Mythbusting #2: Bearded Dragons Don’t Have Teeth?

Written By Lisa Lindenbaum
 

Do bearded dragons have teeth? You may be surprised how often we get this question!

The TLDR consensus: Yes, they have teeth.

It is vital to a bearded dragon’s husbandry that the owner is examining and addressing the lizard’s oral health on a regular basis. This will prevent diseases such as Periodontitis, which can eventually lead to tooth decay/loss. The damage is permanent, but manageable, once it begins.

If you have concerns about your bearded dragon’s dental health, please contact your veterinarian for a checkup and a treatment plan. This article cannot replace information provided by your vet.

Preventative care is the best thing you can do for your pet, so keep this in mind: good lizard oral health starts with good Diet and Husbandry.

Diet

Bearded dragons are omnivorous. Their diets consist of a variety of vegetation and insects. For a full breakdown of what beardies should be eating at different stages of life, check out this Reptifiles article. If you want to really go into depth regarding nutrition, check out this breakdown by Beautiful Dragons Reptile Rescue.

A bearded dragon’s diet should consist primarily of hard or crunchy foods. This texture cleans your dragon’s teeth, and will help combat the onset of dental disease (which, if left untreated, can lead to stomatitis, otherwise known as mouth rot.) Limiting soft foods such as fruit, soft bodied feeder insects, and soft veggies will help prevent dental dilemmas in the long run.

Dental disease can stem from several things, including incorrect diet, injury to the dragon’s mouth/jaw, high humidity, improper temperature gradient, etc. If you notice any symptoms of an oral infection or mouth rot, contact your vet right away.

Husbandry

Reptile husbandry consists of the environment and the day-to-day care provied to the pet. The factors we will discuss relevant to oral health are ambient humidity and regular oral care. It is important to note that stomatitis can be caused by a stressful environment with improper temperatures, presence of parasites, improper humidity levels, incorrect diet and mouth injuries. Stomatitis can be fungal and/or bacterial.

Humidity

The ambient humidity in your bearded dragon’s enclosure should average between 30-60%. If the humidity exceeds 60% and remains high, this can lead to health problems— including dental disease. If the substrate becomes wet and stays wet, there is an increased risk of scale or mouth rot, respiratory infection, and other dermal conditions.

Oral Care

Most people don’t regularly brush their bearded dragon’s teeth. Typically, their diet should maintain a healthy mouth as they eat. However, if a beardie has a preexisting condition that prevents them from being able to eat a proper diet, or if they have already developed a dental disease, it may become necessary to manually clean the animal’s teeth. There are many resources on Google that provide conflicting how-to’s and tips (frequency & tools used), so it’s best to speak with your vet about the best way for you and your animal to address your concerns.

What is Periodontal Disease in Bearded Dragons?

Periodontitis is a “bacterial or fungal invasion of the unique periodontal tissue of species of lizards with acrodont dentition.” It causes  “irreversible loss of connective tissue attachments and bone.”

Bearded dragons have both acrodont teeth and pleurodont teeth.

  • Acrodont teeth are fused to the jaw bone, and are significantly more brittle than other types of teeth. They can easily break, and are more susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections like mouth rot. Most of the teeth that bearded dragons have are acrodontal. If lost, these types of teeth grow back only in juvenile beardies; rarely so in adults.

  • Pleurodont teeth are stronger than acrodont teeth because they have longer roots and are more firmly attached to the jaw bone. Beardies have four pleurodontal teeth in the front of their mouths - two on top, and two on the bottom. If lost, these types of teeth grow back.

Periodontitis is a result of improper husbandry in captivity, and is not commonly found in wild bearded dragons.

“The natural diet of these species consists of a wide range of insects including hard-bodied beetles and cockroaches, and the occasional smaIl lizard, which require long periods of mastication.” Because bearded dragons are given a modified diet in captivity, they spend less time chewing crunchy foods, and therefore lack the “teeth cleaning” aspect of food consumption. Periodontitis is significantly more common in captive bearded dragons than wild specimens as a result.

Good News - Periodontitis and Other Dental Diseases Are Treatable!

If you are concerned about your bearded dragon’s oral health, bring them to your exotic vet. There are ways to clean their teeth using a variety of products, which your vet may prescribe for at-home continued treatment. Most of the cases in McCracken and Birch’s study were resolved with treatment, with the exception of cases with extreme bone lesions and significant co-morbid conditions.

However, in order to prevent the condition from worsening, it is vital to offer a variety of foods with crunchy and abrasive textures, and to limit soft foods & fruits.

Your dragon will thank you!

Works Cited

 
Lisa Lindenbaum
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