As Charleston dentists, we spend most of our time thinking about human teeth and how to treat 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.
Sheepshead Fish
If you’ve never seen a Sheepshead fish’s teeth, take a look. We think you’ll agree that few things are as terrifying as human-like teeth arranged in a fish’s mouth. The freaky-looking pearly whites help the Sheepshead consume its diet of oysters, clams, crabs, and miscellaneous rock-hard prey.
Water Deer
These small, dog-sized cervids, native to China and Korea, are often called “vampire deer” for their almost comically-large canines. Bucks have canines ranging from about 2 to 3 inches long, while does’ are much smaller, at about half an inch. No need to worry about protecting your neck: these antler-less deer use their teeth for fighting. Numerous long scars and torn ears spotted on males indicate that they are quite effective!
Goosander Duck Teeth
The Goosander Duck, or “sawbill”, gets its name from the fine, serrated “teeth” lining the sides of its bill. Technically, these aren’t true teeth with a root, dentin, enamel, and nerves, but they are distinctly tooth-like serrations, so we thought the Goosander deserved an honorable mention on this list. It is thought that these little ducks are among the only birds on Earth that got to keep their teeth. The rest swapped them for beaks about 100 million years ago, for reasons that are still unknown.
Lampreys
Viewed from the side or above, lampreys are just a harmless, kind of dumb-looking fish. But their mouths are the stuff of nightmares—11-12 rows of vicious-looking, thorn-like teeth, arranged concentrically around a flat open circle. (We’re not going to provide a link; we can’t look at that again.) This is a case wherein looks are not deceiving, as the lamprey uses its teeth to latch onto other fish, scrape away their scales and skin, and suck their blood. Should you stay out of the water for the rest of your life? Yes. But, should you decide to venture in, you might comfort yourself with the knowledge that lamprey teeth actually face backwards, and are not tough enough to make much of an impression on human skin. As far as we know. At this time.
Brush up on Your Tooth Knowledge at Our Charleston Dentist Office!
Now that we’ve taken a look at some amazing animal teeth, it’s time for us to take a look at yours! If it’s been a long time since you’ve had a dental cleaning, stop by Lowcountry Dental Arts today. To schedule an appointment, click here.
