All You Ever Wanted To Know About Sharks’ Teeth!

It can be tough to get kids motivated to take care of their teeth. We know it’s not the most exciting part of your child’s day, but there are ways to help interest your children in caring for their teeth. One of these ways is by sharing fun trivia with them! Kids love learning new things, especially about animals.

Below are a few interesting facts about shark teeth that can help your child become more interested in his or her own teeth!

• Sharks usually lose at least one tooth a week.
• Sharks have 5-15 rows of teeth in each jaw, except the bull shark, who has 50!
• Shark teeth aren’t attached to gums like human teeth are, nor do they have roots.
• Shark teeth and human teeth are the same density – meaning they’re equally as hard.
• Sharks typically lose their teeth when they get stuck inside their prey.
• Shark teeth can be replaced within a day of losing their tooth.
• Sharks are born with complete sets of teeth and will immediately swim away from their mothers to begin hunting for food on their own.
• Humans need fluoride from outside sources, but shark teeth contain their own fluoride.
• Sharks can’t get cavities.
• It takes around 10,000 years for a shark’s tooth to fossilize. The most commonly found shark tooth fossils are from around 65,000 years ago!
• It’s very easy to find shark teeth on the beach, seeing how each shark loses thousands of teeth in their lifetimes!
• Shark teeth have an acid-resistant coating on them and are less water-soluble than human teeth.
• Megalodon teeth can be up to 7 inches long and can weigh over a pound.
• Whale sharks have 3,000 tiny teeth – these teeth aren’t for chewing, but instead are used to filter their food.
• Shark teeth are sharp enough that they were used as tools by ancient humans so they could hunt their food!

Sharks don’t need to visit the dentist to keep their teeth healthy, but your little people do! In order to set up an appointment for your children to receive a dental cleaning and exam, please contact Great Outdoors Pediatric Dentistry, located in Dover, NH!