I know it’s not shark week. In fact, it is long since past. But, today I read an article about megaladon sharks and that got me thinking about shark teeth
In a human’s lifetime, we are given two sets of teeth. You could spring for a third, but you’d need a dentist.
Sharks, on the other hand, have an unlimited supply. The reason for that is the way they eat. Sharks can’t really chew the same way we can. They mash their teeth into their prey, then yank and pull to tear away the flesh. In the process, they can lose a tooth or two.
To deal with that, they have several rows of teeth. When one tooth is lost, a tooth from the row behind it moves up and the back row begins growing a new replacement.
This rotating tooth supply does not deplete. In the course of a shark’s lifetime, they can lose and re-grow as many as 30,000 teeth. That is amazing!
In lieu of an unlimited tooth supply, we need to take much better care of our teeth. October is National Dental Hygiene Month, which is a great time to start fresh on your oral hygiene routine. Brush twice daily and floss each night. And…don’t forget to come see your friendly family dentist twice a year for a check up.
