Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 08 June 2012 10:29
The bite of the Komodo dragon is known as one of the deadliest bites among all animals.
The reason why is now clear. It has nothing to do with sharp teeth or anything of that nature. Instead, it's the horrendous dental hygiene and a mouth filled with infectious bacteria, enabling the animal to kill prey rather easily.
The researchers also claim that the infectious bacteria spread though groups of the dragons, which makes the community as a whole more dangerous. The researchers from the University of Texas concluded that the bacteria spread by prey that isn't killed.
On average, there are 58 strains of bacteria located in the saliva of the Komodo dragon. About 93 percent of that is considered to be pathogenic. One species of bacteria, called Pastuerella multocida, killed mice after the mice were injected with the bacteria.
The Komodo dragon is the world's largest dragon, and they can grow as long as nine feet. The dragons inhabit five small islands in Indonesia. Their bite allows them to kill animals much larger than they are.
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