# Mammals, Teeth, and Nursing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287 "2007-06-16T21:03:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/1 "2007-06-16T21:03:08Z")
Does any mammal have exposed teeth at birth? It seems like a newborn having teeth would not make nursing easier. Does any mammal never form teeth? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/2 "2007-06-16T21:14:23Z")
While I don’t know if \*all \*mammals are toothless at birth, [although this site suggests they are](http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/mammals/explore/diet.shtml), I can tell you that human babies with teeth nurse just fine. They bite occasionally, which usually makes Mama yelp, but it doesn’t hinder nutrition at all. As for the second question, [see here:](http://www.earthlife.net/mammals/teeth.html) > [@](#): > > Several groups of mammals have decided to do without teeth altogether. The 10 species of Whales in the order Mysticeti, the 8 species of Pangolins family Manidae, and the 3 species of Anteaters in the family Myrmecophagidae and order Edentata have all given up on teeth completely and have none. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/3 "2007-06-16T21:23:58Z")
There are human babies born with teeth. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/4 "2007-06-16T23:13:15Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] There are human babies born with teeth. [/QUOTE] Yes, but it’s hardly a regular deviation within the species. I wouldn’t use a three-legged goat as an example of triped mammals. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/5 "2007-06-17T11:37:13Z")
Echidna has no teeth, right? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/6 "2007-06-17T15:42:53Z")
Piglets are born with canine teeth, and I think I remember some other species (some cervids, ruminants, etc.) being born with them. Or if not born with them, they erupt in the first few hours/days of life. In the case of piglets, the teeth are usually taken out in the first couple of days because they can irritate the sow (and in production, you don’t want that). ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/7 "2007-06-17T16:10:58Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] They bite occasionally, which usually makes Mama yelp, but it doesn’t hinder nutrition at all. [/QUOTE] That’s part of why I stopped nursing when the kidlets got to be about six months old…those things are _sharp_! Owie! I don’t know how Mommy cats and dogs do it. ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/8 "2007-06-17T18:49:50Z")
Calves (baby cows for the more urban people 🙂 ) have teeth. I’ve had them cut my finger whilst trying to teach them to suck rubber teats. :eek: Those cuts hurt! ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/9 "2007-06-17T19:00:18Z")
On reflection, I would think all grazing animals would have teeth at birth, as it’s common to see calves, lambs and kids nibbling grass within a few days of birth. They won’t survive with out their mothers milk for a few months, but they need to develop their rumen. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mammals-teeth-and-nursing/408287/10 "2007-06-17T23:19:36Z")
A strong tendency to bite while nursing is probably not an adaptive advantage, so even infants with teeth rarely use them on mama.