Deadly Snake Fangs: Understanding How it Works?

Do you know that snakes can open their mouth up to 150 degrees? This explains how they can swallow their prey, which is sometimes bigger than their size, in one piece. Armed with their toxic venom and sharp fangs, these champion biters are often feared by people. Some kind of snakes is even more dangerous than the others. For instance the splitting cobra, it is known to spit its venom to as far as six feet away.

There are actually poisonous and non-poisonous snakes but you can identify the poisonous breed because of their fangs.  They have four snake fangs on top in which the two are positioned in front and the other two on the rear side of the mouth and there are two more at the bottom.

One of the main characteristic of snake fangs is sharpness. Surprisingly, this animal is known to have more teeth than any other mammals. It depends on the kind of snake but it has over 200 teeth lined in two rows, up and bottom of its mouth. Their teeth are not for the purpose of chewing. In reality, it cannot chew because it is pointing backward making it difficult to use for chewing. Its main purpose is to hold the prey into their mouth.

Also, the snake has hallowed teeth allowing the venom to flow inside and disperse once the prey is bitten. The teeth are actually connected to a small sac located in the snake head. The sac is the source of the venom. The moment the snake bites, the venom flows immediately to the wounds of the prey causing the prey to be incapacitated.

Some snakes simply bite then release the prey. This happens if the prey is big. Releasing the prey will avoid them to be hurt as the victim struggles to live. While others, they bite and hang their sharp teeth to their prey until it dies.

Sometimes snake fangs get broken too specially if they hunt big victims but it is easily replace with another tooth. Generally, they intend to shed their fangs because it is the way to keep its sharpness.

Another odd and deceptive trait of snake is the function of its tongue. Like any other creatures, tongue is functioned most of the time for tasting or something that relates to its nourishment but snake is different. The flicking tongue is used to smell and to follow the prey until it is dead and can be eaten already.

Indeed it is a wonder how can snakes swallow their prey in one piece? Usually their victim’s size is bigger than their head but still they can swallow it without breaking into many pieces. Human being’s jaws are made of bones and attached to our skull. Thus, it limits the flexibility. Unlike with snake, it is consist of tendons, ligaments and muscles hence allowing mobility.

They soak their victims in their saliva before swallowing it. Once it reaches the esophagus, it has muscles that continuously smash the victim into small portions until it reaches the digestive track which it is broken down further.

Snake fangs are really dangerous and no way that its poison level should be ever taken for granted. So when you are in areas conducive to such creatures, be very careful.