How Many Teeth Does a Bear Have?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 12, 2020

Most, but not all, bears have 42 teeth, which include 12 incisors, four canines, 10 molars and 16 premolars. Bears are usually omnivores, meaning they eat plants and meats.

Bears have very sharp incisor teeth, which are made for ripping and tearing chunks of meat. The molars, which have flat crowns, are used to grind most vegetation to help with digestion of plant material. The four pointy canines are long and sharp. The polar bear, grizzly bear and black bear are a few specific examples of bears with 42 teeth. Bears of all kinds can be dangerous to humans. Most bears weigh between 300 and more than 1000 pounds.