Do dolphins lose teeth?

By Marylou24/04/2019Common Dolphins, Dolphins (Odontoceti)

Hello Sweet Soulmates !

Today we had a great day on the ocean crossing the rain, rainbows and the sun!!

We saw big pod of common dolphins socializing! We could even hear them on the hydrophone! So grateful!

During the morning trip, a whale watcher asked me if dolphins get new teeth always renewing like sharks or only one time!

So, what about teeth system of dolphins?

The dolphin’s teeth are undifferentiated, they are all conical teeth. There are no specialized teeth for biting or cutting because they directly swallow their food.

Teeth begin to appear at about 3 months years old and are fully erupted at 5 months. Depending on the species, dolphins have got around 200 teeth. All teeth are permanent, non-replaceable.

Credit picture: Baleines en direct, Qc, Canada

About Marylou

Marylou is a Marine Biologist and Master in Oceanography. She is one of our Marine Wildlife Guide and is responsible for Science Education at TERRA AZUL. Originally from France, she studied in Canada and Belgium and loves being out to sea to share her knowledge with you.