Ocean Animals With Outrageous Teeth!

Have you ever wondered about the teeth of your favorite ocean animals? Sharks aren’t the only animals in the ocean with large, intimidating teeth. It turns out teeth are used by many marine animals, in order for eating and using as tools.

Whether it’s one long, spiraled tooth on a narwhale, or hundreds of razor-sharp teeth in great white sharks, teeth come in all different sorts in the sea! There’s a good reason for the tooth diversity. Some of these animals use their teeth to kill and eat pretty, while others use their teeth more like weapons or tools.

Below is a list of ocean animals with interesting and unique teeth:

• Bottlenose Dolphin
  This type of dolphin has between 80-100 sharp, cone-shaped teeth. These teeth are not for chewing, but are actually for grasping their food. If one tooth falls out, the bottlenose dolphin will not grow a new one.
• Purple Sea Urchin
  The purple sea urchins only have 5 teeth, each one less than one inch long. These teeth are used to drill into nooks and crevices so that they can hide themselves from danger.
• Great White Shark
  This type of shark has the most famous teeth in the ocean. They have 300 teeth, arranged in seven rows! Like most other species of shark, the great white shark will shed and regrow their teeth as needed.
• Titan Triggerfish
  The titan triggerfish has large front teeth, which resemble human teeth. This buck-toothed fish use their teeth to crush crustaceans and shellfish.
• Northern Elephant Seal
  A male’s four canine teeth can grow up to six inches long! These intimidating teeth are used to fight other males off during mating season.
• Fangtooth
  These fish have the largest teeth in the ocean – when compared to its body size. They even have sockets on either side of its brain in order for its huge bottom teeth to close. These giant teeth are used for grasping, and not chewing their prey. They actually just swallow their meals whole.
• Narwhal
  Narwhals are famous for the tusks that grow out of their heads. These tusks are actually huge teeth! Some scientists believe that they use this tusk to find a mate while others believe it’s used as a sensory organ.

Ocean animals don’t need to visit the dentist in order to keep their teeth clean – unlike your children! The American Dental Association has recommended that your child visit the dentist every 6-12 months to receive a dental cleaning and exam. In order to set up your child’s appointment today, please contact Firestone Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics, located in Firestone, CO!