How Many Teeth Does a Snake Have?

Well, that’s an interesting question about how many teeth a snake has. While we’ve all seen images of a snake’s fangs or had an up-close first-hand view of all they have or are there other teeth that are unseen? There are thousands of snake species worldwide, and each has a different fang size and venom, but there is a difference between snake fangs and teeth. It is possible that snakes with fangs may not have teeth, so there is a difference between snake fangs and teeth. 

Arrangement of Snake Teeth

Snakes have teeth, well, it also depends upon species that have around 200 teeth in the front and around 200 through the jaws line, and they are protected by gum. Snakes have few rows of developed teeth; four on the top and two on the bottom. But their order of teeth, number of teeth, and rows depend on a particular species. You can also say that;

• Every side of the lower jaws has one row of teeth.
• Every side of the upper jaws has two rows of teeth.

Due to not having a chin, snakes’ teeth do not connect in the mind like humans. They have two jawbones with no link point so that snakes can open their mouth extensively. And even if you want to, you can’t see their teeth correctly from close because the gum covers their teeth.

If we talk about their number of teeth, some snakes have few teeth, and some have even more than humans. Let’s take an example of a boa constrictor with around 100 teeth, but they don’t have fangs. On the other side is the gaboon viper, the world’s most giant venomous snake with the two longest fangs. They have two rows of teeth on the roof of their mouth. Well, the important thing is the arrangement and position of snake teeth are all based on their diet or food. Each snake has its own needs, and not every snake has the same teeth or is equal in number. 

Snakes That Eat Insects

What Type of Fangs Do Snakes Have?

Regarding the feign game, there are around three core types, and each has almost identical use but works differently. Let’s discuss snake fangs in more detail.

1- Proteroglyphous

Proteroglyphous is a type of snake fang which are not so long and is found in the Elapidae family, including cobras, mambas, and sea snakes. They are fixed on the front side of the snake jaws. Due to the small size of their fang, they have to make a massive grip while injecting venom into prey to deliver a high concentration of poison into their body.

2- Solenoglyphous

Solenoglyphous fangs are retracting fangs that fold opposite the roof of the snake’s mouth. The only snakes that sport these fangs are rattlesnakes and vipers attached to jaws on a hinge. These fangs are basically out of the way when not in use because these things can fold. They are pretty significant, reaching 6 inches in length.

3- Opisthoglyphous

Opisthoglyphous is the final fang type of snake, which is located deeper in their mouth, and for the snake, it is also a little bit difficult to inject venom. It also becomes difficult for the prey to escape when caught by some constrictors with opisthoglyphous fangs. However, it’s a bit complex to locate this fang compared to other fangs because it is located deeper within their mouth, so it might become hard to identify.

What are the Teeth that all Snakes Have?

The teeth that all snakes have are called aglyphous teeth. They can also be called regular teeth. Almost every species have aglyphous teeth. Aglyphous are teeth; they can’t be considered fangs, so don’t get confused. The snakes with aglyphous teeth don’t have fangs; hence, there is no venom in them. The species that don’t have fangs are rat snakes, bull snakes, boa constrictors, green snakes, water snakes, milk snakes, garter snakes, and North American King Cobra. 

Aglyphous teeth are long, thin, and sharp. They have a one-row lining to the bottom of the jaw, the other on the upper jaw, and both face backward. Aglyphous teeth can be hidden in some species or can’t be seen. Maybe it can be hidden in the gums.

Do Snakes Teeth Grow?

Snakes already have teeth when they are born, and their teeth start beginning their growth from time to time. If they don’t have teeth, they can’t eat, and without fangs or teeth, a hatchling snake will never be able to eat its prey. Snakes’ teeth grow with their lives, and within their life period, new teeth are also formed.

Lifespan of a Ball Python

FAQs

Conclusion

When it comes to snakes, I know approx everything about them, like species types, size of the snake, and weight. But I am sometimes confused while giving snake teeth information because there are thousands of species, and each species have unequal teeth, so it becomes hard to remember the number of teeth of every species. 

Every snake has regular teeth that they use for eating, called aglyphous teeth. As we have also discussed earlier, these are regular teeth, but the venom is not found in their teeth. If a snake has no teeth, no matter because teeth don’t contain poison, venom is in their fangs. If a snake has fangs and doesn’t have teeth, it contains toxin, but if a snake has teeth but not fangs, it does not possess venom. So some people are also confused for telling the difference between snake teeth and fangs both have difference. Some highly venomous species have around 2 inches long fangs, so they have high venom. No matter what kind and how much snake has teeth, if it has fangs, it also contains poison.

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