It’s one of the most anticipated weeks of the year – Shark Week! Thanks to the Discovery Channel, we can feast our eyes on shark tales and documentaries that teach us about these magnificent creatures. With shark attacks occurring worldwide, it’s no wonder why teeth are a shark’s most notable (and terrifying) feature.
Four types of shark teeth include:
Dense flattened: Nurse sharks and angel sharks use their dense flattened teeth to crush crustaceans and mollusks.
Needle-like: Blue sharks and bulls sharks use their needle-sharp teeth to grab and eat small- to medium-sized fish such as flounder, stingrays, and even smaller sharks.
Pointed lower with triangular upper: These razor-sharp teeth are a famous trait of the Great White shark, which feeds on large mammals and fish like dolphins, sea lions, other sharks, and small whales.
Non-functional: Pretty much useless, these teeth belong to plankton feeders such as the basking shark and whale shark that simply suck food into their mouths without chewing.
From Shark Mouths to Collected Treasures
Collecting shark teeth is a hobby enjoyed by many beachgoers. Shark teeth are essentially fossils that are thousands of years old. Shark bodies are completely made up of cartilage. After a shark dies, the body dissolves, and the teeth fall to the bottom of the ocean. Once the teeth settle, they collect sediment from the ocean floor. This preserves the tooth and allows it to fossilize over time. Ever wonder why collected shark teeth are gray or black? It’s from the color of the sediment.
Fun Facts – Say Ahh!
- Shark teeth are coated in fluoride, making them resistant to cavities.
- Sharks are born with teeth, and some eat their siblings in the womb.
- The shape of shark teeth depends on a shark’s diet.
- Sharks continuously shed their teeth throughout a lifetime.
- Shark teeth fall out easily because they do not have roots.
- Shark teeth and human teeth are equally as hard.
- A shark averages 5-15 rows of teeth. The bull shark holds the record at 50 rows!
- The most valuable shark tooth belongs to the Megalodon, weighing up to a pound and ranging in length from 3.5 to 7 inches. Just one can be worth a couple hundred dollars!
- Venice, Florida is known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World”.
- It takes several thousand years for a shark tooth to fossilize.
We hope you learned something fascinating about shark teeth. For all non-shark dental needs, call us at 954-344-4488, or complete an online appointment request to schedule your consultation.