The Discovery Channel’s annual Shark Week is underway! Its purpose? To demystify some of the ocean’s greatest creatures - educating an average of 2.5 million viewers about sea life.
Ready to sink your teeth into Shark Week 2016? We figured we’d offer up some shark teeth facts to get you started:
Sharks have numerous rows of teeth.
Did you know sharks teeth are arranged in rows? While the amount of rows vary from species to species, sharks often have anywhere from 5 to 15 rows of teeth in each jaw - with the bull shark having around 50 rows of teeth total.
Did you know sharks teeth are arranged in rows? While the amount of rows vary from species to species, sharks often have anywhere from 5 to 15 rows of teeth in each jaw - with the bull shark having around 50 rows of teeth total.
Sharks teeth are connected differently (and fall out frequently).
Shark teeth are not attached to gums on a root like our teeth but rather by soft tissue, and they fall out all the time! This is crucial so that when teeth are worn or broken, they are easily replaced by new, sharper teeth.
Sharks continue producing teeth throughout their lifetime.
When we lose a baby tooth, our adult set comes in. Sharks however are constantly producing teeth to replace those lost. Each time a shark loses a tooth in one of the rows, the tooth behind it moves up to take the lost tooth’s place - acting like a conveyor belt. In fact, a shark may grow and use over 20,000 teeth in its lifetime!
Shark teeth are not attached to gums on a root like our teeth but rather by soft tissue, and they fall out all the time! This is crucial so that when teeth are worn or broken, they are easily replaced by new, sharper teeth.
Sharks continue producing teeth throughout their lifetime.
When we lose a baby tooth, our adult set comes in. Sharks however are constantly producing teeth to replace those lost. Each time a shark loses a tooth in one of the rows, the tooth behind it moves up to take the lost tooth’s place - acting like a conveyor belt. In fact, a shark may grow and use over 20,000 teeth in its lifetime!
Shark teeth have built in toothpaste.
It’s no wonder sharks don’t get cavities - the outside of their teeth is actually made up of fluoride! Fluoride is nature’s cavity fighter and can be found in all ADA accepted toothpastes.
It’s no wonder sharks don’t get cavities - the outside of their teeth is actually made up of fluoride! Fluoride is nature’s cavity fighter and can be found in all ADA accepted toothpastes.
A shark’s diet influences the way teeth are shaped.
There are four basic groups of shark diets and with this come four basic types of shark teeth: long and narrow teeth ideal for gripping something slippery are found in sharks that typically eat fish; thick, plate like teeth are found in sharks that eat crustaceans or mollusks; sharp, serrated cutting teeth for sharks like great whites or tiger sharks that eat other mammals; and finally, those with tiny, almost useless, teeth like whale sharks that eat krill and other forms of plankton.
There are four basic groups of shark diets and with this come four basic types of shark teeth: long and narrow teeth ideal for gripping something slippery are found in sharks that typically eat fish; thick, plate like teeth are found in sharks that eat crustaceans or mollusks; sharp, serrated cutting teeth for sharks like great whites or tiger sharks that eat other mammals; and finally, those with tiny, almost useless, teeth like whale sharks that eat krill and other forms of plankton.
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