How many teeth do a whale have?

Quick Answer

The number of teeth a whale has ranges from zero to over 240, depending entirely on the species. All whales fall into one of two groups: toothed whales (odontocetes), which have true teeth, and baleen whales (mysticetes), which have no teeth at all. Among toothed whales, the count varies dramatically—a narwhal has just 2 teeth, while some dolphin species have more than 240. Baleen whales like the blue whale replace teeth with rows of flexible, comb-like baleen plates used to filter tiny prey from seawater. To understand tooth count, you first need to know which type of whale you’re asking about. Learn more about whale anatomy and classification to see how these groups differ.

What You Need to Know

Two Types of Whales, Two Very Different Mouths

All whales belong to the order Cetacea, which is divided into two suborders based largely on how they feed. Odontocetes (toothed whales) possess teeth and typically hunt individual prey such as fish and squid. Mysticetes (baleen whales) have no teeth and instead strain large volumes of water to capture small organisms like krill and schooling fish.

This split is the single most important factor in answering how many teeth whales have. If you’re looking at a baleen whale—such as a humpback whale, gray whale, or bowhead whale—the answer is always zero.

Tooth Counts in Toothed Whales

Among toothed whales, tooth numbers vary enormously from species to species. Here are some notable examples:

• Sperm whale: 20–26 large, cone-shaped teeth found only on the narrow lower jaw. Each tooth can weigh up to 1 kg (2.2 lbs) and measure about 20 cm (8 inches) long. The upper jaw has sockets that receive these lower teeth but rarely erupts functional teeth of its own.
• Killer whale (orca): 40–56 interlocking teeth, evenly distributed between the upper and lower jaws. Each tooth is roughly 7–10 cm (3–4 inches) long and curves slightly backward to grip slippery prey. Orcas are apex predators, and their robust dentition reflects a diet that can include fish, seals, and even other whales.
• Beluga whale: 34–40 teeth that are small and peg-like compared to those of orcas or sperm whales. Belugas use their teeth primarily to grasp fish rather than to chew.
• Narwhal: Only 2 teeth, both embedded in the upper jaw. In males, the left tooth erupts through the lip and grows into a spiraled tusk that can reach 3 meters (about 10 feet). The right tooth usually stays vestigial. Females occasionally develop a shorter tusk, but most never erupt either tooth externally.
• Pilot whale: 30–40 teeth, concentrated toward the front of the mouth, used for grasping squid—their primary prey.
• Spinner dolphin: Up to 240+ teeth, among the highest counts of any cetacean. These tiny, pointed teeth are ideal for catching small fish and squid.

It’s worth noting that dolphins are technically toothed whales. So when people ask are dolphins whales, the biological answer is yes—they belong to the same suborder, Odontoceti.

How Baleen Replaces Teeth

Baleen whales evolved an entirely different feeding apparatus. Instead of teeth, they grow baleen plates—flat, flexible structures made of keratin (the same protein in human fingernails and hair). These plates hang from the upper jaw in rows, with fringed inner edges that act like a sieve.

A single baleen whale may carry 100 to 400 baleen plates on each side of its mouth. The bowhead whale holds the record with the longest baleen of any species, with plates reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet) in length. Blue whales have roughly 260–400 plates per side, each up to about 1 meter (3.3 feet) long.

To feed, baleen whales take in enormous gulps of seawater and then push the water out through the baleen with their tongue. Prey items—primarily krill, copepods, and small schooling fish—are trapped on the inner fringes and then swallowed. For more detail on feeding strategies, see what do whales eat.

Do Whale Teeth Grow Back?

Unlike sharks, whales are monophyodonts—they get only one set of teeth for life. Toothed whales do not replace lost or damaged teeth. This is one reason why dentition is so important to researchers: scientists can estimate a toothed whale’s age by counting growth layer groups (GLGs) in cross-sections of their teeth, much like counting rings in a tree trunk. This technique has helped researchers answer questions like how long do whales live, revealing that some species such as the bowhead whale can survive for over 200 years.

An Evolutionary Perspective

Fossil evidence shows that the earliest ancestors of modern whales had differentiated teeth—incisors, canines, and molars—similar to other mammals. Over tens of millions of years, toothed whales evolved simplified, uniform teeth (a condition called homodonty), while baleen whales lost their teeth entirely and developed baleen. Remarkably, baleen whale embryos briefly develop tooth buds in the womb before reabsorbing them, a vestige of their toothed ancestry. Explore more about this transition on our evolution page.

Key Takeaways

• Toothed whales have anywhere from 2 teeth (narwhal) to 240+ teeth (some dolphin species), depending on the species.
• Baleen whales have zero teeth; they use 100–400 keratin baleen plates per side to filter-feed on krill and small fish.
• Sperm whales have 20–26 teeth on the lower jaw; killer whales have 40–56; belugas have 34–40.
• Whale teeth do not grow back—whales get only one set for their entire life.
• Growth layers in whale teeth help scientists determine age, aiding conservation and population studies.
• For a broader look at whether whales have teeth at all, see our related FAQ: do whales have teeth.