Taking care of children’s teeth is as important as taking care of their overall health with their pediatric dentist.
Fun Animal Teeth Facts
People and animals have teeth and at Burleson Pediatric Dentistry, your pediatric dentist in Burleson we want you to know how to help your children care for their teeth, and sometimes it’s more fun to learn when you can also learn about your favorite animals!
Did you know animal teeth come in all shapes, sizes, and adaptations? As a children’s dentist in Burleson, we know all about teeth of any shape and size! Just like our own teeth, animal teeth come in various shapes and sizes. Some, like the giraffe, are even more like ours than you think. Did you know they have 32 teeth just like we do?
There are four main types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.
Incisors
Incisors are the most visible teeth in your mouth! Most people have four incisors on the top and four on the bottom! Each incisor has a single, narrow edge, which helps cut into your food when you bite. Incisors also help you to clearly pronounce words.
In elephants, these incisors are actually their long tusks! They only have 2, instead of 8 as we do. A rabbit’s and beaver’s incisors are constantly growing. This is why they constantly chew on things, to keep them filed down to a manageable size. Rodents are similar to rabbits, in that their incisors must constantly be worn down by gnawing or chewing.
Canines
Your canine teeth are the pointy ones next to your front teeth! There are two on the top of your jaw and two on the bottom. They are some of the sharpest teeth in your mouth, and they help you tear into your food. They also have the longest root of any of your teeth.
In narwhals, their single, long tusk is actually a modified canine tooth, not an incisor like an elephant tusk! Saber-toothed tigers are known for their long teeth, these are actually canine teeth that are up to 7 inches long. However, hippopotamuses have the longest canine teeth of any animal, coming in at 3 feet long! They can bite right through a small boat if they need to.
Premolars
Premolars, or bicuspids, are the teeth behind your canines. You have four on top and four on the bottom of your mouth. Their main job is to chew and crush food, but they can also help tear as well.
Horses can have receding gums just like humans. In fact, it’s where the popular saying “long in the tooth” comes from! As horses age, their gums recede and expose more of their teeth. This makes it look like they’re actually growing when they are not.
Most mammals have premolars. These teeth are the least specialized teeth in any mouth, but are still incredibly helpful when it comes to eating! In most mammals, it’s common to have eight
molars just like humans. But, marsupials like koala bears and kangaroos typically only have two to three premolars!
Molars
Molars are the flat teeth at the rear of the mouth, and humans have 12 molars. Molars are used exclusively for crushing and grinding. In people, your wisdom teeth are also included when talking about molars. These are the strongest teeth in your mouth. They are essential for eating!
In people, we typically get one set of molars for our lifetime. However, elephants can have up to six sets of molars! Most mammals have the same number of molars as humans, even carnivores! All of the different types of teeth are needed to chew food.
Even some bottom-dwelling fish like skates and chimeras have molars to crush and grind their food like mollusks!
While people and animals have a lot of similarities when it comes to teeth, some things are VERY different! Check out these amazing fun facts about animal teeth:
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While people typically have two sets of teeth, their baby teeth and primary teeth, sharks can grow up to 50,000 teeth in their lifetime.
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Blue whales' teeth can grow up to 1 foot long.
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A crocodile’s tooth requires 3700 pounds per square inch to break.
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An anteater has no teeth at all and uses its long tongue to eat ants and termites.
Remember, when it comes to your children, taking care of their teeth is as important as taking care of their overall health. Don’t forget to schedule your child’s appointment with their pediatric dentist at Burleson Pediatric Dentistry in Burleson for an exam and cleaning today!