from birth so, they can feed on foods like vegetation and protein from the day they are born. The baby bearded dragon teeth are small hence barely visible. Bearded dragons’ teeth are close to the surface of their gums and are fused to the jaw bone, but not tooth sockets. Over time they are prone to teeth wear and wear so much that the teeth will become a part of the jaw bone surface. Previously believed to not re-grow, researchers recently found that bearded dragons’ teeth were both monophyodont and polyphyodont. Monophyodont teeth are not replaced by new teeth, but polyphyodont teeth replace themselves with a new one in case of tooth loss. University of Helsinki researchers found a set of genes that were previously uncharacterized within the bearded dragon’s tooth tissue could indicate if a bearded dragon’s tooth will be replaced or not. This recent research also mentions that some of their teeth can re-grow slowly as time passes.Due to constant feeding on vegetation and insects, the bearded dragons’ teeth get blunt as they grow. Bearded dragon teeth rot over time. Bearded dragons’ teeth are triangular and vary in size. The teeth are bigger at the front of the bearded dragon’s mouth and get smaller as they extend to the rear of the mouth. So, most of the bearded dragons’ teeth are situated at front of their mouth, and the rest are merged into the jaw-bone. Their teeth not only allow them to chew on insects but also many different foods.How many teeth do bearded dragons have?Bearded dragons have 13-18 acrodont teeth on each side of the lower jaw and 11-17 acrodont teeth on each side on the upper jaw and four pleurodont teeth each on the lower and upper jaw. There is a total of almost 76 teeth in their mouth and this number varies.Diet is the major contributing factor for healthy bearded dragon teeth. So, you must pay attention to their diet providing both soft foods and crunchy ones. However, they must not be given too many soft foods like mealworms and fruits. Most of their diet must consist of crunchy insects like roaches and vegetables. Well, every insect you feed need not be crunchy, but this food will clean their teeth. It is vital to feed your baby reptile around 40% of vegetation and 60% of protein through insects. As adults, they can eat 20% of vegetation and 80% of insects. This balanced diet will maintain their oral health as well as overall health. In the wild, these reptiles will forage various leafy greens and flowers and mainly on foods like crickets, termites, and spiders. These lizards also go through plaque buildup, like us humans. First, the plaque collects on the tooth and then turns into tartar.As this animal either has pleurodont or acrodont teeth dentition, if they fall, their teeth will not grow back. Their teeth are also monophyodont, which means those teeth cannot be replaced. Acrodont means the anatomical placement of bearded dragons’ teeth that is lack tooth sockets and dentition refers to the teeth arrangement of teeth in the mouth of any lizard or animal. So, the anatomical arrangement of one teeth set in bearded dragons is acrodont dentition. The connecting tissue between the jaw bone and the acrodont teeth is delicate, making the teeth and bones susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. Pleurodont dentition is also common and pleurodont teeth are also fused to the jaw bone and have longer roots compared to acrodont teeth.Should you clean bearded dragon teeth?Yes, you should clean your bearded dragon’s teeth.Since bearded dragons’ teeth get lost, damaged, or broken, you will have to take good care of the dental health of your pet dragon. Acrodont teeth are susceptible to diseases. Many lizards like iguanas have pleurodont dentitions that have not been reported to be associated with periodontal disease. If these reptiles eat too many sugary and soft foods like animals with soft bodies or soft food with sugar could impact their oral health. The right amount of calcium is vital in their food, however, too little or too much calcium and micronutrient deficiencies can decrease these lizards’ dental life. Stress is not often noticed, these animals will start banging their heads or glass surf in their tanks damaging the rostral area. Bearded dragons’ teeth can be damaged if the immune system is compromised. If you find black teeth and gums in your lizard you can still make your pet’s dental health.There are three changes you can make to prevent disease buildup in your lizard. Take immediate actions when you see changing colors of the teeth in your pet that might indicate periodontal disease. This disease shows up as brown teeth, which later into black teeth. Soft food mainly fruit can cause this disease. If this irregular diet continues, then the disease could show up within one year. Soft food particles will easily get trapped in the teeth of your pet causing plaque buildup. Rougher and harder foods will help toughen the mouth tissue. If your pet is showing behaviors like head bobbing, it can be due to environmental stress. You can change their house, accessories, or hiding place. Make sure not to put your pet on any smooth surfaces or high shelves to prevent falls. Monitor your pet’s teeth color. In the first stage of periodontal disease, the color will change to light brown, then to brown and red gums. You can be sure in the second stage that a vet needs to check the oral health of your pet.How to clean bearded dragon teeth?You can use a cotton swab dipped in chlorhexidine to clean around the teeth and gums, but it is better to talk to a vet about cleaning your pet’s teeth.Few vets have recommended several ways you could clean your pet’s teeth and mouth. You will need to clean your dragon’s mouth at least twice a week to decrease bacterial action, as recommended by DVM Shane Simpson. Another recommendation is to get rid of the plaque in your lizard’s teeth before it can turn into tartar. Your bearded dragon’s teeth must be cleaned twice per week in the first stage of periodontal disease and every two days in the second stage. You can carefully apply pressure to your pet’s head, near the eye, and above the mouth, using your forefinger and thumb. This pressure will force your dragon to open up his mouth. Bearded dragon teeth bite is not as painful as your usual dog or cat. Their jaw is not strong enough to bite hard, however, the sharp teeth are capable of drawing blood. Your beardie’s teeth must be cleaned routinely. Lack of adequate cleaning or dental care causes periodontal disease. You can use a water moistened cotton swab or a cotton ball and carefully wipe it around your pet’s gums and teeth. You can do this one to two times a week. Make sure not to use any kind of toothpaste. It is also recommended that users make use of a cotton swab moistened in diluted chlorhexidine instead of water. However, it is better to consult your vet before you try this at home. Chlorhexidine solution is a great disinfectant and antiseptic that fights against bacteria, viruses, fungus, and yeast. Make sure not to use a full-strength solution on your beardie’s teeth.It is recommended that along with regular cleaning you must visit your vet for regular checkups. Also, make sure to look for discoloration, inflammation, and broken or missing teeth. Anything unusual must be reported right away to your vet. Periodontal disease can escalate into mouth rot, calculus buildup, gum recession, bone infections, and gingivitis. The main cause of all this is diet, as per researchers. You can identify these 10 signs of periodontal disease, loss of appetite, brown or black teeth, lethargy, broken or lost tooth, discolored tooth, dehydration, mouth inflammation, gum-line recession, bone exposure, and plaque build-up. Some treatments suggested by your vet depending on the progression of the disease are diagnostic work-up, professional dental cleaning, anti-inflammation, antibiotics, ultrasonic dental scaling, and adjustments to their care at home.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for bearded dragon teeth, then why not take a look at bearded dragon gender or bearded dragon brumation?
Bearded dragons have acrodont teeth.
